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Author Topic:   Looking for a good book(s) on the sciences
Buckets
Junior Member (Idle past 5826 days)
Posts: 7
From: CA, USA
Joined: 08-27-2007


Message 1 of 8 (452986)
01-31-2008 11:15 PM


I'm particularly interested in biological evolution and the Big Bang theory/cosmology, and would like to know if there are any good introductory books (not TOO layman, thought)on evolution, as well as for Big Bang/cosmology (separate texts). I'd like them to be comprehensive, coherent, and cogent. Thanks.

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 Message 5 by Quetzal, posted 02-01-2008 9:00 AM Buckets has not replied
 Message 7 by Dr Adequate, posted 02-01-2008 12:50 PM Buckets has not replied

  
NosyNed
Member
Posts: 8996
From: Canada
Joined: 04-04-2003


Message 2 of 8 (452995)
01-31-2008 11:57 PM
Reply to: Message 1 by Buckets
01-31-2008 11:15 PM


books
For cosmology both of Brian Greene books:
"The Elegant Universe" and "The Fabric of the Cosmos". The former (I think) won the Pulitzer.
For evolution: Dawkins (any of them but "Climbing Mount Improbable" and "The Blind Watchmaker" are excellent).
For evolution: Some of Gould's earlier essay collections. His later ones might be a bit hard. Though "Full House" is an interesting and short one.

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humoshi
Junior Member (Idle past 5248 days)
Posts: 25
Joined: 01-29-2008


Message 3 of 8 (452997)
02-01-2008 12:06 AM
Reply to: Message 1 by Buckets
01-31-2008 11:15 PM


"What Evolution Is" by Ernst Mayr is a good old school non-controversial introduction imo.
If you are going to read Dawkins or Gould you should realize that they have a lot of disagreements with regard to some of the specifics of evolution, e.g., unit of selection, relative roles of selection and chance, etc.
So after you read a book by Dawkins and/or Gould and have a grasp of the subject I'd put "Dawkins vs. Gould: Survival of the Fittest" on your reading list to understand their differing viewpoints.

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Lithodid-Man
Member (Idle past 2930 days)
Posts: 504
From: Juneau, Alaska, USA
Joined: 03-22-2004


Message 4 of 8 (453012)
02-01-2008 3:18 AM
Reply to: Message 1 by Buckets
01-31-2008 11:15 PM


Some I really like
I found that Tim Berra's Evolution and the Myth of Creationism to be an excellent book. While he does a good job at the title topic, I was ultimately most impressed by how elegantly he summarized the basic concepts of evolution and presented very clear evidences. Quick read, will get you onto the basics. It is an older book, 1992 IIRC.
One I recently read was Darwin's Dangerous Idea by Daniel C Dennett (1995). He goes at it from the philosophy of science side, and it is really heady but amazing and quite readable (although I ended up rereading major portions to insure I was following his logic correctly, not because he was unclear but because I was floored half of the time and wanted to insure I was getting what he really meant!). This book presents the ideas of other writers including Gould and Dawkins from the social/philosophical side as well as an excellent basic presentation of the general ideas and conflicts.

Doctor Bashir: "Of all the stories you told me, which were true and which weren't?"
Elim Garak: "My dear Doctor, they're all true"
Doctor Bashir: "Even the lies?"
Elim Garak: "Especially the lies"

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Quetzal
Member (Idle past 5871 days)
Posts: 3228
Joined: 01-09-2002


Message 5 of 8 (453030)
02-01-2008 9:00 AM
Reply to: Message 1 by Buckets
01-31-2008 11:15 PM


The one non-textbook, not-too-technical (but still rich in detail), beautifully-written book on evolution that I consistently recommend is E.O. Wilson's superlative The Diversity of Life. As a plus, it was written by the guy that coined the term "biodiversity", so presumably he knows whereof he speaks. For a slightly more focused, slightly more technical discussion, Humoshi's suggestion of Mayr's What Evolution IS is excellent for providing you the basics of the ToE.

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 Message 1 by Buckets, posted 01-31-2008 11:15 PM Buckets has not replied

  
Quetzal
Member (Idle past 5871 days)
Posts: 3228
Joined: 01-09-2002


Message 6 of 8 (453032)
02-01-2008 9:06 AM
Reply to: Message 4 by Lithodid-Man
02-01-2008 3:18 AM


Re: Some I really like
One I recently read was Darwin's Dangerous Idea by Daniel C Dennett (1995).
I had a hard time getting through this book. In fact, I've had it for two years and am only about 2/3 of the way through. Probably because I'm such a crappy philosopher, I keep getting way lost in what he's trying to convey.
As an aside, do you know of any field guides/keys to neotropical Scarabaeoidea? I haven't been able to find a comprehensive one.

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Dr Adequate
Member (Idle past 284 days)
Posts: 16113
Joined: 07-20-2006


Message 7 of 8 (453116)
02-01-2008 12:50 PM
Reply to: Message 1 by Buckets
01-31-2008 11:15 PM


You could do worse than just getting a good thick biology textbook (I have Campbell & Reece). The bits that aren't specifically about evolution are also interesting and put the whole thing into context. You can pick up such books relatively cheap second hand, and usually in good condition.
As far as the Big Bang goes, I fear that it isn't really possible to do cosmology without learning quantum theory and General Relativity --- analogies about rubber sheets can only take one so far. I suppose as far as popularizations go, A Brief History Of Time is better than most --- at least it was written by a physicist rather than a popular science writer.
Edited by Dr Adequate, : No reason given.

This message is a reply to:
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humoshi
Junior Member (Idle past 5248 days)
Posts: 25
Joined: 01-29-2008


Message 8 of 8 (453120)
02-01-2008 12:55 PM


I forgot to mention Paul Davies wrt to Cosmology. I read "The Cosmic Jackpot" which gives a clear concise summary of the subject as well as some philosophy behind it.

  
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