The Mismeasure of Man and The Panda's Thumb: More Reflections in Natural History

Gould, Stephen Jay

ISBN 10: 0393014894 / ISBN 13: 9780393014891

Published by W. W. Norton, 1981

About this Item

Two volumes, large, thick softcovers in sturdy slipcase, dated 1981 and 1980, respectively. First Volume: silver background, a skull illustrated on front wrapper, 352 pages. Second Volume: glossy white background, dozens of mischievous monkeys on front wrapper, 343 pages. Slipcase has shiny gray background with montage of illustrations of Darwinian monkeys on left and right sides. A tear at top of long spine left edge on The Mismeasure of Man. Near Very Good set of books overall, Near Fine slipcase. Seller Inventory # 51759

Bibliographic Details

Title: The Mismeasure of Man and The Panda's Thumb:...

Publisher: W. W. Norton

Publication Date: 1981

Binding: Soft cover

Condition: Good

About this title

Synopsis:

When published in 1981, The Mismeasure of Man was immediately hailed as a masterwork, the ringing answer to those who would classify people, rank them according to their supposed genetic gifts and limits.

Yet the idea of of biology as destiny dies hard, as witness the attention devoted to The Bell Curve, whose arguments are here so effectively anticipated and thoroughly undermined. In this edition, Stephen Jay Gould has written a substantial new introduction telling how and why he wrote the book and tracing the subsequent history of the controversy on innateness right through The Bell Curve. Further, he has added five essays on questions of The Bell Curve in particular and on race, racism, and biological determinism in general. These additions strengthen the book's claim to be, as Leo J. Kamin of Princeton University has said, "a major contribution toward deflating pseudo-biological 'explanations' of our present social woes."

About the Author:

Stephen Jay Gould (1941–2002) was the Alexander Agassiz Professor of Zoology and Professor of Geology at Harvard University and the author of over twenty books.
Arthur Morey has recorded over two hundred audiobooks in history, fiction, science, business, and religion, earning a number of AudioFile Earphones Awards and two Audie Award nominations. His plays and songs have been produced in New York, Chicago, and Milan, where he has also performed.