Use as an antidote to philosophy of science written by physical scientists.
Mayr has his own ax to grind against physiologists, but that's okay.

A nice historical account of the ancient battle lines formed in Greece between Plato and Aristotle. These battles continue within science today. Mayr is at his best in explaining how Darwin had to rise above the ESSENTIALISTIC thinking of his contemporaries in order to produce his theory of evolution by natural selection acting across life's diversity.

Follow up on Mayr by reading Murray Gell-Mann's The Quark and the Jaguar for a more modern and sensible attitude about how to deal with complex systems than Mayr ever imagined. Also, E.O. Wilson's Consilience is a road to cooperation between all branches of science that will take the sting out of Mayr's resentments. 

Go to John's Book Page.

Go to John's Home Page.