Of Moths and Men: An Evolutionary Tale - Hardcover

Hooper, Judith

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0393051218 ISBN 13: 9780393051216

Publisher: W W Norton & Co Inc, 2002

Synopsis

A portrait of H. B. D. Kettlewell debunks his work as the discoverer of "Darwin's missing evidence," profiling him as a deluded scientist who distorted and suppressed evidence who committed suicide after being tyrannized by his zealous mentor, E. B. Ford. 15,000 first printing.

About this title

About the Author:

Judith Hooper has written for the Atlantic Monthly, the New York Times Book Review, and many other publications, and is the author of The Three-Pound Universe. She lives in Amherst, Massachusetts.

From Library Journal:

Recalling challenges to Mendel's statistical data or the veracity of the Piltdown man, this book places another scientific icon on the slippery slope of suspicion. The peppered moth said to have adapted its coloring to fit the environment, thus insuring its survival has been used to validate Darwin's theory of natural selection for almost 50 years. Now, this classic textbook case is being contested. In this absorbing historical account, reporter Hooper (The Three-Pound Universe) tracks initial efforts to meld Darwinism and evolutionary theory. Among the many contributors to this quest were Darwinian fanatic E.B. Ford and his prot‚g‚, outstanding lepidopterist H.B.D. Kettlewell, who performed the legendary experiment with light and dark moths that supposedly caught natural selection in the act. In fact, there have been doubts about the peppered moth experiments for the past 20 years or more, and Hooper shows how the scientists inadvertently sought to confirm their belief in natural selection rather than actually testing the hypothesis, changing methods when results did not agree with the selection hypothesis. As Hooper ably demonstrates, our understanding is molded by subjective as well as objective factors; self-interest, personality, contrasting worldviews, and human foibles influence the construction of scientific tests and the interpretation of evidence. An engaging detective story that elegantly brings the characters to life; suitable for public and academic libraries. Rita Hoots, Woodland Coll., CA
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: W W Norton & Co Inc
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 0393051218
• ISBN 13: 9780393051216
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 377