Review- Why evolution is true

Why Evolution Is True by Jerry A. Coyne

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


In this book, Coyne sets out the different types of evidence that demonstrates evolution, rather like a detective, talking in turn about fossil evidence, vestigal organs, the ability of retroviruses to infect the DNA of their hosts, and other forms of genetic evidence, discussing how the different facts reinforce each other.

I enjoyed this book more than many other books about evolution because of the focus on the evidence. Coyne quotes specific fossil finds that demonstrate the evolutionary development of different species, for example, Tiktalik Roseae, which showed the connections between fish and early amphibians in the tree of life. A book like this one is important to show how many disciplines are required to advance knowledge, and how difficult it is to attribute scientific discoveries to any individual. Many of the points described were long known before their wider significance became apparent, such as the incredible fact that whales occasionally develop legs outside their bodies, complete with the same leg bones as terrestrial animals.

However, the book is not dry; on the contrary, it is lively and passionately written. 'Big truths' like evolution can only be established if enough people are willing to spend years or in some cases their whole lives pursuing the smallest of details in their fields of interest. Coyne gives many such examples, such as the scientists who followed up predictions from bio-geography about where fossils would likely be found if particular theories about ancient land movements were true, then devoted enormous amounts of time seeking out the evidence, often in difficult or dangerous situations. Such things can only be done by people who care passionately about their subject, and in the expansion of human knowledge. This passionate care about the natural world is also on display when Coyne talks about the fragility of island based ecosystems, and the dangers imposed on them by the introduction of outside pests.

I suspect the book would have been different had the author not been Amercian, to the extent that Coyne often contrasts the evidence that supports evolution with creationist claims. I understand that this is important in the political context of the USA, where Christian fundamentalism is a powerful force, but to an outsider, the whole evolution/creation 'debate' is silly. I hope that someday, a point is reached where the findings of biology can be discussed on their own merits, rather than focusing on that archaic sideshow. Of course, there is a discussion to be had about the philosophical consequences of any scientific finding, and Coyne touches on this in his final chapter. Evolution isn't a moral theory, and no moral implications flow from it necessarily. However, I would suggest that the common ancestry of all life on earth is fatal for doctrines that rely on ideas of hard human exceptionalism, i.e. the belief that humans are in some fundamental and absolute way different from other lifeforms on earth.

Coyne is wise not to get too far into the debates around sociobiology. The evidential base for suggesting that particular human behaviours are genetic in origin, rather than cultural, is often thin. There is a minor quibble I'd make when Coyne dismisses the argument that race is socially determined. He describes the idea as if its proponents suggest that ethnic differences have no biological reality of any kind. However, the argument is better stated that ethnic differences are minor in nature, and do not have explanatory power for social differences, such as why different ethnic groups have different educational attainments. Coyne acknowledges that the genetic differences between human 'races' are minor when compared with the genetic differences between them, which means that he gives implicit support to the social construction position.

In conclusion, this is a well written book that expertly arranges the key arguments that demonstrate evolution, arranging them in an informative manner. It increased my knowledge of the topic, and gave many suggestions for further reading.



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