title: Understanding Evolution
author:  Kostas Kampourakis 
description: "This is not just another book about why an evolutionary perspective on life is scientific whereas a Creationist perspective is not. In this well-articulated and thought-provoking book, Kostas Kampourakis asks why so many people reject evolution, despite the evidence for it and its enormous explanatory power. Kampourakis addresses the question of the acceptance of evolution from a psychological point of view, convincingly demonstrating that it is a rather counter-intuitive idea: conceptual obstacles to understanding, and thus accepting, evolution are rooted in widespread intuitions related to teleology and essentialism, which generate unwarranted preconceptions about the nature of world and life. Kampourakis' final suggestion is that one should try to understand evolutionary theory without worrying about its religious, metaphysical, or other implications." <br />Alessandro Minelli, University of Padova<br /><br />"It is terrific, well written, thoughtful, balanced, and very didactic." <br />Francisco J. Ayala, University of California, Irvine<br /><br />"A tour-de-force, beautifully reasoned and written. This masterful tome will be essential reading for anyone interested in the genesis and broader relevance of evolutionary thought." <br />John C. Avise, University of California, Irvine, and author of Evolutionary Pathways in Nature<br /><br />"Understanding Evolution by Kostas Kampourakis deserves a wide readership. It is a sensitive introduction to evolutionary thinking, showing the very great importance of the father of the subject, Charles Darwin, setting the disputes with religion in context, showing that the evidence is overwhelming but that no reader need feel threatened. It is fair and comprehensive, lively without being heavy-handed, and judicious in its judgments. Read it yourself and get a copy for your family, your friends, and your students!' <br />Michael Ruse, Florida State University, and editor of The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Darwin and Evolutionary Thought<br /><br />"Understanding Evolution is a major accomplishment. It combines historical and philosophical perspectives with substantive biological examples to succinctly explain evolutionary concepts. Kampourakis provides us with a superb point of entry into the subject matter that is written with an eye to reader comprehension and effective pedagogy. This is especially on display in the illuminating discussions of conceptual change and different obstacles to understanding evolution. It should be required reading, and not only for students.' <br />Alan C. Love, University of Minnesota<br /><br />"One might ask whether yet another book on evolution is needed. In the case of the present book, the answer is yes ... [It] provides one of the clearest, most well-reasoned sets of arguments for why evolution is and must be approached from the evidence and not from any prior religious or other position ... The writing is superb, with apparently simple examples that explain essential aspects of evolution." <br />B. K. Hall, Choice<br /><br />"... an excellent introduction to the basic concepts of evolutionary theory, and one that also has an unusual (and welcome) philosophical angle. The clear and accessible discussions of biological examples, augmented by a large number of helpful diagrams and a well-constructed glossary of technical terms, would make this book a good choice for introductory courses on evolution ... Understanding Evolution is both useful and innovative: an introductory volume that also explores what happens when science clashes with intuition." <br />Derek D. Turner, The Quarterly Review of Biology<br /><br />"... well written, as well as scientifically accurate ... The breadth of the author's knowledge, and the examples used in his book, are impressive ... as a reviewer it is hard to find fault with the book. I have never been even slightly tempted to write a book about evolution, general of otherwise, but if I ever did then I would be happy if it turned out as well as this one." <br />David A. Morrison, Systematic Biology<br /><br />"... a wonderful resource for students of all kinds ... This is an excellent, and long-needed book. The education of evolution in schools is now so poor in many countries, that this can act as both a primer and as an invitation to think further, and I would recommend it unreservedly to anyone who wants to know what evolution really is and means ... Buy a copy." <br />John Wilkins, The Panda's Thumb Blog<br /><br />"... [does] an excellent job presenting evolutionary theory and summarizing the evidence for it ... [Kampourakis] argues that in spite of powerful emotional and instinctual forces arrayed against it, we have much to gain by allowing the evolutionary picture to enrich our understanding of the world ... a balanced, readable, and accessible introduction ... Kampourakis deserves praise for pulling together numerous, and sometimes difficult, lines of research and inquiry into a decisive contribution to our understanding of the historical, psychological, and social dimensions of evolution ... an indispensable reference for those working in science, and even social scientists ... provides us with lasting insights of great importance." <br />August W. M. Martin, Acta Biotheoretica
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  Pronunciations
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Dante
  
  
  Darn-tay
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Kamiko
  
  
  Kam-eek-oh
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  4220
  
  
  Four-two-two-oh
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  #  Chapter One
  
  
  The end of the world began on a Tuesday. I was at school, of all things, when
  ‘The Big One’ hit. School. Nothing seems less important than obtaining a
  higher education when the world is crumbling around you. Despite the ongoing
  chaos the flares caused, Bev insisted that someone in our family graduate -
  because she never got to. And seeing as I was the only sibling who hadn’t yet
  fled the Tyranny of Bev, that someone was me.
  
  
  “Everything okay, Jones?” Mr Adams gave me a searching look as he handed me
  today’s biology reading. I nodded as Kamiko, who was sitting next to me,
  turned and frowned at me. I ignored her, biting my bottom lip as I glanced at
  the text. It was an analysis of the Big Four, the predominant mutation types
  that had arisen when people had started randomly undergoing spontaneous
  genesis due to solar radiation. Of