Evelyn Fox Keller

The century of the gene

At the beginning of the 20th century the term gene was introduced. In the middle, the structure of DNA was figured out, and by the end the human genome had been decoded. Thus it was very much the century of the gene. This book serves as a gentle introduction to genetics, including topics such as error correction and the development of an organism. However, its central point is that the concept of the gene has been overused, and in future we won't see it as being so important. It is recommended for readers who want to learn about genetics, but who require a critical view of the concepts which are being introduced.

I have to say that I found someof the arguments in this book lacked substance. For instance Keller says that the term 'genetic switch' is ambiguous, in that it could mean either a gene switching some process on or off or a gene being switched on or off by some external factor. This is true, but we live with such ambiguities all the time, without feeling that we have to abandon important concepts. Now I wouldn't like to predict that the idea of the gene will never fall out of favour - maybe in a century or so we will look at things differently. However, I wasn't persuaded that this will occur any time soon.

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Paperback 192 pages
ISBN: 0674008251
Salesrank: 319328
Weight:0.35 lbs

Published: 2002 Harvard University Press

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Paperback 192 pages
ISBN: 0674008251
Salesrank: 414841
Weight:0.35 lbs

Published: 2002 Harvard University Press

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Paperback 192 pages
ISBN: 0674008251
Salesrank: 24676
Weight:0.35 lbs

Published: 2002 Harvard University Press

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Product Description
In a book that promises to change the way we think and talk about genes and genetic determinism, Evelyn Fox Keller, one of our most gifted historians and philosophers of science, provides a powerful, profound analysis of the achievements of genetics and molecular biology in the twentieth century, the century of the gene. Not just a chronicle of biology's progress from gene to genome in one hundred years, The Century of the Gene also calls our attention to the surprising ways these advances challenge the familiar picture of the gene most of us still entertain. Keller shows us that the very successes that have stirred our imagination have also radically undermined the primacy of the gene--word and object--as the core explanatory concept of heredity and development. She argues that we need a new vocabulary that includes concepts such as robustness, fidelity, and evolvability. But more than a new vocabulary, a new awareness is absolutely crucial: that understanding the components of a system (be they individual genes, proteins, or even molecules) may tell us little about the interactions among these components. With the Human Genome Project nearing its first and most publicized goal, biologists are coming to realize that they have reached not the end of biology but the beginning of a new era. Indeed, Keller predicts that in the new century we will witness another Cambrian era, this time in new forms of biological thought rather than in new forms of biological life. (20000826)

Product Description

In a book that promises to change the way we think and talk about genes and genetic determinism, Evelyn Fox Keller, one of our most gifted historians and philosophers of science, provides a powerful, profound analysis of the achievements of genetics and molecular biology in the twentieth century, the century of the gene. Not just a chronicle of biology's progress from gene to genome in one hundred years, The Century of the Gene also calls our attention to the surprising ways these advances challenge the familiar picture of the gene most of us still entertain.

Keller shows us that the very successes that have stirred our imagination have also radically undermined the primacy of the gene--word and object--as the core explanatory concept of heredity and development. She argues that we need a new vocabulary that includes concepts such as robustness, fidelity, and evolvability. But more than a new vocabulary, a new awareness is absolutely crucial: that understanding the components of a system (be they individual genes, proteins, or even molecules) may tell us little about the interactions among these components.

With the Human Genome Project nearing its first and most publicized goal, biologists are coming to realize that they have reached not the end of biology but the beginning of a new era. Indeed, Keller predicts that in the new century we will witness another Cambrian era, this time in new forms of biological thought rather than in new forms of biological life.

(20000826)

wishful thinking disguised as history of science *
This book should be titled something like, " the decline of the gene, and good riddance too". It's really just a potted and rather one-sided historical sketch of some events in the development of genetics. The author figures these stories will help her case against the idea that that there are genes for traits which act independent of the role of the environment and in just about any environment. Since this is something no one really believes, its hard to understand what her beef with the gene really is.

wishful thinking disguised as history of science *

This book should be titled something like, " the decline of the gene, and good riddance too". It's really just a potted and rather one-sided historical sketch of some events in the development of genetics. The author figures these stories will help her case against the idea that that there are genes for traits which act independent of the role of the environment and in just about any environment. Since this is something no one really believes, its hard to understand what her beef with the gene really is.

Interesting historical review of the gene concept ****
This is a very concise and readable historical review of the gene concept from its origins in the nineteenth century to the live debate which is taking place now due to some fascinating work done by cutting edge contemporary researchers. Keller is an excellent writer and a thought provoking thinker. Her analysis is thorough but easily accessible by anyone with a high school knowledge of the biological sciences. It's not ground breaking philosophy of science but it's a refreshing change from the kind of superficial analysis of this trendy issue provided by the mass media. An excellent weekend read for the thirsty mind.

Interesting historical review of the gene concept ****

This is a very concise and readable historical review of the gene concept from its origins in the nineteenth century to the live debate which is taking place now due to some fascinating work done by cutting edge contemporary researchers. Keller is an excellent writer and a thought provoking thinker. Her analysis is thorough but easily accessible by anyone with a high school knowledge of the biological sciences. It's not ground breaking philosophy of science but it's a refreshing change from the kind of superficial analysis of this trendy issue provided by the mass media. An excellent weekend read for the thirsty mind.

What is a gene, anyway? *****
An excellent introduction to its subject. The book provides a clear explanation of the idea of the gene and how genes "work". I particularly like the focus on the history of genetics, showing how the research inspired by the fruitful idea of the 'gene' leads us to the conclusion that the very concept has outlived its time. The importance of issues involving genetics--biotechnology, explanations of 'genetic' differences among people, patents on life forms, etc.--require the average citizen to make a little effort to understand the science involved. This book provides a good introduction to those issues and to some of the complexities. For example, if genes don't exist, then what are private companies trying to patent? The book is a short, accessible window on some of these questions.

What is a gene, anyway? *****

An excellent introduction to its subject. The book provides a clear explanation of the idea of the gene and how genes "work". I particularly like the focus on the history of genetics, showing how the research inspired by the fruitful idea of the 'gene' leads us to the conclusion that the very concept has outlived its time. The importance of issues involving genetics--biotechnology, explanations of 'genetic' differences among people, patents on life forms, etc.--require the average citizen to make a little effort to understand the science involved. This book provides a good introduction to those issues and to some of the complexities. For example, if genes don't exist, then what are private companies trying to patent? The book is a short, accessible window on some of these questions.

Rethinking the Dominance of Genes *****
It is quite telling that shortly after this book's release, the scientific community was humbled by the relevation that the human genome is made up of about 1/3 the number of genes previously thought. Keller deconstructs the very notion of a thing called a gene, and instead presents to us a molecular world where vast networks of processs interact to produce the phenomena convenionally attributed to genes. Even better, she presents her critique within a historical context that allows the reader to see how the current myopic model of gene primacy came to be, and how information conflicting with that model has very gradually moved from the periphery toward the center of mainstream genetics research. Overall, I found the book to be well-written and sobering with respect to the parade of biological and behavioral attributes and conditions attributed to these things called genes.

Rethinking the Dominance of Genes *****

It is quite telling that shortly after this book's release, the scientific community was humbled by the relevation that the human genome is made up of about 1/3 the number of genes previously thought. Keller deconstructs the very notion of a thing called a gene, and instead presents to us a molecular world where vast networks of processs interact to produce the phenomena convenionally attributed to genes.

Even better, she presents her critique within a historical context that allows the reader to see how the current myopic model of gene primacy came to be, and how information conflicting with that model has very gradually moved from the periphery toward the center of mainstream genetics research.

Overall, I found the book to be well-written and sobering with respect to the parade of biological and behavioral attributes and conditions attributed to these things called genes.

Beyond the Gene Myth *****
An interesting capsule view of the history of genetics and a penetrating discussion of the gene myth as it emerged, persisted, and then foundered in a more complex reality. The exploding field of genomics, and bioinformatics has left our perceptions a decade behind, and we are only beginning to 'come to' and realize we are in a different world of biology. Gene regulation, and the evolution of evolvability have to a large extent confounded one aspect of the standard Darwinian view, and we are confronted by a new bio-computational reality that leaves even our sense of the computer on the junk heap of primitive machines. A good reality check but the passage into the new worlds of DNA should induce courage to state the obvious inadequacy of Darwin's natural selection. Darwin seems incongruous at this point.

Beyond the Gene Myth *****

An interesting capsule view of the history of genetics and a penetrating discussion of the gene myth as it emerged, persisted, and then foundered in a more complex reality. The exploding field of genomics, and bioinformatics has left our perceptions a decade behind, and we are only beginning to 'come to' and realize we are in a different world of biology. Gene regulation, and the evolution of evolvability have to a large extent confounded one aspect of the standard Darwinian view, and we are confronted by a new bio-computational reality that leaves even our sense of the computer on the junk heap of primitive machines. A good reality check but the passage into the new worlds of DNA should induce courage to state the obvious inadequacy of Darwin's natural selection. Darwin seems incongruous at this point.

Gene Grinch **
Here we have a brief history of events such as Mendel's laws, Watson and Crick's description of DNA structure and the reading of the draft of the human genome. These events define the 20th century as THE CENTURY OF THE GENE. Beyond that this book is distinctly mean with it's praise. The book is less history and more lecture; and largely directed at the scientific community itself. The author admonishes biologists for their "gene talk" and wants the discussion to be more structured, reasoned, and realistic. She takes the role of the gene Grinch when she steals the thunder of all the recent popular talk about the wonders of the gene by saying that "the gene is not a physical object" and there needs to be more "acknowledgement of how large a gap between genetic 'information' and biological meaning [there] really is". It is in making this point to her colleagues that we the lay reader, lose her, and then lose interest. THE CENTURY OF THE GENE gets fairly technical and it remains on a narrow focus - the usefulness and validity of the "gene talk" favored by many popular science writers. Books such as TABOO and GENOME, where genes are "linked" or "tied" to some human attribute, would therefore not be on this author's recommended reading list. That's fine for Ms Fox Keller's standing within the scientific community, but if she wishes to bring to the attention of the wider reading audience her genuine concerns with these popular science books, there is one thing she should have taken from them. They are called "popular" because of style and readability. Unfortunately for THE CENTURY OF THE GENE, the same can not be said.

Gene Grinch **

Here we have a brief history of events such as Mendel's laws, Watson and Crick's description of DNA structure and the reading of the draft of the human genome. These events define the 20th century as THE CENTURY OF THE GENE. Beyond that this book is distinctly mean with it's praise. The book is less history and more lecture; and largely directed at the scientific community itself. The author admonishes biologists for their "gene talk" and wants the discussion to be more structured, reasoned, and realistic. She takes the role of the gene Grinch when she steals the thunder of all the recent popular talk about the wonders of the gene by saying that "the gene is not a physical object" and there needs to be more "acknowledgement of how large a gap between genetic 'information' and biological meaning [there] really is". It is in making this point to her colleagues that we the lay reader, lose her, and then lose interest.

THE CENTURY OF THE GENE gets fairly technical and it remains on a narrow focus - the usefulness and validity of the "gene talk" favored by many popular science writers. Books such as TABOO and GENOME, where genes are "linked" or "tied" to some human attribute, would therefore not be on this author's recommended reading list. That's fine for Ms Fox Keller's standing within the scientific community, but if she wishes to bring to the attention of the wider reading audience her genuine concerns with these popular science books, there is one thing she should have taken from them. They are called "popular" because of style and readability. Unfortunately for THE CENTURY OF THE GENE, the same can not be said.