Customer Reviews

Possible Worlds

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a delightful collection of essays by one of the true giants of 20th century biology. I once asked Ernst Mayr what he thought of Haldane and he replied "Oh, he was a LOVELY man". That about sums it up. Haldane -along with Fisher & Sewell Wright- is justly credited with creating the "Modern Synthesis" of genetics, morphology, and evolutionary biology. He was also responsible for the original "dive tables" that modern SCUBA divers rely on to avoid the bends. Apart from his literally massive contributions to technical biology, Haldane had an enormous interest in what we now call "Science and Society". He wrote extensively for the "common person" -publishing in newspapers such as "The Daily Worker" essays that he hoped would demystify developments in science. This collection captures some of the best of these pieces, including the delightful "on being one's own rabbit" and "Some enemies of science" -which I have used (along with C.S. Lewis' essay on Vivisection) to generate some intense debates in my anatomy classes. Although the language is clearly early 20th century, many of the points that Haldane makes are as cogent today as they were 75 years ago. You will find yourself intrigued, amused, and best of all INFORMED by this highly accessible mixture of ruminations on science by one of its most important practicioners.