The Evolutionists

Introduced in 1859, Charles Darwin's theory of evolution generated hot debate and controversy. Today, nearly all reputable scientists agree: evolution did happen and natural selection was its driving force. So why, a century and a half after Darwin, are scientists still arguing? And why are their exchanges sometimes so bitter? In The Evolutionists, Richard Morris explores the fundamental questions among some of the world's most prominent scientists, including Stephen Jay Gould, fellow paleontologist Niles Eldredge, geneticist John Maynard Smith, and zoologist Richard Dawkins. To position the issues within a broader context, Morris explains the theory of evolution in detail, reviews the main trends of evolutionary science since Darwin, and assesses how the field is changing - from groundbreaking research to the emergence of scientific disciplines like complexity theory and evolutionary psychology. A vibrant account of contemporary evolutionary biology, The Evolutionists is a fascinating look at how controversy and debate shape scientific understanding.