The Genetic Basis of Evolutionary Change is about the core of population genetics — the nature of genetic variation and changes in genetic variation. Topics covered include the nature of variation, the measurement of variation, multilocus dynamics and speciation. Particular attention is paid to methodological questions and to making clear the limitations of the models used. Although many of the details have been outdated by the advances of the last twenty years, particularly in molecular genetics, this is a classic of the field, and probably still required reading for population geneticists. -- Danny Yee

Are there parallels between the "moment of insight" in science and the emergence of the "unknowable" in religious faith? Where does scientific insight come from? Award-winning biologist Robert Pollack argues that an alliance between religious faith and science is not necessarily an argument in favor of irrationality: the two can inform each other's visions of the world. Pollack begins by reflecting on the large questions of meaning and purpose--and the difficulty of finding either in the orderly world described by the data of science. He considers the obligation to find meaning and purpose despite natural selection's claim to be a complete explanation of our presence as a species--a claim that calls upon neither natural intention, nor design, nor Designer. Next, the book focuses on matters of free will, from the choice of a scientist to accept evidence, to the choice of a religious person to accept a revelation, to a patient's loss of free will in medical treatment. Here Pollack addresses questions of ethics and offers a provocative comparison of two difficult texts whose contents remain incompletely understood: the DNA "text" of the human genome and the Hebrew record of Jewish written and oral law. In closing, Pollack considers the promise of genetic medicine in enabling us to glimpse our own future and offers a reconsideration of the possible utility of the so-called placebo effect in curing illness. Whether refuting a DNA-based biological model of Judaism or discussing the Darwinian concept of the species, Pollack, under the banner of free inquiry, presents a genuine, vital, and well-argued assay of the intersection of science and religion.

Publishes original critical reviews of the significant literature and current development in genetics.

Biotechnology (BT) offers exciting and promising prospects for healing the sick and relieving the suffering. But because of their impressive powers to alter the workings of body and mind, the "dual uses" of the same technologies make them attractive also to people who are not sick but who would use them to look younger, perform better, feel happier, or become more "perfect." These applications of BT present us with difficult challenges. This report considers such possible "beyond therapy" uses and explores both their scientific basis and the ethical and social issues they will raise. In enjoying the benefits of BT, we will need to hold fast to an account of the human being, seen not in material or mechanistic or med. terms, but in psychic and moral and spiritual ones.

"This book was written for the 2018 NSF-CBMS conference on 'Mathematical biology: modeling and analysis' hosted by Howard University in Washington, DC, May 21-25, 2018." -- Preface, page viii.

This overview of the molecular structures and mechanisms that underlie the utilization of genetic information by complex organisms emphasizes the experimental aspects of molecular genetics. It provides a complete introduction to both principles and methods.

This is the most rigorous, comprehensive treatment of race differences ever published. Philosopher Michael Levin's classic work first appeared in 1997 but quickly went out of print. Used copies sold for as much as $500.00. New Century Foundation has now published a completely reset, corrected edition, with a foreword by Jared Taylor. Anyone with an interest in race and the courage to follow the scientific data wherever they lead will find a goldmine of information, analysis, and wisdom in this classic treatment of one of the most profoundly important—and taboo—subjects of our time. Experts in the field have lavished praise on Why Race Matters: Professor Michael Levin's analytical tour de force, remarkably engrossing, often exciting, differs uniquely from other books dealing with racial differences. Levin views the various complex arguments regarding the reality and nature of race and race differences, not from any of the typical specialized viewpoints of anthropology, education, evolution, genetics, psychology, or sociology, or from any social or political ideology, but from the sweeping vantage point of the philosophy of science, his specialty as a well-recognized professor of philosophy. Levin's impressive technical mastery of the vast empirical subject matter is evinced in his book's amazingly broad and detailed scope and analytical depth. But what I consider the most valuable and exciting feature of Levin's treatment of every facet of the race issue is the consistent critical stance his incisive intellect brings to every aspect, based entirely on his keen understanding of the philosophy of science. It is definitely a "must read" for all serious students of this subject. — Arthur R. Jensen, U.C. Berkeley Philosopher Michael Levin has delivered one of the most authoritative and incisive treatises ever written on the importance of race. Why Race Matters is must reading for anyone interested in race, IQ, crime, welfare, affirmative action, and multiculturalism. Levin analyzes statistics, psychological test scores, and behavioral genetics data, brilliantly illuminating the logical pitfalls in so much of what is written about race. His powerful logic digs deep and his courageous inferences vault forward. With panache and occasional humor, Levin seems to be always on target. — J. Philippe Rushton, University of Western Ontario Why Race Matters does everything the title promises—it removes all illusions about the insignificance of race, and explains what racial differences mean for a multiracial society. It is a thorough, overwhelmingly convincing treatment of America's most serious and least understood problem. — Jared Taylor, Editor, American Renaissance About the author

Kayla and Mishalla, two genetically engineered enslaved non-human (GENs), fall in love with higher-status boys, discover deep secrets about the creation of GENs, and in the process find out what it means to be human. Enslaved by their genetics. Oppressed by their creators. Fighting for their humanity. On rugged planet Loka, life for best friends Kayla and Mishalla is arduous at best. They are GENs, Genetically Engineered Non-humans, and in their strict caste system, GENs are at the bottom rung of society. GENs are gestated in a tank and sent to work as slaves as soon as they reach age fifteen. When Kayla is Assigned to care for Zul Manel, the patriarch of a trueborn family, she finds secrets and surprises--not least of which is her budding friendship with Zul's handsome great-grandson. Meanwhile, the children that Mishalla is Assigned to care for are being stolen in the middle of the night, and a strange lowborn boy is hanging around nearby. After weeks of toiling in their Assignments, mystifying circumstances enable Kayla and Mishalla to reunite. Together with the boys, they hatch a plan to save the disappearing children. Yet can GENs really trust humans? Both girls must put their lives and hearts at risk to crack open a sinister conspiracy, revealing secrets no one is ready to face. The first in a trilogy, Tankborn is a page-turning sci-fi thriller that will leave readers scrambling for the sequel! Check out the other titles in this series: TANKBORN * AWAKENING * REBELLION

Scientific facts can be so complicated that only specialists in a field fully appreciate the details, but the nature of everyday practice that gives rise to these facts should be understandable by everyone interested in science. This book describes how scientists bring their own interests and passions to their work, illustrates the dynamics between researchers and the research community, and emphasizes a contextual understanding of science in place of the linear model found in textbooks with its singular focus on “scientific method.” Everyday Practice of Science also introduces readers to issues about science and society. Practice requires value judgments: What should be done? Who should do it? Who should pay for it? How much? Balancing scientific opportunities with societal needs depends on appreciating both the promises and the ambiguities of science. Understanding practice informs discussions about how to manage research integrity, conflict of interest, and the challenge of modern genetics to human research ethics. Society cannot have the benefits of research without the risks. The last chapter contrasts the practices of science and religion as reflective of two different types of faith and describes a holistic framework within which they dynamically interact.

"The newest addition to John Brockman's Edge.org series explores life itself, bringing together the world's leading biologists, geneticists, and evolutionary theorists -- including Richard Dawkins, Edward O. Wilson, J. Craig Venter, and Freeman Dyson. Scientists' understanding of life is progressing more rapidly than at any point in human history, from the extraordinary decoding of DNA to the controversial emergence of biotechnology. Featuring pioneering biologists, geneticists, physicists, and science writers, Life explains just how far we've come -- and takes a brilliantly educated guess at where we're heading. Richard Dawkins and J. Craig Venter compare genes to digital information, and sketch the frontiers of genomic research. Edward O. Wilson reveals what ants can teach us about building a superorganism -- and, in turn, about how cells build an organism. Elsewhere, David Haig reports new findings on how mothers and fathers individually influence the human genome, while Kary Mullis covers cutting edge treatments for dangerous viruses. And there's much more in this fascinating volume. We may never have all the answers. But the thinkers collected in Life are asking questions that will keep us dreaming for generations."--provided by Amazon.com.

The successful completion of the Human Genome Project in 2003 created both hope and hype with regard to advancements in medical therapies. The delineation of precise genetic information suggested the possibility of predicting an individual's future health as well as the theoretical ability to intervene and fix it. Nearly a decade later, Gutkind and Kennedy (writers who are well versed in exploring both the technical and personal sides of science and medicine) chronicle the growing pains of personalized medicine, a genomic-driven, individualized type of preventive health care with uniquely targeted treatments. Interviews with researchers, patients, physicians, and others in the genomic business lead the authors to conclude that although personalized medicine has plenty of power and promise, it has a long way to go before becoming the standard of medical care. Sequencing your own genome is already quite accessible and getting cheaper all the time. Managing and making sense of vast amounts of genetic data remain daunting." (Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.).--

Language deserves to be considered among the most important universal paradigms of today culture. In favor of this claim, I published, during the last 50 years, many books and articles. Here is a selection of 40 papers calling attention on some aspects which, despite their intrinsic interest, are absent from the most existing syntheses devoted to languages. We go across a large diversity of topics, bridging natural languages, combinatorics, computer science, brain studies, molecular genetics, chemical isoprenoid structures, human needs, infinite words, formal languages, learning processes, economics, sociology, logic, philosophy, symmetry and art; in all these fields a language structure is involved. Existential and computational entities, analytic and generative approaches, discrete and continuous structures, grammars and numbers, infinite words, symmetry phenomena and art, all are involved in proving that words and languages are everywhere in the universe and in the human and social life. There are also some studies concerning topics of general interest, such as the evolution of the idea of a mathematical proof, a typology of imprecision, Duns Scotus' work concerning the existence, the unicity and the infinity of God. Two interviews complete the book.

Almost everyone has been touched by at least a mild form of depression, and thus has some sense of what severe depressive illness must be like. In addition to the most serious clinical cases which can lead to institutionalization or even suicide, this book explores the "normal" depression we all experience--the inevitable blues that accompany troubled personal relationships, career setbacks, or the death of a loved one. It provides a compelling treatment of questions about the nature of depression, where it comes from, who's at risk, and what it indicates about human experience. Depression is a highly prevalent health problem, affecting about 11 million Americans every year. Its costs are staggering - $43.7 billion annually in lost productivity, lost income, and increased health care costs. These numbers put depression on a par with heart disease as one of the most expensive diseases in the United States today. But, unlike heart disease, depression is widely misunderstood. About two-thirds of the cases of depression go undiagnosed and untreated. With a compelling mix of information, illustration, and interpretation, David B. Cohen explores the current state of knowledge about depression, including the powerful influence of genetics. In addition to depressive illness, the book deals with related ideas and topics such as mourning, mania, the rhythms of sleep, self concepts, and suicide. Insights from psychology and psychiatry are blended with history, literature, current events, and personal observation, and topped off with a dose of common sense.