Quotessence
Home / Quotes / Quote by Stephen Jay Gould

Quote by Stephen Jay Gould

Work

Bully for Brontosaurus: Reflections in Natural History

This book is a compilation of thoughtful essays that delve into the fascinating world of natural history. It covers topics such as the discovery and classification of fossils, the evolution of species, and the ongoing exploration of the natural world. The author offers insights into the challenges and triumphs of scientific research, highlighting the beauty and complexity of the natural world. more

Author

Stephen Jay Gould
Stephen Jay Gould

Stephen Jay Gould was a renowned paleontologist, evolutionary theorist, science writer, and academic. He is known for his work in ornithology, paleontology, evolutionary theory, and speciation. Gould's writings and papers have had a profound impact on the scientific community, and he was a long-time contributor to the journal 'Nature'. more

You May Also Like

“Einstein's theory of gravitation replaced Newton's, but apples did not suspend themselves in mid-air, pending the outcome. And humans evolved from apelike ancestors whether they did so by Darwin's proposed mechanism or by some other yet to be discovered.”

HumansAirTheoryEvolutionOutcomesApplesMechanismAncestorReplacedNewtonGravitationPending
Book:Hen's Teeth and Horse's Toes: Further Reflections in Natural History
Create image

“Speciation does not necessarily promote evolutionary change; rather, speciation 'gathers in' and guards evolutionary change by locking and stabilization for sufficient geological time within a Darwinian individual of the appropriate scale. If a change in a local population does not gain such protection, it becomes-to borrow Dawkins's metaphor at a macroevolutionary scale-a transient duststorm in the desert of time, a passing cloud without borders, integrity, or even the capacity to act as a unit of selection, in the panorama of life's phylogeny.”

IfsLifeDoeIndividualEvolutionIntegrityGainsCapacityCloudsMetaphorPopulationProtectionScalesLocalsPassingPassingsDesertBordersSufficientAppropriateUnitsSelectionTransientPanoramaGeological TimeSpeciation
Book:Punctuated Equilibrium
Create image

“Since we proposed punctuated equilibria to explain trends, it is infuriating to be quoted again and again by creationists-whether through design or stupidity, I do not know-as admitting that the fossil record includes no transitional forms. Transitional forms are generally lacking at the species level, but they are abundant between larger groups.”

KnowsFormReligionLevelsRecordsGroupsDesignMinesEvolutionSpeciesStupidityTrendsAgain And AgainLackingFossilsEquilibriumAdmittingMiningPaleontologyInfuriatingBiological Evolution
Book:Hen's Teeth and Horse's Toes: Further Reflections in Natural History
Create image