The joy of science: An examination of how scientists ask and answer questions using the story of evolution as a paradigm

Abstract

Addresses the theoretical basis of science and is not just "watered-down Biology" Explains the most complex issues in a clear and non-technical manner Emphasizes the accessibility of scientific thinking and the excitement of science even to students who have feared or disliked what they considered to be science Relates the development of scientific ideas to their cultural context Emphasizes process rather than data, and encourages students to think and analyze Prepares students to cope with today's barrage of scientific information and argument Prepares students to comprehend and cope with the rapid changes that continually occur in science Presents without polemic the scientific case for belief in evolution and natural selection This book, by a practicing and successful scientist, explores why questions arise in science and looks at how questions are tackled, what constitutes a valid answer, and why. The author does not bog down the reader in technical details or lists of facts to memorize. Instead, he places the questions in their historical and cultural context, ranging from the earliest intimations that the earth had a long history to current controversies, even describing the origins, challenges, and promises of modern molecular biology. Addressing issues as complex as radiocarbon dating and how we know that DNA is a double helix, he uses examples, illustrations, and descriptions that all students should be able to grasp ("Were there kangaroos in Noah's Ark?"; "Molecular Biology Ain't Rocket Science"). He gives the reader a sense of why a scientist feels always "like the child called to the stage to watch the magician do his trick". The author's thesis is that scientific logic is an extension of the common human logic used by everyone on a daily basis, and that it can and should be understood by everyone.