Evolution's Workshop: God and Science on the Galápagos Islands | Edward J. Larson

Evolution's Workshop: God and Science on the Galápagos Islands | Edward J. Larson | The Enchantment of Evolution

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Evolution's Worksh...

	Evolution's Workshop: God and Science on the Galápagos Islands Edward J. Larson BASIC BOOKS, 2001 - 320 pages average customer review:based on 10 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

More than any other place on Earth, the Galapagos Islands are the workshop of evolution. Isolated and desolate, they were largely overlooked by early explorers until Charles Darwin arrived there in the 1830s. It was Darwin who recognized that Galapagos' isolation and desolation were advantages: the paucity of species and lack of outside influences made the workings of natural selection crystal clear. Since then, every important advance and controversy in evolutionary thinking has had its reflection on the Galapagos. In every sense-intellectually, institutionally, and culturally-the history of science on these islands is a history of the way evolutionary science was done for the past 150 years. Evolution's Workshop tells the story of Darwin's explorations there; the fabulous Gilded Age expeditions, run from rich men's gigantic yachts, that featured rough-and-ready science during the day and black-tie dinners every night; the struggle for control of research on the Galapagos; the current efforts by "creation scientists" to use the Galapagos to undercut evolutionary teaching; and many other compelling stories.

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Exellent book

I found not only interesting the book but also very well organize and clearly written.

The Enchantment of Evolution

Must reading for any Galapagos traveler or historian of science. Starting with a contrast of Melville's description of Galapagos as a hell and Darwin's own explorations, Larson traces the history of the idea of evolution, both scientifically and on popular thought. By focusing on the Galapagos, Larson provides a readable account of both how studies in the Galapagos shaped evolutionary thought (From Darwin to Lack to the Grants) but also how the social climate of the day, influenced the explorers, for example how the exuberance of Teddy Roosevelt, affected explorers of the day, or how Harvard zoologist Louis Agassiz influenced the California collecting spree.

Larson also reflects on the effects of civilization on the Galapagos, from turtle collecting, to the World War II airstrip at Baltra, to current tensions between protection, locals, and harvest. Science has not always been on the side of protection, for example, "Save them for science" became the cry (at the turn of the last century), even if it meant capturing or killing the last on in the wild. The drawings and photographs complement the text, and include such treats as a photo of Louis Agassiz, sketches from Darwin, and a photo of 250 tortoise specimens in the California Academy of Sciences. I would also recommend Weiner's "The Beak of the Finch", and Darwin's "The Voyage of the Beagle" has a chapter on the Galapagos. Incidentally, the title of the book is probably derived from Darwin's own description of the Galapagos' volcanic hills and craters "From their regular form, they gave the country a workshop appearance".

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Saving Lonesome George

The history of a science can teach you much about the process of science and scientific thinking. Evolution marks the beginning of modern biological thought, and the Galapagos Islands played a major role in the development of evolutionary ideas. Edward Larson shows us how the archipelago was differently perceived by so many people from Melville and Darwin in the mid-1800s to later visitors up until the present day. While it would probably be confusing to learn about evolutionary theories from this book, Larson brings to light how some of those theories developed with respect to findings from the Galapagos. By doing this, one shares in the same act of discovery that has so enchanted the various researchers who have come to the islands. All the while, it is a wonderful read, and I highly recommend it those interested in a fascinating narrative about the history of evolution.

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not much that I cared about in book

The subtitle is slightly misleading: God and Science on the Galapogos. The subtitle was probably created to cater to the interest in religion vs. science but that topic was explored very little. It was more just the history of the Galapagos. If you're really interested in the history of that archipelago, then this book is exactly what you want. But for me, I really don't care about every person that ever went to visit that island.

There are a few things I did take from the book. Currently, scientists are trying desperately to save the Galapagos' from humanity and preserve its uniqueness. The irony of it, is that the ecology-loving scientists are the ones that once encouraged the tourism of the islands that have lead to supposed ecological disaster there. They had some vision of a utopia where people would learn how precious the earth is and work to conserve it, but instead Ecuadorians have siezed the island for economic pipedreams, the residents not caring to preserve every species there to their expense.

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reviews: page 1, 2

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