Evolution: The First Four Billion Years

by Michael Ruse (Editor), Joseph Travis (Editor), Edward O. Wilson (Foreword)

Spanning evolutionary science from its inception to its latest findings, from discoveries and data to philosophy and history, this book is the most complete, authoritative, and inviting one-volume introduction to evolutionary biology available. Clear, informative, and comprehensive in scope, Evolution opens with a series of major essays dealing with the history and philosophy of evolutionary biology, with major empirical and theoretical questions in the science, from speciation to adaptation, from paleontology to evolutionary development (evo devo), and concluding with essays on the social and political significance of evolutionary biology today. A second encyclopedic section travels the spectrum of topics in evolution with concise, informative, and accessible entries on individuals from ­Aristotle and Linneaus to Louis Leakey and Jean Lamarck; from T. H. Huxley and E. O. Wilson to Joseph Felsenstein and Motoo Kimura; and on subjects from altruism and amphibians to evolutionary psychology and Piltdown Man to the Scopes trial and social Darwinism. Readers will find the latest word on the history and philosophy of evolution, the nuances of the science itself, and the intricate interplay among evolutionary study, religion, philosophy, and ­society. Appearing at the beginning of the Darwin Year of 2009—the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin and the 150th anniversary of the publication of the Origin of Species —this volume is a fitting tribute to the science Darwin set in motion.

Genres: Science, Evolution, Biology, Nonfiction, Nature, History, Natural History

1008 pages, Hardcover

First published February 15, 2009

About the author

Michael Escott Ruse was a British-born Canadian philosopher of science who specialised in the philosophy of biology and worked on the relationship between science and religion, the creation–evolution controversy, and the demarcation problem within science. Ruse began his career teaching at The University of Guelph and spent many years at Florida State University.

Reviews

[Scriptor Ignotus · Rating 5 out of 5]

If ever such a broad topic could be done justice by a single introductory volume, this compendium of scholarly essays and encyclopedic articles--covering topics ranging from the origins of life to the human genome to the history of evolutionary science to the twentieth century American antievolution movement--fits the bill. The articles are often challenging, particularly for the casual reader, but always stimulating. When taken together, they provide a stable and comprehensive foundation of knowledge, which the reader can use as a starting point for further investigation.

[Eric Nelson]

Very complete.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this meaty tome (979 pages long!), the editors (Michael Ruse and Joseph Travis) present numerous articles written by renowned scientists on various aspects of modern evolutionary theory. Jeffrey Bada and Antonio Lazcano discuss developments in understanding the origin of life; Michael Benton discusses the evidence for evolution found in the fossil record; Francisco Ayala wrote an excellent summary of recent findings in molecular biology and the evidence for evolution. There are articles on human evolution, sociobiology and evolutionary psychology, the evolution of disease and "Darwinian medicine", issues of evolution and religion, and some historical background on American antievolutionism.

Following these feature articles is a lengthy "alphabetical section" (approximately 50% of the total page count), with relatively short articles on a large number of specific topics ranging from "chance and evolution" to "natural theology". This section also includes short biographies of many notable researchers, past and present, in the field of evolutionary biology.

My only criticism of this volume is that while some articles (such as Ayala's article on molecular evolution) are very well-written and interesting, many others are not so good (or at least not so interesting). I found myself skimming through quite a bit of the second part of the book. Indeed, the second part of the book would make a good general reference to evolutionary biology, but it isn't that interesting to read it linearly.

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Running to almost 1,000 pages, Evolution: The First Four Billion Years, brings together learned essays and encyclopedia-style entries on a bracing range of evolutionary themes. There are delights for the armchair intellectual here, including philosopher Michael Ruse’s introductory chapter on the history of evolutionary thought, and historian David N. Livingstone’s balanced explication of the uneasy relationship between evolution and religion. With more than half the volume given over to short notes and pocket biographies of prominent scientists, Four Billion Years rewards literary browsing. But it is for the most part a dense work, and many of the essays are more likely to intimidate graduate students than to enlighten more casual readers.

[Ronald Lett · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent survey of the current progress and placement of evolutionary theory in modern biology. In short, the presentation leads to the inescapable conclusion that evolution is the backbone of all modern biology. While the text does appear to languish a bit too much in theological matters, it also makes a study of the ways in which scientific theory was a reflection and outgrowth of the culture and times of each contributor to the over-arching theory. The citations are extensive and anyone seeking knowledge of the key experiments and works that lead to the modern interpretation of the theory will find them all well documented here.

[Daniel]

An essential compendium of any natural science student. This book is a great reference tool because of its large bibliography listed with every article. All of the major facets of evolutionary study are listed and discussed, from genetic drift to adaptation to conflicting theories to implications of current and historical scientific thought in the realm of biological science.

Evolution, by Travis reads like a good mix of text book and novel. It is minly for an informed audience, whether they be scholar or skeptic.

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Half of this book was essays, half of it was a basically a dictionary of people and ideas associated with evolution. The first half was excellent, the second I merely skimmed. I found the essay "American Antievolutionism" of particular interest, especially as I had a lot of creation science pushed on me as a child (hence my desire to pursue more scientific, academic, and credible discussions of evolution later in life). Very interesting.

[Kelly Gebauer]

Just some light reading :) but so far I like how it is laying out the progression in thought behind the study and understanding of evolution. A great overview for anyone interested in the natural sciences. While it is definitely more scholarly than other "popular" science reads, it is not so much so that it takes away from the overview it is providing.

[Regina Hunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I love the most, besides the charts, pictures and article like stractures, is that it is not only about Darwins theories, but includes many more scholary works.

[Yash]

I am still reading it. I really like it so far.