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{{short description|Popular science book}} |
{{short description|Popular science book}} |
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⚫ | '''''Why Evolution is True''''' is a popular science book by American biologist [[Jerry Coyne]]. It was published in 2009, dubbed "Darwin Year" as it marked the bicentennial of [[Charles Darwin]] and the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the publication of his ''[[On the Origin of Species|On the Origin of Species By Means of Natural Selection]].'' Coyne reviews the evidence for evolution, some of which was known to Darwin ([[biogeography]]) and some of which has emerged in recent years (evidence from [[molecular biology]]). The book was a ''New York Times'' bestseller, and reviewers praised the logic of Coyne's arguments and the clarity of his prose. It was reprinted as part of the Oxfod Landmark Science series. |
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⚫ | '''''Why Evolution is True''''' is a popular science book by American biologist [[Jerry Coyne]]. It was published in 2009, dubbed "Darwin Year" as it marked the bicentennial of [[Charles Darwin]] and the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the publication of his ''[[On the Origin of Species|On the Origin of Species By Means of Natural Selection]].'' Coyne reviews the evidence for evolution, some of which was known to Darwin ([[biogeography]]) and some of which has emerged in recent years (evidence from [[molecular biology]]). The book was a ''New York Times'' bestseller, and reviewers praised the logic of Coyne's arguments and the clarity of his prose. |
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== Summary == |
== Summary == |
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Chapter One, What is Evolution?, gives a brief overview of Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection. He writes that the "process is remarkably simple. It requires only that individuals of a species vary genetically in their ability to survive and reproduce in their environment. Given this, natural selection—and evolution—are inevitable." |
Chapter One, What is Evolution?, gives a brief overview of Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection. He writes that the "process is remarkably simple. It requires only that individuals of a species vary genetically in their ability to survive and reproduce in their environment. Given this, natural selection—and evolution—are inevitable." |
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Chapter Two, Written in the Rocks'','' |
Chapter Two, Written in the Rocks'','' examines evidence of evolution from [[paleontology|paleontology.]]Coyne highlights several [[transitional fossil]]s, notably ''[[Tiktaalik]]'', a transitional form between lobe-finned fish and amphibians discovered by Coyne's [[University of Chicago]] colleague [[Neil Shubin]] in 2004. He traces the history of fossils showing the [[evolution of birds]] from [[Theropoda|theropod dinosaurs]], starting with the discovery of ''[[Archaeopteryx|Archaeopteroyx]]'' in 1860 and culminating with several fossil discoveries made in the 1990s such as ''[[Sinornithosaurus|Sinornithosarus milleni]],'' ''[[Microraptor|Microraptor gui]] and [[Mei long]]''. The [[Evolution of cetaceans|evolution of whales]] from [[Even-toed ungulate|artiodactyls]] is remarkably well-preserved, as documented by ''[[Indohyus]]'', ''[[Pakicetus]], [[Ambulocetus]]'', ''[[Rodhocetus|Rhodocetus]]'' ''[[Basilosaurus]]'' and ''[[Dorudon]]''. Many of these fossils were predicted to exist before they were discovered, an example of evolution's [[predictive power]]. Evolution also predicts where and when these fossils should occur in the fossil record, and these predictions have been confirmed. (There are many other examples of transitional fossils, such as those documenting the [[Evolution of the horse|evolution of horses]].) The transitional fossils in human evolution are discussed in Chapter Eight. |
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Chapter Three, Remnants: Vestiges, Embryos and Bad Design examines examples of [[Argument from poor design|bad design]] in nature, |
Chapter Three, Remnants: Vestiges, Embryos and Bad Design examines examples of [[Argument from poor design|bad design]] in nature. Coyne looks at [[Vestigiality|vestigial traits]] like the wings of flightless birds, the eyes of sightless animals. and the pelvic girdle and hind-limb bones of whales. He also looks at [[atavism]]s, the spontaneous recurrences of ancestral traits, such as horses born with extra toes. Evolution predicts the existence of [[pseudogene]]s, segments of DNA which were functional genes in an ancestor but were inactivated by mutation. This prediction is confirmed, as the human genome contains thousands of pseudogenes. An example is the pseudogene for [[L-gulonolactone oxidase]], the enzyme which produces [[Vitamin C]] in most mammals but not in the [[Haplorhini|haplorhine]] suborder of primates, which includes [[human]]s, [[chimpanzee]]s, [[gorilla]]s and [[orangutan]]s (hence why people must consume Vitamin C to avoid [[scurvy]]). The same pseudogene is present in all these species, evidence that they share a [[Most recent common ancestor|recent common ancestor]]. Evolution makes another testable prediction: since humans are more closely related to chimpanzees than gorillas, and to gorillas than orangutans, the pseudogene should be most similar between humans and chimpanzees, less similar between humans and gorillas, and least similar between humans orangutans (it acts as a [[molecular clock]]). That is exactly what we find, and what we have found for the thousands of other pseudogenes that have been sequenced. Many other species have pseudogenes; dolphins have pseudogenes for [[Olfactory receptor|odor receptor proteins]] which they inherited from their land-dwelling ancestors, and the [[platypus]], which lacks a stomach, still has pseudogenes for enzymes related to digestion. Finally, he examines evidence from [[embryology]], such as the existence of [[lanugo]] in the fetuses of many mammals, including humans. (Lanugo also appears in fetal whales and dolphins, further evidence they are descended from land-dwelling mammals.) |
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Chapter Four, The Geography of Life, examines evidence of evolution from biogeography. Darwin's observations of the distribution of species while serving as naturalist for the [[HMS Beagle]] |
Chapter Four, The Geography of Life, examines evidence of evolution from [[biogeography]]. Darwin's observations of the distribution of species while serving as naturalist for the ''[[HMS Beagle]] l''ed him to his theory; modern theories like [[plate tectonics]] and [[Molecular phylogenetics|molecular taxonomy]] can explain things Darwin could not. There are similar placental and marsupial mammals on different continents (the marsupial [[sugar glider]] resembles the [[flying squirrel]]); this is explained by [[convergent evolution]]. Further evidence comes from [[Insular biogeography|island biogeography]]. Coyne says he asks his students why oceanic islands, which were not connected to continents but arose from volcanoes or coral reefs, have endemic species of birds, insects and plants but not land mammals, reptiles, amphibians or freshwater fish. The answer is that birds, insects and plants can colonize oceanic islands, where they form [[adaptive radiation]]s, such as the [[Hawaiian honeycreeper|Hawaaian honeycreepers]] or [[Darwin's finches]]. In contrast, continental islands, which broke off of continents, have more balanced biotas, and very old continental islands do have have adaptive radiations of mammals, such as [[Madagascar|Madagascar']]<nowiki/>s [[lemur]]s. That evolution can account for the biogeographic distribution of species is an example of its [[Explanatory power|explanatory power.]] |
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Chapter Five, The Engine of Evolution''''',''''' looks at examples [[natural selection]], which Darwin (along with [[Alfred Russel Wallace|Alfred Russell Wallace]], working independently) proposed as the mechanism for evolution. Coyne rebuts the claim that "evolution says everything happens by chance." Natural selection is non-random, as it selects the traits which are adaptive and discards those that are not: "It is a powerful molding force, accumulating genes that have a greater chance of being pased on than others, and in so doing making individuals ever better able to cope with their environment." He quotes [[Richard Dawkins]]'s definition of natural selection: "the non-random survival of random variants." Coyne points to examples of natural selection in the lab, such as the evolution of [[antibiotic resistant bacteria]] and [[Richard Lenski]]'s [[E. coli long-term evolution experiment|''E. coli'' long term evolution experiment]], and examples seen in the wild, such as [[Peter and Rosemary Grant]]'s study of Darwin's finches in the [[Galápagos Islands]]. He rebuts the claim that evolution cannot create complexity: since natural selection is non-random, it can create complex adaptations by selecting for advantageous variations. In an experiment by Barry Hall, ''E. coli'' that had the gene for lactase deleted evolved the ability to digest lactose with another enzyme. Creationists claim that the mammalian eye is too complex to have evolved, but there are extant species woth simpler, but functional, eyes, such as the eyespot of the [[planarian]] and pinhole camera eye of the [[chambered nautilus]]. In fact, [[Evolution of the eye|eyes have evolved several times independently]], another example of convergent evolution. |
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Chapter Five, The Engine of Evolution''''',''''' looks at examples [[natural selection]] in action such as the evolution of [[antibiotic resistant bacteria]] and [[Richard Lenski]]'s [[E. coli long-term evolution experiment|''E. coli'' long term evolution experiment]]. |
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Chapter Six, How Sex Drives Evolution, looks at Darwin's theory of [[sexual selection]] and how it can account for sexual dimorphosim in species. |
Chapter Six, How Sex Drives Evolution, looks at Darwin's theory of [[sexual selection]] ("selection that that increases an individual's chance of getting a mate") and how it can account for sexual dimorphosim in species, such as the plumage of the male [[Peafowl|peacock]]. |
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Chapter Seven, The Origin of Species, looks at Coyne's specialty, [[speciation]], or the formation of new species. (Incidentally, this is one thing Darwin didn't address in his book; Coyne suggests a better title would have been ''The Origin of Adaptations''.) He looks at [[Ernst Mayr|Ernst Mayr']]<nowiki/>s [[Species concept|biological species concep]]<nowiki/>t and examples of [[Allopatric speciation|allopatric]] and [[sympatric speciation]]. |
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Chapter Seven, The Origin of Species, looks at Coyne's specialty, [[speciation]]. |
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Chapter Eight, What About Us?, examines the evidence for human evolution, starting with [[Raymond Dart]]'s discovery of ''[[Australopithecus africanus]]'' and goes on to discuss [[Donald Johanson]]'s discovery of ''[[Australopithecus afarensis]]'' ("Lucy"), [[Mary Leakey]]'s discovery of the [[Laetoli|Laetoli footprints]] and [[Michel Brunet (paleontologist)|Michel Brunet]]'s discovery of ''[[Sahelanthropus|Sahelanthropus tchadensis]].''He also discusses the genetic similarities between humans and modern primates, especially chimpanzees. |
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Chapter Eight, What About Us?, looks at human evolution, specifically some of the important transitional fossils, such as ''[[Australopithecus africanus]]'' and ''[[Homo erectus]].'' |
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Chapter Nine, Evolution Redux, examines what evolution can tell us subjects, and what it can't. |
Chapter Nine, Evolution Redux, examines what evolution can tell us subjects, and what it can't.He concludes that understanding evolution ennobles us: "We are the one creature to whom natural selection has bequeathed a brain complex enough to comprehend the laws that govern the universe. And we should be proud that we are the only species that has figured out how we came to be." |
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== Reception == |
== Reception == |
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Rowan Hooper, reviewing the book in ''[[New Scientist]]'', called it a "wide-ranging, beautifully written account."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hooper |first=Rowan |date=January 9, 2009 |title=Review: Why Evolution is True by Jerry Coyne |work=[[New Scientist]] |url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn16347-review-why-evolution-is-true-by-jerry-coyne/}}</ref> Reviewing the book for the [[National Center for Science Education|National Center for Science Eductation]], paleontologist [[Donald Prothero|Donald R. Prothero]] said Coyne "does a beautiful job of covering nearly all the bases in a succinct but enjoyable and gently persuasive fashion."<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Prothero |first=Donald |date=September 18, 2009 |title=Review: Why Evolution is True |url=https://ncse.ngo/review-why-evolution-true |journal=[[Reports for the National Center for Science Education]] |volume=29}}</ref> Reviewing the book for [[The BioLogos Foundation]], Robert C. Bishop wrote "The breadth and clarity of Coyne’s explanation and discussion of the evidence supporting evolution is impressive. Christians who have even a passing interest in science should give what he has to say careful, prayerful reflection." That said, Bishop criticized Coyne's approach to science and faith as "problematic".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bishop |first=Robert |date=May 4, 2011 |title=Evolution, Myths and Reconciliation: A Review of "Why Evolution is True" |url=https://biologos.org/articles/evolution-myths-and-reconciliation-a-review-of-why-evolution-is-true}}</ref> In ''The Wall Street Journal'', [[Philip Kitcher]] wrote "the book is designed to present the evidence in an accessible way and thus to convince those who might otherwise be seduced by the blandishments of creationists...Coyne has offered Darwin a splendid birthday present."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Kitcher |first=Philip |date=January 29, 2009 |title=Following the Evidence |work=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB123318971717526863?mod=trending_now_video_3}}</ref> [[E. O. Wilson]] said "For anyone who wishes a clear, well-written explanation of evolution by one of the foremost scientists working on the subject, ''Why Evolution is True'' should be your choice." [[Richard Dawkins]] reviewed the book favorably in the ''Times Literary Supplement'', saying "I once wrote that anybody who didn't believe in evolution must be stupid, insane or ignorant, and I was then careful to add that ignorance is no crime. I should now update my statement: anybody who doesn't believe in evolution is stupid, insane, or hasn't read Jerry Coyne." |
Rowan Hooper, reviewing the book in ''[[New Scientist]]'', called it a "wide-ranging, beautifully written account."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hooper |first=Rowan |date=January 9, 2009 |title=Review: Why Evolution is True by Jerry Coyne |work=[[New Scientist]] |url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn16347-review-why-evolution-is-true-by-jerry-coyne/}}</ref> Reviewing the book for the [[National Center for Science Education|National Center for Science Eductation]], paleontologist [[Donald Prothero|Donald R. Prothero]] said Coyne "does a beautiful job of covering nearly all the bases in a succinct but enjoyable and gently persuasive fashion."<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Prothero |first=Donald |date=September 18, 2009 |title=Review: Why Evolution is True |url=https://ncse.ngo/review-why-evolution-true |journal=[[Reports for the National Center for Science Education]] |volume=29}}</ref> Reviewing the book for [[The BioLogos Foundation]], Robert C. Bishop wrote "The breadth and clarity of Coyne’s explanation and discussion of the evidence supporting evolution is impressive. Christians who have even a passing interest in science should give what he has to say careful, prayerful reflection." That said, Bishop criticized Coyne's approach to science and faith as "problematic".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bishop |first=Robert |date=May 4, 2011 |title=Evolution, Myths and Reconciliation: A Review of "Why Evolution is True" |url=https://biologos.org/articles/evolution-myths-and-reconciliation-a-review-of-why-evolution-is-true}}</ref> In ''The Wall Street Journal'', [[Philip Kitcher]] wrote "the book is designed to present the evidence in an accessible way and thus to convince those who might otherwise be seduced by the blandishments of creationists...Coyne has offered Darwin a splendid birthday present."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Kitcher |first=Philip |date=January 29, 2009 |title=Following the Evidence |work=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB123318971717526863?mod=trending_now_video_3}}</ref> In the ''[[The New York Review of Books|New York Review of Books]]'', [[Richard Lewontin|Richard C. Lewontin]] wrote that Coyne's "primary object in writing this book is to present the incontrovertible evidence that evolution is a physical fact of the history of life on Earthh...Inn this he is entirely successful."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Lewontin |first=Richard |date=May 28, 2009 |title=Why Darwin? |work=[[New York Review of Books]] |url=https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2009/05/28/why-darwin-2/}}</ref> [[E. O. Wilson]] said "For anyone who wishes a clear, well-written explanation of evolution by one of the foremost scientists working on the subject, ''Why Evolution is True'' should be your choice." [[Richard Dawkins]] reviewed the book favorably in the ''Times Literary Supplement'', saying "I once wrote that anybody who didn't believe in evolution must be stupid, insane or ignorant, and I was then careful to add that ignorance is no crime. I should now update my statement: anybody who doesn't believe in evolution is stupid, insane, or hasn't read Jerry Coyne." |
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== See also == |
== See also == |
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* ''[[The Beak of the Finch: A Story Of Evolution In Our Time|The Beak of the Finch: A Story of Evolution in Our Tme]]'' by [[Jonathan Weiner]], about the work of |
* ''[[The Beak of the Finch: A Story Of Evolution In Our Time|The Beak of the Finch: A Story of Evolution in Our Tme]]'' by [[Jonathan Weiner]], about the work of Peter and Rosemary Grant with Darwin's finches in the Galapagos, winner of the 1995 [[Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction|Pulitzer Prize or General Nonfiction]] |
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* ''[[Only A Theory|Only a Theory: Evolution and the Battle For America's Soul]]'' by [[Kenneth R. Miller]] |
* ''[[Only A Theory|Only a Theory: Evolution and the Battle For America's Soul]]'' by [[Kenneth R. Miller]] |
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* ''[[The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution|The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence For Evolution]]'' by [[Richard Dawkins]], also published in 2009 |
* ''[[The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution|The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence For Evolution]]'' by [[Richard Dawkins]], also published in 2009 |
Revision as of 03:50, 13 December 2022
Why Evolution is True is a popular science book by American biologist Jerry Coyne. It was published in 2009, dubbed "Darwin Year" as it marked the bicentennial of Charles Darwin and the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the publication of his On the Origin of Species By Means of Natural Selection. Coyne reviews the evidence for evolution, some of which was known to Darwin (biogeography) and some of which has emerged in recent years (evidence from molecular biology). The book was a New York Times bestseller, and reviewers praised the logic of Coyne's arguments and the clarity of his prose. It was reprinted as part of the Oxfod Landmark Science series.
Summary
Chapter One, What is Evolution?, gives a brief overview of Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection. He writes that the "process is remarkably simple. It requires only that individuals of a species vary genetically in their ability to survive and reproduce in their environment. Given this, natural selection—and evolution—are inevitable."
Chapter Two, Written in the Rocks, examines evidence of evolution from paleontology.Coyne highlights several transitional fossils, notably Tiktaalik, a transitional form between lobe-finned fish and amphibians discovered by Coyne's University of Chicago colleague Neil Shubin in 2004. He traces the history of fossils showing the evolution of birds from theropod dinosaurs, starting with the discovery of Archaeopteroyx in 1860 and culminating with several fossil discoveries made in the 1990s such as Sinornithosarus milleni, Microraptor gui and Mei long. The evolution of whales from artiodactyls is remarkably well-preserved, as documented by Indohyus, Pakicetus, Ambulocetus, Rhodocetus Basilosaurus and Dorudon. Many of these fossils were predicted to exist before they were discovered, an example of evolution's predictive power. Evolution also predicts where and when these fossils should occur in the fossil record, and these predictions have been confirmed. (There are many other examples of transitional fossils, such as those documenting the evolution of horses.) The transitional fossils in human evolution are discussed in Chapter Eight.
Chapter Three, Remnants: Vestiges, Embryos and Bad Design examines examples of bad design in nature. Coyne looks at vestigial traits like the wings of flightless birds, the eyes of sightless animals. and the pelvic girdle and hind-limb bones of whales. He also looks at atavisms, the spontaneous recurrences of ancestral traits, such as horses born with extra toes. Evolution predicts the existence of pseudogenes, segments of DNA which were functional genes in an ancestor but were inactivated by mutation. This prediction is confirmed, as the human genome contains thousands of pseudogenes. An example is the pseudogene for L-gulonolactone oxidase, the enzyme which produces Vitamin C in most mammals but not in the haplorhine suborder of primates, which includes humans, chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans (hence why people must consume Vitamin C to avoid scurvy). The same pseudogene is present in all these species, evidence that they share a recent common ancestor. Evolution makes another testable prediction: since humans are more closely related to chimpanzees than gorillas, and to gorillas than orangutans, the pseudogene should be most similar between humans and chimpanzees, less similar between humans and gorillas, and least similar between humans orangutans (it acts as a molecular clock). That is exactly what we find, and what we have found for the thousands of other pseudogenes that have been sequenced. Many other species have pseudogenes; dolphins have pseudogenes for odor receptor proteins which they inherited from their land-dwelling ancestors, and the platypus, which lacks a stomach, still has pseudogenes for enzymes related to digestion. Finally, he examines evidence from embryology, such as the existence of lanugo in the fetuses of many mammals, including humans. (Lanugo also appears in fetal whales and dolphins, further evidence they are descended from land-dwelling mammals.)
Chapter Four, The Geography of Life, examines evidence of evolution from biogeography. Darwin's observations of the distribution of species while serving as naturalist for the HMS Beagle led him to his theory; modern theories like plate tectonics and molecular taxonomy can explain things Darwin could not. There are similar placental and marsupial mammals on different continents (the marsupial sugar glider resembles the flying squirrel); this is explained by convergent evolution. Further evidence comes from island biogeography. Coyne says he asks his students why oceanic islands, which were not connected to continents but arose from volcanoes or coral reefs, have endemic species of birds, insects and plants but not land mammals, reptiles, amphibians or freshwater fish. The answer is that birds, insects and plants can colonize oceanic islands, where they form adaptive radiations, such as the Hawaaian honeycreepers or Darwin's finches. In contrast, continental islands, which broke off of continents, have more balanced biotas, and very old continental islands do have have adaptive radiations of mammals, such as Madagascar's lemurs. That evolution can account for the biogeographic distribution of species is an example of its explanatory power.
Chapter Five, The Engine of Evolution, looks at examples natural selection, which Darwin (along with Alfred Russell Wallace, working independently) proposed as the mechanism for evolution. Coyne rebuts the claim that "evolution says everything happens by chance." Natural selection is non-random, as it selects the traits which are adaptive and discards those that are not: "It is a powerful molding force, accumulating genes that have a greater chance of being pased on than others, and in so doing making individuals ever better able to cope with their environment." He quotes Richard Dawkins's definition of natural selection: "the non-random survival of random variants." Coyne points to examples of natural selection in the lab, such as the evolution of antibiotic resistant bacteria and Richard Lenski's E. coli long term evolution experiment, and examples seen in the wild, such as Peter and Rosemary Grant's study of Darwin's finches in the Galápagos Islands. He rebuts the claim that evolution cannot create complexity: since natural selection is non-random, it can create complex adaptations by selecting for advantageous variations. In an experiment by Barry Hall, E. coli that had the gene for lactase deleted evolved the ability to digest lactose with another enzyme. Creationists claim that the mammalian eye is too complex to have evolved, but there are extant species woth simpler, but functional, eyes, such as the eyespot of the planarian and pinhole camera eye of the chambered nautilus. In fact, eyes have evolved several times independently, another example of convergent evolution.
Chapter Six, How Sex Drives Evolution, looks at Darwin's theory of sexual selection ("selection that that increases an individual's chance of getting a mate") and how it can account for sexual dimorphosim in species, such as the plumage of the male peacock.
Chapter Seven, The Origin of Species, looks at Coyne's specialty, speciation, or the formation of new species. (Incidentally, this is one thing Darwin didn't address in his book; Coyne suggests a better title would have been The Origin of Adaptations.) He looks at Ernst Mayr's biological species concept and examples of allopatric and sympatric speciation.
Chapter Eight, What About Us?, examines the evidence for human evolution, starting with Raymond Dart's discovery of Australopithecus africanus and goes on to discuss Donald Johanson's discovery of Australopithecus afarensis ("Lucy"), Mary Leakey's discovery of the Laetoli footprints and Michel Brunet's discovery of Sahelanthropus tchadensis.He also discusses the genetic similarities between humans and modern primates, especially chimpanzees.
Chapter Nine, Evolution Redux, examines what evolution can tell us subjects, and what it can't.He concludes that understanding evolution ennobles us: "We are the one creature to whom natural selection has bequeathed a brain complex enough to comprehend the laws that govern the universe. And we should be proud that we are the only species that has figured out how we came to be."
Reception
Rowan Hooper, reviewing the book in New Scientist, called it a "wide-ranging, beautifully written account."[1] Reviewing the book for the National Center for Science Eductation, paleontologist Donald R. Prothero said Coyne "does a beautiful job of covering nearly all the bases in a succinct but enjoyable and gently persuasive fashion."[2] Reviewing the book for The BioLogos Foundation, Robert C. Bishop wrote "The breadth and clarity of Coyne’s explanation and discussion of the evidence supporting evolution is impressive. Christians who have even a passing interest in science should give what he has to say careful, prayerful reflection." That said, Bishop criticized Coyne's approach to science and faith as "problematic".[3] In The Wall Street Journal, Philip Kitcher wrote "the book is designed to present the evidence in an accessible way and thus to convince those who might otherwise be seduced by the blandishments of creationists...Coyne has offered Darwin a splendid birthday present."[4] In the New York Review of Books, Richard C. Lewontin wrote that Coyne's "primary object in writing this book is to present the incontrovertible evidence that evolution is a physical fact of the history of life on Earthh...Inn this he is entirely successful."[5] E. O. Wilson said "For anyone who wishes a clear, well-written explanation of evolution by one of the foremost scientists working on the subject, Why Evolution is True should be your choice." Richard Dawkins reviewed the book favorably in the Times Literary Supplement, saying "I once wrote that anybody who didn't believe in evolution must be stupid, insane or ignorant, and I was then careful to add that ignorance is no crime. I should now update my statement: anybody who doesn't believe in evolution is stupid, insane, or hasn't read Jerry Coyne."
See also
- The Beak of the Finch: A Story of Evolution in Our Tme by Jonathan Weiner, about the work of Peter and Rosemary Grant with Darwin's finches in the Galapagos, winner of the 1995 Pulitzer Prize or General Nonfiction
- Only a Theory: Evolution and the Battle For America's Soul by Kenneth R. Miller
- The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence For Evolution by Richard Dawkins, also published in 2009
References
- ^ Hooper, Rowan (January 9, 2009). "Review: Why Evolution is True by Jerry Coyne". New Scientist.
- ^ Prothero, Donald (September 18, 2009). "Review: Why Evolution is True". Reports for the National Center for Science Education. 29.
- ^ Bishop, Robert (May 4, 2011). "Evolution, Myths and Reconciliation: A Review of "Why Evolution is True"".
- ^ Kitcher, Philip (January 29, 2009). "Following the Evidence". The Wall Street Journal.
- ^ Lewontin, Richard (May 28, 2009). "Why Darwin?". New York Review of Books.