Review by Choice Review
A book that grew out of a 1990 conference, sponsored by the Boston Center for the Philosophy and History of Science, as a centenary reappraisal of the work of R.A. Fisher, J.B.S. Haldane, H.J. Muller, and S. Wright, all born between 1889 and 1892. These four brilliant theorists founded evolutionary genetics and continued to dominate this field throughout much of the century. Editor Sarkar (philosophy and theoretical biology, Boston Univ.) has collected eight essays by scientists, historians, and philosophers that analyze the work, the relationships, the philosophies, and the contributions of these influential figures. The book will be a daunting exercise for most undergraduates, but it will appeal strongly to that limited readership blessed with a keen historical sense of the early decades of the 20th century and a sophisticated conceptual competence in genetics, mathematics, and evolutionary theory. Extensive notes and references are provided and, in spite of some convoluted phrases and a proofing error or two, the book provides some valuable insights into an important period in the history of biology. Graduate; faculty. M. Kayhart; Cedar Crest College
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
