Life as it is

Description

This concise, accessible book considers from a biological perspective the controversial issues of our day: abortion, euthanasia, engineered evolution, cooperativity, and the future of sustainable life on this planet. Exploring in fascinating detail the processes by which cells come into being and multiply, Loomis clearly and simply explains the latest in complex biological research. He reviews recent insights into molecular and human evolution, the role of DNA sequences in determining traits, and the biological basis for consciousness, all of which, he argues, need to be considered when making life-and-death decisions and wrestling with questions about the limits to intervention.

Reviews

"[A] highly provocative book... Loomis is a careful and clear guide to the historical, social and political aspects of biology, making this overview both thorough and daring."--Publishers Weekly "Fascinating."--Nature "Wide-ranging, easily accessible and thought-provoking... This profound and beautifully explained celebration of life deserves wide readership."--New Scientist

Author description

William F. Loomis is Distinguished Professor of Biology at the University of California, San Diego. He is the former President of the Society for Developmental Biology and an elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Table of contents

Contents List of Illustrations Preface 1. The Value of Life 2. Human Potential 3. Engineered Life 4. Genomic Information 5. Sociobiology 6. Consciousness 7. Selfishness and Cooperativity 8. The Origin of Life and Evolution of Man 9. Sustainable Life Epilog. Wonderful Life References Index

Stock Information

General Fields

• ISBN : 9780520253575
• Imprint : UNKNOWN
• Publication date : December 2007
• Dimensions : 216mm X 146mm X 19mm
• Produced in : United States
• Product Type : books

Special Fields

• Illustrations : Illustrations
• Pages : 272
• Dewey classification : 612
• Bind : Hardback
• Author : William F. Loomis