Library: Nature, Biology, and Evolution
ERNST HAECKEL (1834-1919)
The "Kunstformen der Natur," is a beautifully printed paperback version of Ernst Haeckel's 100 print set, published by Prestel Verlag 1998. Haeckel originally wanted to be a landscape painter, but later changed to medical school. He then chose not to proceed with his medical career, but specialized in Zoology.
He became one of Germany's most prominent biologists, often called "Germany's Darwin," promoting his own spin on evolutionary biology as a lifelong Professor at University of Jena. He did not follow Natural Selection strictly however, leaving room for vestiges of Lamarckism and more direct influence of the environment rather than genetics.
Haeckel is probably best known for his so-called "recapitulation" theory, but I think it is a mistake to call him "that recapitulation guy" and then dismiss or underestimate the rest of his work. Interestingly, the question of forms, symmetrical or otherwise, arises again in recent theories of complex non-linear systems, aka "chaos theory."
Haeckel's stunning hand-painted illustrations of marine life and other plants and creatures - nearly 1000 of them in the series of 100 plates - were not only "decorative" and popular with people who proudly displayed this book in their homes. Many of the designs were also incorporated into the new "art nouveau" (Jugendstil) motifs.
The work also demonstrates how Haeckel worked from his microscope slides and from nature, using necessary artist's license. The work is artistic, not at all "photographic," although one receives that impression. His illustrations inspired many Art Nouveau designs in Europe (or vice versa).
These painstaking illustrations were also immensely important to him because the symmetry and other patterns illustrated the complex evolutionary morphology which was so necessary to his theories and biological proofs. I really have the feeling that Haeckel's work demands a second look in view of recent discoveries.
He became one of Germany's most prominent biologists, often called "Germany's Darwin," promoting his own spin on evolutionary biology as a lifelong Professor at University of Jena. He did not follow Natural Selection strictly however, leaving room for vestiges of Lamarckism and more direct influence of the environment rather than genetics.
Haeckel is probably best known for his so-called "recapitulation" theory, but I think it is a mistake to call him "that recapitulation guy" and then dismiss or underestimate the rest of his work. Interestingly, the question of forms, symmetrical or otherwise, arises again in recent theories of complex non-linear systems, aka "chaos theory."
Haeckel's stunning hand-painted illustrations of marine life and other plants and creatures - nearly 1000 of them in the series of 100 plates - were not only "decorative" and popular with people who proudly displayed this book in their homes. Many of the designs were also incorporated into the new "art nouveau" (Jugendstil) motifs.
The work also demonstrates how Haeckel worked from his microscope slides and from nature, using necessary artist's license. The work is artistic, not at all "photographic," although one receives that impression. His illustrations inspired many Art Nouveau designs in Europe (or vice versa).
These painstaking illustrations were also immensely important to him because the symmetry and other patterns illustrated the complex evolutionary morphology which was so necessary to his theories and biological proofs. I really have the feeling that Haeckel's work demands a second look in view of recent discoveries.
Haeckel's 1899 book, The Riddle of the Universe" (tr. by J. McCabe, Prometheus Books, 1992) is one of the most concise and comprehensive summaries of science in the nineteenth century, in my opinion. This summary alone is worth the price of the book.
Professor Haeckel -- who was there, in the middle of it -- takes us through the earliest foundations of Western science, through the age of Darwinism and the rise of evolutionary biology in Germany and Europe. He visited Darwin in England only shortly after Origin of Species was published.
After this comprehensive survey of virtually all the sciences of 19th century Europe, Haeckel rants at length about the science-versus-religion question as it raged through Europe. The problem in Germany was similar to England, but the power of conservative religion's influence in German government and politics was extensive. It prevailed as late as the 1900's and beyond. (Haeckel lived until 1919, dying just after the end of World War I*.
The evolutionary question became a serious and unique obstacle in Germany, still under the heavy influence of Roman Catholicism, despite Germany's being the home of the Protestant Reformation. The German politics were quite different from that in Darwin's England, and Haeckel launched a vociferous polemic against the suppression of science under the religion of his time.
It is difficult, I think, for Americans to understand the politics of the science-versus-religion issue as experienced in the Church-State environments of England and Germany. Even Haeckel notes that America was free from the shackles of Church-State government, or so we all thought at the end of the 19th century. .
(P.S. E.H. was NOT "anti-semitic" as some have accused recently. I do not support that kind of anachronistic political negativism. Haeckel died decades before the rise of Hitler so certainly cannot be blamed for the thoughts and actions of THAT regime. (1) Haeckel did, like most of 19th century thinkers, naively practice "scientific racism," which was based on sheer ignorance of the time and falls far short of modern criteria for "politically incorrect" or "anti-" anyone. (2) The concept of Eugenics began as far back as Plato, was developed by Galton, and has been a recurring theme and attempted political practice throughout Western history. Haeckel cannot be blamed for that notion either. I don't do Politics here. Back to the subject.)
*Ernst Haeckel was one of the first to coin the phrase "world war" as well as the all-important words ecology and stem cell and the first to put serious mileage on the word anthropogeny. In my opinion, we all need to have another serious look at Haeckel's view of the relation between Nature and religion.
Professor Haeckel -- who was there, in the middle of it -- takes us through the earliest foundations of Western science, through the age of Darwinism and the rise of evolutionary biology in Germany and Europe. He visited Darwin in England only shortly after Origin of Species was published.
After this comprehensive survey of virtually all the sciences of 19th century Europe, Haeckel rants at length about the science-versus-religion question as it raged through Europe. The problem in Germany was similar to England, but the power of conservative religion's influence in German government and politics was extensive. It prevailed as late as the 1900's and beyond. (Haeckel lived until 1919, dying just after the end of World War I*.
The evolutionary question became a serious and unique obstacle in Germany, still under the heavy influence of Roman Catholicism, despite Germany's being the home of the Protestant Reformation. The German politics were quite different from that in Darwin's England, and Haeckel launched a vociferous polemic against the suppression of science under the religion of his time.
It is difficult, I think, for Americans to understand the politics of the science-versus-religion issue as experienced in the Church-State environments of England and Germany. Even Haeckel notes that America was free from the shackles of Church-State government, or so we all thought at the end of the 19th century. .
(P.S. E.H. was NOT "anti-semitic" as some have accused recently. I do not support that kind of anachronistic political negativism. Haeckel died decades before the rise of Hitler so certainly cannot be blamed for the thoughts and actions of THAT regime. (1) Haeckel did, like most of 19th century thinkers, naively practice "scientific racism," which was based on sheer ignorance of the time and falls far short of modern criteria for "politically incorrect" or "anti-" anyone. (2) The concept of Eugenics began as far back as Plato, was developed by Galton, and has been a recurring theme and attempted political practice throughout Western history. Haeckel cannot be blamed for that notion either. I don't do Politics here. Back to the subject.)
*Ernst Haeckel was one of the first to coin the phrase "world war" as well as the all-important words ecology and stem cell and the first to put serious mileage on the word anthropogeny. In my opinion, we all need to have another serious look at Haeckel's view of the relation between Nature and religion.
Richard Dawkins, "The Magic of Reality: How we know what's really true," 2011 (Free Press/ Simon & Schuster).
This is an extremely simplified overview of Science that could be read and understood by a 12 year old, yet it is seriously thought-provoking for any adult who is not a professional scientist. There are some serious scientific basics here that everyone should know. The book is a masterpiece of simplicity -- which, as all writers know, is not an easy thing to do. Dawkins is also known for "The Selfish Gene," and "The God Delusion," and other titles reflecting his aggressive form of atheism. (See my Religion and Spirituality section.) |
This is a relatively new book: "Denial" by Ajit Varki and Danny Brower, Twelve/ Hachette Book Group, NY, 2013. Dr. Varki is writing on behalf of Dr. Brower, who left an unfinished manuscript at his death.
Both the circumstance of their publication and their hypothesis are fascinating even though I do not agree with their basic premise. (Being a layman and an amateur reviewer I often hate the ideas but love the writing, or vice versa.) I have not written a formal Amazon review, but I am working on some private criticisms as cited below. This book is a must-read in my opinion.
The issue of acceptance or denial of death by individuals or populations is among the world's greatest philosophical dilemmas that ultimately must be worked out. .
As a student of the world's religions I have a problem with the authors' implied universality (p. 97) of this human habit of denying death, found among so many of the world's major religions -- and perhaps even a basis for the world's major theistic religions. Little mention is made of the many Afterlife beliefs per se, as though Denial were an evolutionary (biological?) fact among ALL Homo sapiens, not just a regional, historical cultural phenomenon.
This widespread fear of death is neither culturally unanimous nor genetically inherited. There are numerous well-known exceptions, in major world philosophies, such as Greek/Roman philosophies of the Stoics and Epicureans, the Chinese classics Taoism and Confucianism, and even Judaism: Koheleth (Ecclesiastes) -- all of which recommend the acceptance of death and proceed from there to build their ethical systems. Such ethics are not based on the metaphysics of the terror of death..
The authors' underlying negative assumptions about death also seem to represent the exact opposite of what Dawkins is saying in The Magic of Reality, cited above. That is, Dawkins, an avowed atheist, seems to hold a more positive and accepting view of human life and death than either Dr. Varki or the late Dr. Brower (d. 2007) whose hypothesis is based on a view of death requiring "terror."
But readers should be assured that Denial is a most fascinating read whether or not you agree with its premises.
"Denial" will certainly generate lively conversations about human nature among book clubs and evolution buffs, but the widespread psychological phenomenon described seems to me far from truly "evolutionary" in its focus -- unless one travels all the way back to Acquired Characteristics.
The conclusions are highly speculative and, as the author himself points out, there is no testable or falsifiable hypothesis here. [Edited 9/14/2023]
Both the circumstance of their publication and their hypothesis are fascinating even though I do not agree with their basic premise. (Being a layman and an amateur reviewer I often hate the ideas but love the writing, or vice versa.) I have not written a formal Amazon review, but I am working on some private criticisms as cited below. This book is a must-read in my opinion.
The issue of acceptance or denial of death by individuals or populations is among the world's greatest philosophical dilemmas that ultimately must be worked out. .
As a student of the world's religions I have a problem with the authors' implied universality (p. 97) of this human habit of denying death, found among so many of the world's major religions -- and perhaps even a basis for the world's major theistic religions. Little mention is made of the many Afterlife beliefs per se, as though Denial were an evolutionary (biological?) fact among ALL Homo sapiens, not just a regional, historical cultural phenomenon.
This widespread fear of death is neither culturally unanimous nor genetically inherited. There are numerous well-known exceptions, in major world philosophies, such as Greek/Roman philosophies of the Stoics and Epicureans, the Chinese classics Taoism and Confucianism, and even Judaism: Koheleth (Ecclesiastes) -- all of which recommend the acceptance of death and proceed from there to build their ethical systems. Such ethics are not based on the metaphysics of the terror of death..
The authors' underlying negative assumptions about death also seem to represent the exact opposite of what Dawkins is saying in The Magic of Reality, cited above. That is, Dawkins, an avowed atheist, seems to hold a more positive and accepting view of human life and death than either Dr. Varki or the late Dr. Brower (d. 2007) whose hypothesis is based on a view of death requiring "terror."
But readers should be assured that Denial is a most fascinating read whether or not you agree with its premises.
"Denial" will certainly generate lively conversations about human nature among book clubs and evolution buffs, but the widespread psychological phenomenon described seems to me far from truly "evolutionary" in its focus -- unless one travels all the way back to Acquired Characteristics.
The conclusions are highly speculative and, as the author himself points out, there is no testable or falsifiable hypothesis here. [Edited 9/14/2023]
Darwin: The Life of a Tormented Evolutionist, by Adrian Desmond and James Moore, is the definitive biography of Darwin - in excruciating detail.
This book has everything you ever wanted to know, and a lot that you didn't want to know.
There's not much more that can be said, since the book is so comprehensive, with many photos as well.
Robert Chambers, "'Vestiges of the Natural History of Creation,' and Other Evolutionary Writings," was originally published in 1844 in anonymity, in England. Chambers responds to various articles, correspondence, essays and objections in the milieu in which Darwin was living and preparing his manuscript. Note that the date precedes publication of Darwin's Origin of Species by 15 years.
This book actually helped pave the road for public acceptance of Darwin's publication and Huxley's defenses of it.
The series is reprinted in paperback by Univ. Chicago Press (1994). Some literally heavy reading, this has served as an 800-900-page paperweight on my nightstand for about a year now. Slow going. The ornate 19th century writing style really slows things down for me.
This book actually helped pave the road for public acceptance of Darwin's publication and Huxley's defenses of it.
The series is reprinted in paperback by Univ. Chicago Press (1994). Some literally heavy reading, this has served as an 800-900-page paperweight on my nightstand for about a year now. Slow going. The ornate 19th century writing style really slows things down for me.
Robert Sapolsky, Professor of Neuroscience at Stanford, is the new popular science writer of the century as far as this reader is concerned. (Rest in peace, Stephen J. Gould).
The earlier book, A Primate's Memoir, details the younger Sapolsky's adventures in Africa as the world's expert in darting baboons to get blood samples. He also takes time off for some life-threatening tourism. The newer Neuroscience book, Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers (he was worried that in fact they might) covers everything you ever wanted to know about brain chemistry and effects of stress on the neuroendocrine system. It is more technical -- it has taken me a while to work my way through it -- but is comprehensive and told in Sapolsky's personable style, as seen online. For a sample of what this scientist is all about, check out his full-length class lectures on YouTube. |