Darwin's Dangerous Idea: Evolution and the Meaning of LifeIn a book that is both groundbreaking and accessible, Daniel C. Dennett, whom Chet Raymo of The Boston Globe calls "one of the most provocative thinkers on the planet," focuses his unerringly logical mind on the theory of natural selection, showing how Darwin's great idea transforms and illuminates our traditional view of humanity's place in the universe. Dennett vividly describes the theory itself and then extends Darwin's vision with impeccable arguments to their often surprising conclusions, challenging the views of some of the most famous scientists of our day. |
Contents
A Hopeful Monster | 282 |
The Burgess Shale | 299 |
CHAPTER ELEVEN | 313 |
Teilhard Lamarck and Directed | 320 |
CuiBono? | 327 |
Mind Meaning Mathematics and Morality | 333 |
CHAPTER THIRTEEN | 370 |
CHAPTER FOURTEEN | 401 |
Molecular Evolution | 155 |
The Laws of the Game of Life | 163 |
Eternal RecurrenceLife Without Foundations? | 181 |
CHAPTER EIGHT | 187 |
CHAPTER NINE | 229 |
The Leibnizian Paradigm | 238 |
Playing with Constraints | 251 |
CHAPTER | 262 |
CHAPTER FIFTEEN | 428 |
The Library of Toshiba | 437 |
CHAPTER SIXTEEN | 453 |
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN | 494 |
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN | 511 |
Appendix | 523 |
| 528 | |
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Common terms and phrases
actual adaptation adaptationism adaptationist algorithmic process algorithms 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 engineering environment ethical evolution evolutionary theory evolved exaptation explain fact function genes genetic genomes Godel Gould and Lewontin happened human Hutterites hypothesis imagine important instance Intelligence intentional stance language Library of Babel lineages look machine mathematical Maynard Smith meaning memes mind Mitochondrial Eve Mother Nature move mutation natural selection Nietzsche organisms original particular Penrose perspective phenotypic philosophers physics play possible principle problem punctuated equilibrium question reason replication robot role scientists simple skyhooks sociobiologists sort spandrels speciation species Stephen Jay Gould story strings suppose term things tion Tree true truth Turing turn two-bitser