Sudden Origins: Fossils, Genes, and the Emergence of Species

by Jeffrey H. Schwartz

Book Overview

"Fascinating."-Nature Finally a compelling answer to the question that has plagued scientists for centuries . . . "A detailed and informative historical account."-Nature "This is an intriguing and significant work."-Library Journal "A provocative new theory to explain how species arise."-Scientific American "A worthwhile attempt at bridging the new developments in how species may change and the evidence for the patterns of those changes."-American...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0471379123
• ISBN13: 9780471379126
• Release Date: March 2000
• Publisher: Wiley
• Length: 432 Pages
• Weight: 1.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.1" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Hox genes, and the new origin of the species

This is a very important source of information both as to the history of the Neo-Darwinian Synthesis and the recent discoveries of regulatory hox genes and the light they throw on the riddles of speciation and large scale evolutionary change. The realization that major morphological changes do not in fact occur in the fashion of microevolution (as presented by traditional Darwinists), due to the effect of homeobox genes, is a revolutionary discovery and confirmation of the importance of the developmental tradition moving in parallel to standard Darwinism. This data creates a foundation for the various theories of macroevolution and punctuated equilibrium proposed almost a generation ago but still sidelined by the Darwinian mainline. The book contains an invaluable review of paleoanthropological theories, issues of neotonous evolution, and the various genetical theories of Mendelism, from de Vries and Bateson, to Haldane, Wright, and Fisher. The views of Goldschmidt, and his near miss of this new perspective, is also treated. This confusing history of Mendelism sorted out is invaluable, and shows how cogent (in part) where the intimations of Bateson and Morgan. The new perspective both confirms the concept of 'macroevolution' while suggesting this can be seen as a microevolution of regulatory genes, a point open to debate perhaps. The next mystery is the evolution of these complex sequences of development. But that does not distract from the great usefulness of this account. One can dispense with much of the erroneous literature on evolution, a great saving in brain space. The endless debate over the slow evolution of the eye, etc, that went on and on and drove all parties batty is hopefully over if we know the right combination of homeobox genes will control the development of this and other organs. Times are changing in Darwin land. Highly recommended.

Fascinating theory, attractively presented

With his Sudden Origins, Jeffrey H. Schwartz can surely claim, in the current cliche, to be "reader-friendly". I am not qualified to judge his research from a professional point of view, but, as a mere interested layman, introduced to this book by a recent Sunday Times Magazine, I can vouch for its attractions to the untutored.The rights and wrongs of Professor Schwartz's thesis only his fellow scholars can assess, but it is certainly an impressive explanation of hitherto puzzling phenomena. The author sets his own findings, reassuringly, in the historical context of evolutionary theory, relating his discoveries to Darwin and subsequent scientific investigation. For me, however, the achievement of this book lies in the manner in which the author presents his somewhat esoteric material. From the strong title and delightful dust-cover to the useful paraphernalia of end-notes, index and glossary, Professor Schwartz makes it easy for the reader to survey and manage his dense, complex and erudite content. Chapters are helpfully subdivided into headed sub-chapters and diagrams and illustrations illuminate the text. Equally welcome in a book of this kind is the author's ability to endow his material, on occasion, with unexpected warmth - see, for example, his description of the contrasting scientists, White and Clark (p15). Interestingly, when I thought that I had found something to criticise, I discovered that my criticism had been anticipated, explained and, so, invalidated in the author's Acknowledgments.I unhesitatingly commend Sudden Origins as worthy of your five star rating.

Extremely readable account of a complex & intriguing theory

One of the great strengths of this book - a fascinating addition to the literature on evolution - is that it offers a highly readable account of a complex scientific theory and its background, and thereby has appeal both for the expert and the layman (layperson?!) I am certainly no expert in evolution or genetics, but I do find the subject very interesting, and appreciated the clarity of the author's style, and the easy way in which one could trace the journey through man's supposed evolution down the various, often divergent, paths of scientific discovery.I found that Jeffrey Schwartz's book not only explained the theory of homeobox genes and their importance in the emergence of new species, but also described a good deal else in the field of evolution in a way that brought this intricate subject to life and was refreshingly easy to follow. I particularly recommend the first chapter, "A Rash of Discoveries", for an overview of the many finds of possibly hominid remains which constitute links with our earliest ancestors; and also enjoyed the account of the famous Piltdown hoax (pp 107 et seq.). I happen to live not far from the village of Piltdown and so have heard and read many versions of this endearingly eccentric episode of British scientific history. These others tend to centre on the "whodunnit" aspect of the case, ignoring the equally interesting scientific background: the state of evolutionary research at the time, and the possible reasons why anyone should wish to perpetrate such a hoax. Once again, the author covers both angles in a way which leaves out none of the science and makes more sense of the story.Having read this book, I was interested to see that Jeffrey Schwartz's theory was featured in an article in the Sunday Times Magazine (September 12th, 1999), which is currently looking at important new scientific discoveries and developments to follow for the new millennium. I felt that the inclusion of the homeobox gene theory of evolution as one such was entirely justified.In summary, I highly recommend this elegantly written book whose contents should be of great interest to anyone remotely intrigued by the evolution of species.

Reminds us Evolution & Natural Selection aren't synonyms.

Among professionals and amateurs alike, a majority of modern evolutionists firmly embrace the notion that evolution is "a change in allele frequency in a given population." Even if we included in this "change" the possibility of new alleles (a.k.a. mutations), we are still steered toward a conclusion that all alleles are equally important and necessary in development. It also tends to focus attention to those heritable traits most readily observed, since an allele is nothing more than a character state (ie blue versus brown eyes), and supports the idea that "one gene equals one trait". Ask any professional biologist, particularly a geneticist, and they will be quick to point out that some genes (especially regulatory genes) are more important than others in development, and that "one gene equals one trait" is absurd. Yet these assumptions are deeply entrenched in the logic of basic neo-Darwinian thought. Schwartz does not present these concepts as radical new ideas, but as a neglected intellectual heritage. The source of novelty is shifted back to mutation, not selection. This book reasserts the basics of genetics, known for a century, and challenges received wisdom about the necessary size and role of mutation (ie. what has and *hasn't* been demonstrated). If nothing else, Sudden Origins will provide the reader an opportunity to examine their assumptions about the diversity of life. Some have called the new theory contained in this book a revival of "hopeful monsters", just as some have called Stuart Kaufman's ideas the reworking of "spontaneous generation". But let us remember that throughout history intellectual heresy in one generation is often recognized as the seeds of genius in the next.

Now I understand evolution!

I'm not a scientist, but I could understand everything - the history of evolution, the debates, and the author's new theory, which explains why there have to be gaps in the fossil record. I even understood the genetics, that there are different kinds of genes, and that the regulatory genes are where's it's at - the origin of species. I've started giving this book as a present, even to my young nieces and nephews. Am I glad I stumbled on this book. I'd be surprised if this new theory doesn't quickly replace Darwinism.