Evolution in Modern Thought

Project GutenbergProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.6

Word count: 587K words
Chapters: 59

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today. Evolution in Modern Thought by William Bateson et al. Author: , Language: English, Class: QH: Science: Natural history, Release Date: Aug 29, 2007

Editor's review

Evolution in Modern Thought is an essay collection centered on the relationship between evolutionary theory and modern thought, with William Bateson and others among the credited authors. Bateson was an early genetics researcher, which gives the book a character that overlaps the history of science and the history of ideas. What the book discusses is not textbook-style content from a single discipline, but how evolutionary ideas were understood, absorbed, and debated in modern thought. For readers, its value lies in offering a historical slice: seeing how scholars in the early twentieth century organized the intellectual threads and influence of evolutionary theory. The text is an English public-domain book, written with the scholarly temperament of its era and a high density of concepts, so it is not suitable as light popular science. When reading, one can place it within the framework of the history of science and the history of ideas, focusing on its argumentative methods and period limitations, rather than treating it as an authoritative overview of present-day evolutionary biology. It suits readers willing to read slowly, take notes, and feel curious about the evolution of scientific thought.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in the intellectual history of evolutionary theory and the history of science
Readers of literature and history who wish to understand early twentieth-century discussions of evolutionary ideas
Readers with a foundation in academic English reading who are willing to read slowly and think
Reference-oriented readers engaged in science communication or teaching the history of ideas

Not a good fit for

Readers looking for an introductory textbook of contemporary evolutionary biology
General readers who prefer light popular science and reject academic expression
Readers who struggle with English reading and need Chinese guidance

Reading tips

Begin with the table of contents and introductory passages to grasp the scope of discussion before proceeding chapter by chapter.
While reading, distinguish "historical views" from "current scientific consensus" to avoid confusion.
It can be paired with a general modern evolutionary biology book for comparison, to understand changes in ideas.
Take brief notes on key concepts to make it easier to review the lines of argument.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book an authoritative work of contemporary evolutionary biology?

No. The book reflects earlier intellectual discussions and carries the academic perspectives and limitations of its time. It is more suitable as material for the history of science and the history of ideas than as a reference for current conclusions in evolutionary biology.

Can someone without a biology background read this book?

You can try, but patience is required. The book has a high density of concepts, and without any background in biology or the history of science, understanding will be difficult. It is advisable to first acquire some basic knowledge of evolutionary theory, then read it as a historical text.

Why do multiple authors appear in the credits?

The book is a collection, with William Bateson and others among the credited authors, indicating that the content was written or compiled by multiple people. Different chapters may have different focuses; while reading, pay attention to the perspectives and emphases of each part.

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Project Gutenberg is not a single author but a nonprofit digital library founded by Michael Hart in 1971 and one of the world's earliest free ebook platforms. It relies on volunteers to digitize, proofread, and freely distribute public-domain works and is now operated by the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Its collection contains 2,692 works, mainly religious texts, epics, and story collections, including the King James Bible and the Douay-Rheims volumes, the epic Mahabharata, a literal translation of the Arabian Nights, and Danish editions of the Old and New Testaments. Public information is limited, and its nature is closer to a public-interest compiling and dissemination body; these texts are open to the public, easy to consult and circulate, and have had a profound influence on the spread of ebooks and the preservation of public-domain resources.