Evolution and the Diversity of Life: Selected Essays [Paperback]

Ernst Mayr (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 067427105X | ISBN-13: 978-0674271050 | Publication Date: March 25, 1997

among his most valuable and durable: contributions that form the basis for much of the contemporary understanding of evolutionary biology.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Mayr has shown himself to be a true follower of Darwin, Wallace, and Huxley. His writings are lively and critical, and they provide remarkable insight into the development of the field.
--Peter H. Raven (Science )

The range of topics covered in these essays is awesome when one realizes that they are the product of a single mind.
--Francisco J. Ayala (Sciences )

Ernst Mayr not only ranks among the great evolutionary biologists of this century; he is also one of the best writers. This collection is of lasting importance.
--E. O. Wilson

Review

Ernst Mayr not only ranks among the great evolutionary biologists of this century; he is also one of the best writers. This collection is of lasting importance.
--E. O. Wilson --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 736 pages
• Publisher: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press (March 25, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 067427105X
• ISBN-13: 978-0674271050
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,465,409 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars from population genetics to modern ideas of evolution, May 28, 2010

By 

A. John Silver (tarrytown, ny) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Evolution and the Diversity of Life: Selected Essays (Hardcover)

this book collects a large number of relatively short papers on evolution and genetic diversity from the '50's and '60's by ernst mayr, a population geneticist, who trained in germany and new guinea and taught at harvard for about fifty years. the papers cover a large number of topics in speciation and the history of biology. i have not read more than half of them, but my favorite, so far, is #7, "from molecules to organic diversity". in it, he concedes the importance of modern molecular biology, but he shows clearly that evolution acts on the organism and not on the gene itself, as some modern geneticists would have it. evolutionary pressure acts on the organism through the fitness of the whole organism for the environment in which it finds itself. in the process of explaining the evolution of organisms, he proposes his theory of "emergent phenomena" which i find to be a useful way of thinking about unexpected consequences of complex (biological) processes (such as brain function). he does not insist on this theory, but he finds support for it in various disciplines and from scientists, including nils bohr.
these writings were collected and published in 1976. the collection has been reprinted several times since then. while it has been out of print for several years, there are many used copies available. mayr has numerous (shorter) books on evolution, but the variety of argument and experience introduced in these essays is unique. from his training in the philosophy of science in germany, to his field work in new guinea, to his years of research and writing on population genetics, elements of all of these unique experiences can be found here, clearly and cogently presented.

5.0 out of 5 stars From a Grand Master of Evolutionary Biology, February 3, 2009

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BYF - See all my reviews

This review is from: Evolution and the Diversity of Life: Selected Essays (Hardcover)

The diversity of living forms and the unity of evolutionary processes... these themes have permeated the research and writing of Ernst Mayr, who has been called 'one of the few Grand Masters' of evolutionary biology. His papers in many areas of biology have become classics. As a leading exponent of Darwinism, Mayer introduced concepts and definitions that have rendered evolution by natural selection a manageable and ever more fruitful scientific principle. Mayr's analysis of the species concept and his use of 'population' as opposed to 'typological,' thinking have been fundamental contributions to biological thought. His recent papers on cause and effect in biology and on teleology have been recognized as conceptual milestones.

2 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars For Serious Biologists, January 15, 2001

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Currahee (South Mississippi) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Evolution and the Diversity of Life: Selected Essays (Paperback)

While many people would find this book a tedious read. Anyone interested in the study of ecology, evolution or taxonomy could not help to find something useful. It is arranged as a series off essays, grouped by topic. This enables the reader to proceed at his or her own pace and find the information most valuable. It is among my most favorite bed time reads.