Life as It Is: Biology for the Public Sphere [Hardcover]

William F. Loomis (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0520253574 | ISBN-13: 978-0520253575 | Publication Date: March 3, 2008 | Edition: 1

This concise, accessible book considers from a biological perspective the controversial issues of our day: abortion, euthanasia, engineered evolution, cooperativity, and the future of sustainable life on this planet. Exploring in fascinating detail the processes by which cells come into being and multiply, Loomis clearly and simply explains the latest in complex biological research. He reviews recent insights into molecular and human evolution, the role of DNA sequences in determining traits, and the biological basis for consciousness, all of which, he argues, need to be considered when making life-and-death decisions and wrestling with questions about the limits to intervention.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Courting controversy, Univ. of Calif. biology professor (and former president of the Society for Developmental Biology) Loomis tackles the "biologically generated societal problems of our day" in this highly provocative book. He does not claim to be unbiased, but his treatment of hot-button issues like reproductive rights, genetic modification and the origins of human consciousness evades liberal and conservative labels. For instance, Loomis straddles the middle ground on human stem-cell research and cloning, distinguishing between benign therapeutic uses and reproductive cloning, which he considers dangerous, unwarranted "tinkering" with the species that could cause "unforeseen effects" through generations. In his last chapters, dealing with evolution, Loomis illustrates how Darwin's "survival of the fittest" theory can encompass cooperation as well as competition, and he even sees a positive role for religion. The book's final chapter, "Sustainable Life," is bound to be its most controversial, suggesting that the only viable solution to problems of global warming, pollution and world-wide drought is to "quickly reduce the birthrate" by means of a global consensus to extend and enforce China's one-child policy. For all his strong opinions, Loomis is a careful and clear guide to the historical, social and political aspects of biology, making this overview both thorough and daring.
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Review

"[A] highly provocative book. . . . Loomis is a careful and clear guide to the historical, social and political aspects of biology, making this overview both thorough and daring."--Publishers Weekly

"Fascinating."--Nature

"Wide-ranging, easily accessible and thought-provoking. . . . This profound and beautifully explained celebration of life deserves wide readership."--New Scientist

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: University of California Press; 1 edition (March 3, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0520253574
• ISBN-13: 978-0520253575
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,225,069 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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