Darwin's Dangerous Idea: Evolution and the Meanings of LifeIn this groundbreaking and very accessible book, Daniel C. Dennett, the acclaimed author of Consciousness Explained, demonstrates the power of the theory of natural selection and shows how Darwin's great idea transforms and illuminates our traditional view of our place in the universe. Following Darwinian thinking to its logical conclusions is a risky business, with pitfalls for everybody. Creationists and others who reject evolution are not the only ones to fall into the traps. Many who accept the validity of Darwin's conclusions hesitate before their implications and distort his theory, fearful that it is politically incorrect or antireligious, or that it robs life of all spirituality. Dennett explains the scientific theory of natural selection in vivid terms, and shows how it extends far beyond biology. |
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actual adaptation adaptationism adaptationist algorithmic process ancestors argument artifacts biologists biology brain Burgess Shale cells chapter chess Chomsky claim complex consider course cranes created cultural Darwin Darwin's dangerous idea Darwinian Darwinian thinking Dawkins Dennett Design Space effect Eigen engineering environment ethical evolution evolved exaptation explain fact fitness landscape function genes genetic genomes Gödel Gould and Lewontin happen human Hutterites hypothesis imagine instance Intelligence language laws Library of Babel Library of Mendel lineages living look machine meaning mechanism memes million mind Mitochondrial Eve move mutation natural selection Nietzsche organisms original particular Penrose perspective phenotypic philosophers physics play possible principle problem punctuated equilibrium question reason replication scientific scientists simple skyhooks sociobiologists sort spandrels speciation species Stephen Jay Gould story strings suppose term things tion tournament Tree truth Turing turn two-bitser