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Title details for The Theory That Changed Everything by Philip Lieberman - Available

The Theory That Changed Everything

"On the Origin of Species" as a Work in Progress

by Philip Lieberman
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Few people have done as much to change how we view the world as Charles Darwin. Yet On the Origin of Species is more cited than read, and parts of it are even considered outdated. In some ways, it has been consigned to the nineteenth century. In The Theory That Changed Everything, the renowned cognitive scientist Philip Lieberman demonstrates that there is no better guide to the world's living—and still evolving—things than Darwin and that the phenomena he observed are still being explored at the frontiers of science.
In an exploration that ranges from Darwin's transformative trip aboard the Beagle to Lieberman's own sojourns in the remotest regions of the Himalayas, this book relates fresh, contemporary findings to the major concepts of Darwinian theory, which transcends natural selection. Drawing on his own research into the evolution of human linguistic and cognitive abilities, Lieberman explains the paths that adapted human anatomy to language. He demystifies the role of recently identified transcriptional and epigenetic factors encoded in DNA, explaining how nineteenth-century Swedish famines alternating with years of plenty caused survivors' grandchildren to die many years short of their life expectancy. Lieberman is equally at home decoding supermarket shelves and climbing with the Sherpas as he discusses how natural selection explains features from lactose tolerance to ease of breathing at Himalayan altitudes. With conversational clarity and memorable examples, Lieberman relates the insights that led to groundbreaking discoveries in both Darwin's time and our own while asking provocative questions about what Darwin would have made of controversial issues today, such as GMOs, endangered species, and the God question.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    December 7, 2017

  • Formats

    • Kindle Book

    • OverDrive Read

      • ISBN: 9780231545914
      • File size: 7690 KB

    • EPUB ebook

      • ISBN: 9780231545914
      • File size: 7690 KB

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • Publisher's Weekly

      September 11, 2017
      Lieberman (The Unpredictable Species), professor emeritus at Brown University, uses Charles Darwin and his theory of natural selection as a springboard to discuss a range of interesting topics that demonstrate the power natural selection has had in shaping human evolution. He references some of his own groundbreaking research, including some regarding humans’ ability to speak and our closest primate relatives’ inability to do the same. Lieberman clearly explains complex issues such as epigenetic mechanisms and the reasons he disputes “Noam Chomsky’s claim that all humans possess an innate organ of the brain, a universal grammar that specifies the syntax of every language that has or will exist.” The book concludes with a chapter entitled “What Would Darwin Think About...” that is misguided at best and embarrassing at worst. Here readers are told, for example, that in response to global warming “Darwin would be a presence on the Internet would be e-mailing friends and contacts in high places, urging them to action.” Such speculation isn’t particularly informative; nonetheless, there’s much of interest elsewhere in the book to engage readers interested in the evolution of humans. Illus.

    • Library Journal

      November 1, 2017

      The subtitle for cognitive scientist Lieberman's new book states that Charles Darwin's influential On the Origin of Species (1859) is still a work in progress. As a result, Lieberman sets out to prove exactly that. While Species has been often considered outdated, Lieberman breathes new life into the tome, proving that this seminal guide is still a viable path for understanding how our species and others have evolved throughout time. Early in the book, Lieberman disputes Darwin's theory that evolution was a gradual process, stating that evolution can be brought on by rapid change through human interaction with the environment and natural selection. For instance, Lieberman states that the environment could produce effects that would transcend heredity such as the changes in human food supply. He also considers the evolutionary aspects that helped people adapt to language, explaining how the interplay among the tongue, lungs, and larynx facilitates speech. The conversational tone feels intimate although at times disjointed. VERDICT Overall, an enjoyable and well-written book for those who appreciate Species and its impact on our lives today.--Rebecca Hill, Zionsville, IN

      Copyright 2017 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Formats

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Languages

  • English

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