All living plants and animals, including man, are the modified descendants of one or a few simple living things. A hundred years ago Darwin and Wallace in their theory of natural selection, or the survival of the fittest, explained how evolution could have happened, in terms of processes known to take place today. In this book John Maynard Smith describes how their theory has been confirmed, but at the same time transformed, by recent research, and in particular by the discovery of the laws of inheritance.
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'Few people in the world are better qualified than John Maynard Smith to explain evolution to us, and no subject more than evolution deserves such a talented teacher. Like Darwin himself, Maynard Smith knows that his story if intrinsically interesting and important enough to need no more than clear, patient, honest exposition. The new Introduction is an elegant essay which can be recommended in its own right as a summary of important recent developments in evolutionary theory. This book is the best general introduction to the subject now available.' Richard Dawkins, from the Foreword to the Canto edition
Book Description
A century ago Darwin and Wallace explained how evolution could have happened in terms of processes known to take place today. This book describes how their theory has been confirmed, but at the same time "transformed", by recent research.
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29 of 30 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the finest introductions to evolutionary science,
By A Customer
This review is from: The Theory of Evolution (Canto) (Paperback)
This summary of evolutionary theory by the dean of the British school is essential reading for those who would understand the issues argued by Dawkins and Gould. It is an engrossing read, but is not trivially easy, despite having the appearance of a popularization. I would recommend it to anyone wanting more than a cursory overview of the most important theme of modern biology.
34 of 36 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good, but today slightly dated.,
By "agreen60" (Florida) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Theory of Evolution (Canto) (Paperback)
Although I do not always agree with his views, I quite like Maynard Smith, so I rushed to buy this book which at its price seemed a real gem. Well, just to caution the reader that while it is classic Maynard Smith, the book is now quite old (1975). One can say that Darwin's 1859 classic, or "Selfish Gene" (1976) is also old, but these books were a milestone at the time. This book had less impact as a classic, so if one just needs latest information in a fast moving topic, there are more up-to-date works around. Even Maynard Smith's own (1998) "The Origins of Life" would be better value. You have to use your own judgement about this one.
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I was at first reluctant to agree to the re-issuing of this book. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
dumpy wings, unbanded shells, bristle number, fitter than either homozygote, hybrid infertility, dark mice, outbred males, light mice, inbred males, heterotic effects, hybrid inviability, aneuploid gametes, developmental flexibility, gill pouches, hybrid breakdown, giant chromosomes, melanic forms, first generation hybrids, parthenogenetic females, genetic assimilation, geographical races, ground finch, parental species, heterogametic sex, yellow shells Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
The Theort, Great Tits, New World, Van Valen, East Africa, New Zealand, Peppered Moth, Sharp-beaked Ground Finch, United States, Canto Edition, North America, Small Ground Finch, The Theon New!
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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
I was at first reluctant to agree to the re-issuing of this book. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
dumpy wings, unbanded shells, bristle number, fitter than either homozygote, hybrid infertility, dark mice, outbred males, light mice, inbred males, heterotic effects, hybrid inviability, aneuploid gametes, developmental flexibility, gill pouches, hybrid breakdown, giant chromosomes, melanic forms, first generation hybrids, parthenogenetic females, genetic assimilation, geographical races, ground finch, parental species, heterogametic sex, yellow shells Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
The Theort, Great Tits, New World, Van Valen, East Africa, New Zealand, Peppered Moth, Sharp-beaked Ground Finch, United States, Canto Edition, North America, Small Ground Finch, The Theon New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 10
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100
books
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- Natural Selection (Phoenix 60p paperbacks) by Charles Darwin on page 38, page 171, and Back Matter
- The Genetic Basis of Evolutionary Change by Richard C. Lewontin in Back Matter
- Genetics and the Origin of Species (Classics of Modern Evolution Series) by Theodosius Dobzhansky in Back Matter
- The Origin Of Species: 150th Anniversary Edition by Charles Darwin in Back Matter
- The Problems of Evolution (OPUS) by Mark Ridley in Back Matter
See all 10 books this book cites
- But Is It Science?: The Philosophical Question in the Creation/Evolution Controversy (Frontiers of Philosophy) by Michael Ruse on 4 pages
- Sociobiology and Bioeconomics: The Theory of Evolution in Biological and Economic Theory (Ethical Economy) by Peter Koslowski on 4 pages
- The Darwin Wars: The Scientific Battle for the Soul of Man by Andrew Brown on page 24, page 157, and Back Matter
- The SCIENCE OF GOD by Gerald L. Schroeder in Back Matter (1), Back Matter (2), and Back Matter (3)
- The Theory of Options: A New Theory of the Evolution of Human Behavior by Sean Gould on page 37, page 45, and page 53
See all 100 books citing this book
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