Revolutionary Biology: The New, Gene-Centered View of Life [Hardcover]

David P. Barash (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0765800675 | ISBN-13: 978-0765800671 | Publication Date: February 9, 2001 | Edition: 1

There is a revolution underway in biology. It is based on a new perception of bodies and genes, in which the former are the end product of the latter within the continuum of evolution. Twenty fi ve years after Richard Dawkins helped revolutionize our thinking about "selfi sh genes," it is time to reevaluate. Revolutionary Biology explains in simple, vivid terms what this exciting approach has to off er, and then applies its stunning insights to human beings. Th is novel perspective, galvanizes our understanding of how evolution works, what living things are all about and, not least, what it means to be human. Th e controversial disciplines of sociobiology and evolutionary psychology have generated startling insights into longstanding questions concerning the nature and purpose of families, altruism vs. selfi shness, and free will vs. biological determinism. Written by one of its foremost fi gures, Revolutionary Biology is a manifesto and educated layman's guide to this ongoing revolution.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 213 pages
• Publisher: Transaction Publishers; 1 edition (February 9, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0765800675
• ISBN-13: 978-0765800671
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 1.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,815,586 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

David P. Barash is an evolutionary biologist (Ph.D. zoology, Univ. of Wisconsin), a professor of psychology at the University of Washington, and the author of 30 books, dealing with various aspects of evolution, animal and human behavior, and peace studies. He is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and has received numerous awards. He is most proud, however, of his very personal collaboration with Judith Eve Lipton, his three children, one grandchild, and having been named by an infamous rightwing nut as one of the "101 most dangerous professors" in the United States. His dangerousness may or may not be apparent from his writing!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Too rambling, too biblical, September 25, 2004

By 

Tolstoevsky (Lafayette, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Revolutionary Biology: The New, Gene-Centered View of Life (Paperback)

I think the author might manage to cover some of the important basics of evolutionary psychology and biology, but I found it very hard to pick out any useful information buried in his loose and rambling writing style. I commend the author for trying to cover a highly technical area in a manner that tries to be accessible to a lay audience, but it doesn't work for me. I also found the frequent biblical references and quotes to be excessive and unnecessary.

A much better coverage of the "gene-centered way of life" can be found in Vertosick's "The Genius Within." While this requires slow and careful reading, it should be accessible (and quite fascinating)to the non-scientists among us.