Galileo's Commandment by E.B. Bolles

• Books and Evolutionary Psychology by James Brody, 8/4/97
  
  

Bolles assembled 61 essays in "Galileo's Commandment: An Anthology of Great Science Writing" (NY: Freeman, 1997). He crosses scientific time from Herodotus through George Smoot (1994) The evolutionists are represented by Alfred Russel Wallace, Charles Darwin, Thomas and Julian Huxley, William Bateson, and JBS Haldane.

I appreciate having a copy of Wallace's pivotal essay, "On the tendency of varieties to depart indefinitely from the original type," that spurred Darwin into finishing "Origin."

Haldane's comments on "Food control in insect societies" are both humorous as well as an early elaboration of Mismatch Theory.

"Man's habits change more rapidly than his instincts. Today we are born with instincts appropriate to our paleolithic ancestors, and when we follow our instincts alone we behave in a paleolithic manner. It is probable that primitive man, like a wild animal, "knew" pretty well what was good for him in the way of food. Modern man does not, and when he does he cannot get it. Sedentary workers consume meals appropriate to hunters. Women of fashion attempt to supply the energy needed for dancing by the ingestion of large amounts of chocolate."

Good company for science fans during the long fall and winter evenings.

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