Written for a general college audience, this book offers an introduction to the principles and significance
of Darwinian evolution. It differs from most other textbooks on evolution in three fundamental ways: First, it
is intended for students taking evolution early in their studies. Second, it examines the intellectual significance
of Darwinian evolution. Third, the text departs from the standard treatment of evolution in other textbooks, wherein
the arguments are reductionist, molecular, and overwhelmingly genetic in emphasis.
New Features
New Chapter 17: This new short concluding chapter takes advantage of the collective case made throughout the
book and focuses on current issues facing students--the threat of epidemics and a critique of "intelligent
design".
Organization. Major sections (e.g. hot and cold blooded dinosaurs) have been re-deployed to chapters where
they more logically fit and enhance the theme of that chapter.
Revisions. Although each chapter was revised for currency, special effort was made to update chapters of central
importance (e.g. selection) or special interest (e.g. chapters on hominid evolution).
New Material. A short section on population genetics has been added (chapter 3), as well as sections on "What
is life?" (chapter 4), "Darwin's" pigeons (chapter 7), ring species (chapter 9), and on cultural and social evolution
in hominids (chapters 14 and 15).
New and revised figures can be found throughout the text, many figures have been replaced, and many new ones
added.
Table of Contents
1 Evolution of Evolution
2 Time
3 Heredity
4 Emergence of Life
5 Diversity of Life
6 Evidence of Evolution
7 Selection
8 Variation: Spice of Life
9 Speciation
10 Co-Evolution
11 Life History Strategies
12 Life in Groups
13 Extinctions
14 Human Evolution: The Early Years
15 Human Evolution: Building Modern Humans
16 Evolutionary Biology: Today and Beyond
17 Afterword
appendix 1 Cell Division - A Review
Appendix 2 Taxonomy
Appendix 3 Molecular Clocks
