Score!

[iesika]

I am, like, such a nerd. Mwahaha.  



I stole this from caerfree.

I  really am a giant enormous nerd. I bought a book today about the intellectual "feud" between Stephen Jay Gould and Richard Dawkins and their conflicting variations on evolutionary theory. Because, before the book was published, I thought "wow, someone should really write a book about the intellectual "feud" between Stephen Jay Gould and Richard Dawkins and their conflicting variations on evolutionary theory." Seriously. And not long after, I found out it was being written, and I jumped up and down and squealed. 

So, if anyone has any thoughts on Punctuated Equilibrium, I'm all rip-roaring ready for a good intellectual debate!

Comments

[wood-rabbit.livejournal.com]

Hey! - Read the book! It was really nice to get what seemed to be an objective viewpoint of both sides. I think that Dawkins kind of did what he accused Gould of doing: caricaturing the opposing argument and arguing against THAT. It's funny: there are some scientific-opinion type differences between them - many of which I think are actually compatible - but it seems like their differences are more philosophical than anything - and each side seems to take it really personally. The hostility of their dispute seems out of proportion to the actual points of disagreement. Do you know - did they know each other before they got famous?

[iesika.livejournal.com]

Dunno. Gould's been famous for a really long time. Dawkins probably had to study his work in school. I think I said this earlier in the thread, but I truely mourned when Gould died. I've read most of his "layman's" books, like his essay collections and books like Wonderful Life. Something I like about Gould (and which makes the whole debate seem silly) is his absolute delight in being proven wrong. He did several essays on specific instances that science has made a liar out of him, and he seemed thrilled every time.

My first experience with his work went like this: I checked one of his books out from the library on audio cassette just before a road trip because the title, Bully for Brontosaurus, caught my eye. I put the cassette in the drive as I headed out of town and listened to the introduction. Then, the title of the first essay was read out. "George Canning's Left Buttock and the Origin of Species." I think I fell a little bit in love, right then.

[iesika.livejournal.com]

O.O

I googled "Bully for Brontosaurus" to make sure I had that chapter title right, and found the whole book. If you're interested.

[wood-rabbit.livejournal.com]

Thank you! It sounds great. I am definitely interested in reading more by both of them.