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Good Enough: The Tolerance for Mediocrity in Nature and Society
by
In this spirited and irreverent critique of Darwin's long hold over our imagination, a distinguished philosopher of science makes the case that, in culture as well as nature, not only the fittest survive: the world is full of the "good enough" that persist too.
Why is the genome of a salamander forty times larger than that of a human? Why does the avocado tree produce a mil ...more
Why is the genome of a salamander forty times larger than that of a human? Why does the avocado tree produce a mil ...more
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Hardcover, 320 pages
Published
June 18th 2019
by Harvard University Press
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Start your review of Good Enough: The Tolerance for Mediocrity in Nature and Society
Good Enough by natural philosopher Daniel Milo is a more fascinating, wide-ranging, and potentially paradigm-shifting book than you might otherwise think from a quick glance at the title alone. The book is nothing short of an all-out attack on the more radical versions of Darwinism in both nature and society, arguing instead for a more nuanced and accurate “theory of the good enough.”
To begin with, it’s important to understand exactly what Milo is attacking and what he’s not. Milo is not denying ...more
To begin with, it’s important to understand exactly what Milo is attacking and what he’s not. Milo is not denying ...more
I liked this book mainly because I support its basic premise. The idea is that not every feature has actually been selected for and that often nature can be static. I think it’s an excellent point to bring up that to believe every anatomical feature is a result of natural selection is a bias that hardly accepts the null as a default and it’s been twisted to absurdity.
However, this book, while I greatly enjoyed and devoured it quickly, lacks some follow through. Part 1 on natural selection and it ...more
However, this book, while I greatly enjoyed and devoured it quickly, lacks some follow through. Part 1 on natural selection and it ...more
If you liked “Sapiens” by Yuval Noah-Harari, you will love “Good enough” by Daniel Milo.
Are we really doomed to perpetually compete with each other? Why do we insist on grading students in schools and colleges? What prevent so many people from acknowledging the importance of diversity in human society? What were the false scientific foundations of the Eugenic movement? In “Good enough” Milo argues that misinterpretation of Darwinism accounts for many flaws in our social and scientific thinking. ...more
Are we really doomed to perpetually compete with each other? Why do we insist on grading students in schools and colleges? What prevent so many people from acknowledging the importance of diversity in human society? What were the false scientific foundations of the Eugenic movement? In “Good enough” Milo argues that misinterpretation of Darwinism accounts for many flaws in our social and scientific thinking. ...more
This was a great read, one I'd like to read again to absorb it better (my absorption of non-fiction is kind of mediocre - it's not the book's fault).
Milo, a self-described natural philosopher, much as Darwin was, makes a compelling argument that descent with modification is the primary mechanism of evolution rather than natural selection. He points out the troubling tendency we humans have, particularly under neoliberalism, of justifying a perpetual and ruthless drive to excellence as modelled o ...more
Milo, a self-described natural philosopher, much as Darwin was, makes a compelling argument that descent with modification is the primary mechanism of evolution rather than natural selection. He points out the troubling tendency we humans have, particularly under neoliberalism, of justifying a perpetual and ruthless drive to excellence as modelled o ...more
Daniel S. Milo's Good Enough is a one-of-a-kind must-read book, the fruit of a lifetime of reflection straddling the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences. Milo's broad ranging approach to philosophy and biology is resonant of Enlightenment erudition in a time when the compartmentalization of knowledge has become intellectually fashionable. Good Enough revisits the breakthroughs and, more significantly, the stalemates of Darwinism. It explores the excess, wasteful and sub-optimal “mes
...more
Brilliant.
A refreshing overview on fundamental issues in biology, igniting the readers curiosity and challenging stagnant concepts in commonly accepted evolution theories. The author gently (yet bravely) leads the readers through intriguing cases, discussing a variety of examples that demonstrate the vast range of optimization and competition features in nature. Brilliantly written, with an accurate touch of humor and criticism, Prof. Milo explains where scientists may have over-considered class ...more
A refreshing overview on fundamental issues in biology, igniting the readers curiosity and challenging stagnant concepts in commonly accepted evolution theories. The author gently (yet bravely) leads the readers through intriguing cases, discussing a variety of examples that demonstrate the vast range of optimization and competition features in nature. Brilliantly written, with an accurate touch of humor and criticism, Prof. Milo explains where scientists may have over-considered class ...more
Carefully reasoned, bold, and thought-provoking, this book is well worth reading.
"School is an assembly line of the overqualified." (p. 246)
Absolutely fascinating counter-theory to the prevailing notion that Darwin's theory of natural selection can explain everything in nature (and the pernicious notion that it's the natural state of social organization). The theory of "the good enough" posits that neutrality, excess and mediocrity are more salient forces than merit, excellence and innovation in the evolution of life on earth. Chapter 4 has the potential to make the childles ...more
Absolutely fascinating counter-theory to the prevailing notion that Darwin's theory of natural selection can explain everything in nature (and the pernicious notion that it's the natural state of social organization). The theory of "the good enough" posits that neutrality, excess and mediocrity are more salient forces than merit, excellence and innovation in the evolution of life on earth. Chapter 4 has the potential to make the childles ...more
I think I listened and re-listened to this audiobook over the course of six months. I enjoyed it but it was just detailed enough that I had to either fully listen or listen while doing something that took very little attention – not quite the sort of book I usually select to consume as audio. As for the book itself – WOW! Some really big ideas and good arguments here that essentially boil down to “Look, we’ve taken Darwin’s ideas somewhat out of context and thrown a lot of causation on correlati
...more
A worthy and convincing argument, but spends far more time than needed to make the point -- that natural selection is undoubtedly responsible for the origin of new species, but that once a new species appears it will always diversify in numerous ways, producing endless examples of organisms which, though they may not be the "fittest", are good enough to survive and reproduce.
Particularly important is his emphasis on the fact that evolution (unlike the breeding of domesticated organisms) has no ...more
Particularly important is his emphasis on the fact that evolution (unlike the breeding of domesticated organisms) has no ...more
Power of imagination: Out of all creation, only human are capable to move forward to the unknown charter and to dream the impossibility. What motivates human to challenge and to test our limits and to dare to explore? Of course, not everyone is adventurous; and 20/80 rule still applicable to many occasions. Still 20% of people produce and 80% receive, while 20% venture out while 80% remain. I certainly want to be the 20% of minority that change the world~
This book defies the natural selection's ...more
This book defies the natural selection's ...more
Occasionally you stumble into a book that will challenge your maxims.
The Darwinian principles of evolution based on natural selection and the survival of the fittest (or the most fit) is one theory that migrated from biology to society.
This book argues that natural selection is the only pathway in nature for species to preserve its survival. Nature preserves traits which are “good enough” for survival even if mediocre or apparently without a great utility!
So survival is not always not for the f ...more
The Darwinian principles of evolution based on natural selection and the survival of the fittest (or the most fit) is one theory that migrated from biology to society.
This book argues that natural selection is the only pathway in nature for species to preserve its survival. Nature preserves traits which are “good enough” for survival even if mediocre or apparently without a great utility!
So survival is not always not for the f ...more
this was a extremely enjoyable read. has alot of very interesting information about biological adaptation. and about how stress triggers mutation/dormant phenotypes( but sometimes cancer) and how after a stress period, it will seek equalibrium. the CCCP (hahahha) in cells is the mechanism to trigger decline and fall of organism and thus prevent over population, etc. small area for competition sometimes trigger alot of variations, but also, extravagant variations might be a bubble caused by a rob
...more
I'll give this book credit, I will never accept the phrase "survival of the fittest" without argument again. That will probably satisfy the author. About half of this book is spent ripping to shreds our unquestioning acceptance that natural selection is basically the only thing that changes living things by ruthlessly weeding out any "less desirable" traits. Therefore, everything must have an adaptive purpose. The second half of the book is the author's own theory on how modification through des
...more
I really wanted to give this a solid 4 it started with great things and ended like, ironically, a mediocre book. I still think it's a good read, easy to understand, a nice viewpoint that is absolutely required for anyone interested in evolution. So it gives you those and some weird things that you just need to filter out!
...more
Iconoclastic in its outlook, but gentle and respectful in its approach, Good Enough is a mightily interesting and thought-provoking critique of adaptationist storytelling in evolutionary biology. See my full review at https://inquisitivebiologist.com/2019...
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My fault for not realizing, but it’s more of a thesis/hypothesis than an informative book, and I don’t know enough of the science to be able to refute or accept arguments properly or disentangle supposition from fact. Also, it’s written like a textbook - terribly dry.
A very interesting boo. I really enjoyed listening to it and thinking about the theories.
Dec 29, 2020
Forked Radish
marked it as aborted
Not good enough.
Mr. Milo is like a magician, but not good enough one.
There is probably a good idea in this book, but it's buried under so much filler and repetitive arguments that it becomes muddled and almost incomprehensible.
...more
Highly recommended, not just by me...
Here are some reviews to check out:
"a fun and accessible read ... What a fantastic book!" From the Inquisitive Biologist:
https://inquisitivebiologist.wordpres...
"a reminder that 'survival of the fittest' is not only an entirely vacuous claim but that, in its misreading, and misunderstanding of natural selection, it is dangerous." from Complete Review:
http://www.complete-review.com/review...
"Good Enough is an important intervention that boasts none of the med ...more
Here are some reviews to check out:
"a fun and accessible read ... What a fantastic book!" From the Inquisitive Biologist:
https://inquisitivebiologist.wordpres...
"a reminder that 'survival of the fittest' is not only an entirely vacuous claim but that, in its misreading, and misunderstanding of natural selection, it is dangerous." from Complete Review:
http://www.complete-review.com/review...
"Good Enough is an important intervention that boasts none of the med ...more
Enjoyable, thought-provoking read, but far from bullet-proof. Parts drag.
Since reading, I've noticed more and more the strange assumption that natural selection is akin to some sort of design process - this book does a good enough job of dismantling that. I just don't think the rest of its arguments necessarily follow. ...more
Since reading, I've noticed more and more the strange assumption that natural selection is akin to some sort of design process - this book does a good enough job of dismantling that. I just don't think the rest of its arguments necessarily follow. ...more
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I am a natural philosopher at the School for the Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences, Paris. I published seven non-fiction books, one novel, and one play, as well as thirty-five papers. I wrote and directed three plays and created three video-arts. All my works turn around one theme: Excess.
What is excess? When you can do with less. We could do with so much less! There is too much of everythin ...more
What is excess? When you can do with less. We could do with so much less! There is too much of everythin ...more
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