Vous voulez voir cette page en français ? Cliquez ici.

7 used & new from CDN$ 1.35
See All Buying Options
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
 
Shaping Life
 
See larger image 
Share your own customer images
Publisher: learn how customers can search inside this book.

Shaping Life (Paperback)


3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)

Available from these sellers.


3 new from CDN$ 18.39 4 used from CDN$ 1.35

Product Details

Tag this product

 (What's this?)
Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organize and find favorite items.
Your tags: Add your first tag
 
See most popular tags
 

Customer Reviews

3 Reviews
5 star:
 (1)
4 star:
 (1)
3 star:    (0)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:
 (1)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
3.3 out of 5 stars (3 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most helpful customer reviews

 
5.0 out of 5 stars The Triumph of Reductionism, Mar 20 2004
By Filippo Neri (Los Alamos, NM) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Shaping Life: Genes, Embryos and Evolution (Hardcover)
This book has two parts. In the first part the author shows how reductionism has been once again triumphant (this time in the field of development). Then he contrasts reductionism with the "opposite" point of view, holism, trying to reach a compromise. He also makes very perceptive observations about the correlation of anti-reductionist views with Marxism and (nowadays) with radical feminist critique of science.

Most commentators seem to think that the author is too hard on the holistic point of view. I think he is too kind: science is reductionism. This has been proven again and again in history. Holism is a sure sign of pseudo-science (or anti-science). This was true in the time when Marxists were combating "Mendelism" (meaning modern genetics) and it is still true today when radically anti-science feminists push holism.

The very use of the word holism is a sure sign of pseudo-science: this has always been true and always will. The triumph of reductionism in development is an occasion for all reductionists to enjoy this new defeat of holism, the old and perennial enemy of science and clear thinking.

Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
4.0 out of 5 stars A Quickstart to the central issues in developmental biology, Dec 17 2000
By Jeffrey A. Blumberg (Rivonia, Johannesburg South Africa) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Shaping Life: Genes, Embryos and Evolution (Hardcover)
I was prompted to write this after reading the review below from the New Mexico reader. He misses the point, not Maynard-Smith. This little book (45 pages)is based on a lecture given by Smith at the London School of Economics. The central theme of his lecture was to make the point that the two views in developmental biology i.e. dynamic-holistic view and the local-reductionist view are both important. But, he extends this thinking by suggesting that this dichotomy in biology is a pattern that exists in all aspects/spheres/disciplines in life. This is what I found so revealing. Gore Vs Bush could not be a better (current) example that comes to mind when reading the final chapter 5 - Reductionists to the right, Holists to the left.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
1.0 out of 5 stars Total misunderstanding, Nov 22 1999
By A Customer
This review is from: Shaping Life: Genes, Embryos and Evolution (Hardcover)
Although I certainly enjoy most books and articles by Maynard Smith, this book was a tremendous disappointment. He argues against self-organization in biology in a very bad way. Instead of a good argument, one finds a subjective, totally biased and unscientific argument (what a splash pattern has to do with morphogenesis? no idea, really ... that's a funny picture but nothing to do with development). Still worse, Maynard Smith tries to "put down" previous and current work on development from the point of view of complexity by claiming that it has to do with some obscure disappointment with Marxism and with some feminist-like reasoning (? ). I find this strategy really unfair and not appropiate for a great scientist and writer such as Maynard Smith. I think that it is clear that selforganization is, **together with information and adaptation** a fundamental part of the understanding of life. In trying to ridiculize complexity and selforganization, the author is (perhaps uncounsciously) acting in a way not far from "scientific creationists".
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)


Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
Only search this product's reviews


Look for similar items by category

Feedback

Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

Your Recent History

 (What's this?)

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.