Darwin's Lost Theory

Book excerpt: Evolution/ science/ Darwin/ biographyDarwin's Lost Theory is the third and pivotal book for the six book Darwin Anniversary Cycle by pioneering evolutionary systems scientist David Loye. Powerfully contradicting the long embedded stereotype of ?survival of the fittest? and ?selfish gene? Darwinism, this is the widely acclaimed reconstruction of Darwin's long ignored ?fully human, love and moral-action-oriented? completion for his theory of evolution. In Part I: A Young Man's Bold Vision, we meet and get to know Darwin in the critical months during which he first strayed on what became the known theory of evolution, for which he became famous, but also the seemingly contrary insights in his private notebooks, which became the long ignored completion for his theory. In Part II: An Old Man's Surprises, it's 30 years later. We follow him as he writes of how, rather than being slaves of ?selfish genes,? far more often than we are aware of we are driven by moral sensitivity. Of how, though selfish, we are also driven by love to transcend selfishness. Of how, though fiercely motivated to survive and prevail, we are also driven by a transcendent need to respect and care for the needs of others.Surrounded by with his seven children working as publishing and research assistants, the love of his life, his wife Emma, the orchids in his greenhouses, his dog Bob and 274 year old giant sea turtle, we are there as he writes not of how we are driven blindly, witlessly, through a life with no predictability, but instead by a brain that demands of life a sense of meaning and purpose, and by the vision of a better future.Among endorsements by leading world scientists: ?Everyone concerned with our understanding of evolution on this planet owes Loye a deep debt of gratitude?: pioneering general evolution theorist Ervin Laszlo. ?The most exciting book I have ever read on Darwin?: pioneering biophysicist Mae Wan-Ho. ?In this work Loye has brought his unique erudition to an enormous and critical task, and carried it off with genius? : pioneering chaos theorist Ralph Abraham.