This View of Life Completing the Darwinian Revolution

It is widely understood that Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution completely revolutionized the study of biology. Yet, according to David Sloan Wilson, the Darwinian revolution won’t be truly complete until it is applied more broadly—to everything associated with the words “human,” “culture,” and “policy.”

In a series of engaging and insightful examples—from the breeding of hens to the timing of cataract surgeries to the organization of an automobile plant—Wilson shows how an evolutionary worldview provides a practical tool kit for understanding not only genetic evolution but also the fast-paced changes that are having an impact on our world and ourselves. What emerges is an incredibly empowering argument: If we can become wise managers of evolutionary processes, we can solve the problems of our age at all scales—from the efficacy of our groups to our well-being as individuals to our stewardship of the planet Earth.

An evolutionary biologist with a special interest in human biocultural evolution, DAVID SLOAN WILSON is SUNY Distinguished Professor of Biology and Anthropology at Binghamton University. His books include Evolution for Everyone, The Neighborhood Project, Does Altruism Exist?, and Darwin's Cathedral. He is the president of the Evolution Institute and editor in chief of the institute's magazine, This View of Life.