The evolution wars

de Michael Ruse

It has been more than 70 years since Clarence Darrow and William Jennings Bryan debated the controversial topic of evolution versus creation. The evolution wars draws on history, science, and philosophy to examine the development of evolutionary thought through the past two and a half centuries. It focuses on the great debates, including the 19th century clash over the nature of classification and debates about the fossil record, genetics, and human nature. Much attention is paid to external factors and the underlying motives of scientists. In these pages you will meet Charles Darwin's grandfather Erasmus, the Frenchmen Georges Cuvier and Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, new creationist Phillip Johnson, J. B. S. Haldane, and many other stars of the debates.