Mathematics of Evolution

By Fred Hoyle

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• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0966993403
• ISBN13: 9780966993400
• Release Date: October 1999
• Publisher: Acorn Enterprises Llc
• Length: 142 Pages
• Weight: 0.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.5" x 0.5" x 6.3"

Customer Reviews

a goldmine of information

Sir Fred Hoyle was a professor at Cambridge for much of his career. He is a best selling author who has also widely published in the peer reviewed literature, and a recipient of numerous honors, including knighthood in 1792. He has produced an excellent work on, in his words, why Darwinian theory is wrong. Hoyle stresses his motive to reject Darwinism is not religious (he became an atheist as a young man and explains why in some detail on page XV), but rather because he concluded that Darwinism is an impediment to discovering the correct theory of our origins. He does not deny the paleontological evidence, but rather the core Darwinism theory, the idea that all life evolved from organic molecules by the selection of, ultimately, favorable mutations; the goo to you by way of the zoo theory. In this work he explains in mathematical detail why he rejects Darwinism for scientific reasons, and discuses briefly other theories of origins, such as the conclusion that all, or most, genes in present day organisms already existed in metazoans in the Cambrian. The problem is the alternative theories proposed by Hoyle and others are even more problematic than Neo-Darwinism. This is why they have been rejected by most scientists. The alternative theories are not the focus of the book, though, but the lethal problems of Darwinism are, and Hoyle does a masterful job of documenting them. Much of the work in this book is on mutations and why this event is not a viable source of significant new genetic information. One must have some understanding of math to follow the arguments, but it is well worth it to wade through the math to understand Hoyle's arguments. He adds a bit of humor in places which, for those whose math background stopped at undergraduate calculus, helps to get through the book. My only problem with the book was I noticed about two dozen typo errors, but as I have a copy of the first printing, they may have been corrected in the later printings.

Very well done

The importance of strong panspermia is earth shattering. If there is further evidence for it, it will unseat modern synthesis quickly. Hoyle knows that the evidence is incomplete, but the current evidence is mostly undisputable. It is still being attacked on regular basis as it _shouldn't make sense_ and hence people stuck in their current paradigms just can't understand that we have evidence for it, strong evidence obtained via physics.As to the mathematics, he understands the problem. Unlike one of the readers has noted, the math and the criticism as well as the new proposals do not shatter under Kimuta or Fisher, for example. Fisher is especially important for so much is based on foundations that simply do not hold up. Accepted models are not the same thing as evidence, and we shouldn't forget it. Current synthesis fails, and instead of dogmatically defending it, its time to open our minds. More research is warranted in this field.

Clear, correct, & important constraints on evolution

I thoroughly enjoyed it. This aptly titled book is indeed on the mathematics of evolution. Hard hitting material that places constraints on evolutionary arguments. First, it is explicit, it takes nothing for granted. Every (or virtually every) assumption, model, and math step is explained. He explains it clearly and completely, rather than just stating his say-so as so many other evolution books do. Based on the text, I was able to re-derive virtually all its math and verify that it is based on his stated models and assumptions. The math techniques are especially valuable for researchers in this field. He gives the clearest explanation of the use of diffusion equations I have found anywhere. Kimura, for example, throws diffusion equations around a lot, but does not explain them nearly as clearly, even in his detailed published papers, which I have read. Also, Hoyle deals with some highly relevant issues, which other evolution books tend not to do. Evolution books ordinarily try to sell evolution to the public, and to accomplish that they tend to under-discuss the touchy issues. Hoyle's book goes after the touchy central issues unflinchingly. I wish more evolution books were like it. For example, the cost of harmful mutation, and issues like error catastrophe, are almost always avoided or under-discussed in evolutionary genetics books - they assume away this issue, often without even acknowledging it. But it is a key issue and ought be a regular participant in evolutionary discussions. Hoyle approaches it boldly as a centerpiece of his book. Bravo!Armed with a clear mathematical analysis, Hoyle enters the contentious issue of sexual reproduction, to argue, with compelling strength, that asexual populations have difficulty evolving because they are overwhelmed by harmful mutation. Sexual reproduction provides a way to more readily shed harmful mutations. This argument elsewhere goes by the name of Muller's Ratchet, but Hoyle gives it clear, mathematical armament. Maynard-Smith (in his Feb. 10 review in Nature) had to press to the very fringes of the book to find much to disagree with. This is noteworthy because he is a leading expert on these very issues of sexual reproduction and the cost of harmful mutation. His review instead faulted the book for not being "new". He missed the point: The book is good because it is clear, correct, and important - more-so than comparable evolution books. Hoyle discusses his mathematical results in readily understandable terms. The book has many juicy statements that are sure to be quoted in the origins debate. The book's posture is doubtful of Darwinian macroevolution, and for this reason I suspect the book might not be read widely (or promoted) by avid Darwinians. That is unfortunate, because the book has so much to offer, no matter which side of the origins debate one is on. On the flip-side, Hoyle is mistaken about Haldane's Dilemma. I can (and wi

Crisp language and plausible mathematics consider Darwinism

Sir Fred Hoyle, credited with coining the term 'Big Bang', turns his extraordinary mathematical prowess to consideration of the claims of neo-Darwinism. His results support the Darwinian findings that 'explain the fine details of the matching of many species to their environment', and undermine the extrapolation of those findings 'to broader taxonomic categories, to kingdoms, divisions, classes, and orders'. Professor Hoyle states explicitly that he has no theistic faith, but forthrightly (attention, please, all sides of the creationist debate) challenges that the Darwinian theory 'is wrong, and that continued adherence to it is an impediment to discovering the correct evolutionary theory'. He continues: 'To the extent that one is deflected by socioreligious considerations from correcting what is wrong, one hands a victory to opponents'. Advanced mathematical capability is necessary to follow the book's argument closely, but the text is written in lucid and engaging language which will carry any interested reader along. This vital work was available only in a few manuscript copies for many years, and the publication by Acorn Enterprises in Memphis Tennessee is a service to the future. I recommend the book for its argument, its nobility, and its value to your great-grandchildren.