13. The postmodern state of evolutionary biology
In the preceding 12 chapters, we discussed a variety of aspects of the evolution of life. By no account could this discussion be comprehensive, and that has never been my goal. However, what is presented in these chapters is sufficient (and necessary) to convey the main point of the book: In the 50 years that have elapsed since the crystallization of Modern Synthesis, evolutionary biology has dramatically changed and entered a new, “postmodern” era.
According to Modern Synthesis, the evolution of life is a process of active adaptation of populations to changing environments. We now realize that although such adaptation is undoubtedly an essential component of the evolutionary process, it is not ...
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