Stephen Jay Gould

[Xastalask]

Yeah he also wrote "The Flamingo's Smile"

When I was in college we had a linked Biology/English course where we read many of his works for the english course.

Amazing work.

 

[Nightfall]

For a second, and please take no offense folks, when I heard the last name Gould, I though they were talking about BOB Gould. You know from such wonderful movies as Scrooged. *pauses* *longer pause* Uhm I think he was in a few more!

 

[Sodalis]

It is nice to see that so many people recognise him and mourn his passing. I think I will be hearing this in Evolution class today. My prof was a very close friend- and has the habit of recommending his studies for us to read.

I Never really appreciated his work, but will remember forever it now...

[very OT] please dont get offended, but reading through the posts, I see that only a couple people really knew him, or his work. The posts are very vague and talks about his work, but not the subjects of his work, or even mentions that he is a renowned Evoluitionary biologist. He was Very influential on his theoretical framework, and his complement to, as well as his attacks at darwinism.

Immediately after the post of his passing, everyone writes of his biological work...

 

[GreyOne]

Very sad.

A Dinosaur in the Haystack was the only thing I read, but he was a truly intelligent and interesting man from everything I've heard about him.

 

[Voadam]

Thanks for the update KidCthhulhu and Eric.

He was both a good biologist and a good writer, I have enjoyed his writing since I was a kid and I was psyched my college evolution professor was a former student of his.

 

[Scarogoth]

My sympathies

Well, there's not a great deal to say, but I was very sorry to read this, especially as I read it in sequence, and things got steadily worse. I certainly have read a great many of his books -- and there are, indeed, a very great many. A quick look along the shelf shows me at least 12 and I'm sure that is but a small drop in the ocean of his total output.

A fun, prolific, thoughtful and thought-provoking man. He will be sorely missed. I'm not sure for whose benefit I'm writing this, but I feel better for having written it.

Dunx.

 

[el-remmen]

I highly recommend "The Mismeasure of Man"

Man, I have read several book of his over the years and really love his writing and his style (despite having very disparate spiritual viewpoints ). . .

I am saddened by his passing, but I am certain he is in a better place - even if he didn't think he would be

 

[Mistwell]

Oh my, here I am saying "what did he write" and on my shelf, almost right next to me as I was typing, is a well-loved book of long ago (The Mismeasure of Man) that he wrote. I just forgot his name!

I also have on my "books to buy" list "The Panda's Thumb", which I became interested in, before Masters of the Wild came out, during a debate on these boards about whether the wildshape form of a Panda should be capable of wielding a manmade weapon.

 

[Richards]

Is this the same Stephen Gould that wrote the science fiction novels "Jumper," "Wild Side," "Helm," and "Blind Waves?" I've really enjoyed his work, if it is. (And if not, then I've really enjoyed that other Stephen Gould's work.)

Johnathan

 

[rounser]

Wasn't Stephen J. Gould the figurehead of one side of the evolutionary debate among science writers and scientists, with Richard Dawkins at the other, or am I thinking of another evolutionist? I think I've read a book or two of his, but can't recall which one.

Anyways, they're collectively my heroes, because they attempt to fight the good fight of truth before politics in the arena of evolutionary biology - which is dripping with agendas, misconceptions, and attacks from clueless, unscientific, and deplorably vocal "experts" from other disciplines.