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What would the world have been like, if George Bailey of "It's A Wonderful Life" hadn't been born?
George was lucky enough to have an angel that could roll back the tape of life and show him how things would have been different. He learned that one contingency changes everything.
In "Wonderful LIfe", an homage to the American classic film, "It's A Wonderful Life", Stephen J. Gould plays the role of the angel, rolling back the tape of life a half billion years for his readers through the lens of the Burgess Shale (British Columbia), arguably the most important fossil site on the planet. His theme of contingency plays out as he discusses the many unique forms of life that might have, if things had gone differently, become the dominant forms on this planet, and how they contrast with those of today -- the one's that survived. Along the way he tells the story of the discovery and discovers of the Shale, how it was first interpreted in terms of prevalent beliefs about the origins of life, and how it has subsequently been re-interpreted in light of knowledge.
So enjoy the "film", but be sure to bring along a cup of coffee and a dictionary -- with Gould's intense writing style you're likely to need both!
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Subjects
Life, British Columbia, Invertebrate fossils, Paleontology, Burgess Shale, Evolution, Invertébrés fossiles, Contingency (Philosophy), Evolución, Fossil Invertebrates, Yoho National Park, Influence, Extinction (Biology), Fossils, Philosophy, Histoire, Fossielen, Schalies, Contingence (Philosophie), Paléontologie, Invertebrates, Paleontologie, History, Ongewervelde dieren, Évolution, Cambrian Geologic Period, Evolutie, Philosophie, 38.22 palaeozoology, Shale, Natural history, Paleontology, canada, Geology, stratigraphic, cambrian, Evolution, history, Invertebrates, fossil, Fossiles, Extinction (Biologie), Tiere, Kambrium, Fossile Wirbellose, Paläontologie, Burgess-Schiefer, Paleontology, great britain, National parks and reserves, canada, Paleontology--cambrian, Paleontology--british columbia--yoho national park, Invertebrates, fossil--british columbia--yoho national park, Paleontology--philosophy, Qe770 .g67 1989, 560/.9, New York Times reviewed, Evolution (biologie), Burgess, Schiste de (Canada), Fossile de Burgess, Contingence, Évolution (biologie)Places
British Columbia, Burgess Shale (B.C.), Yoho National Park, Yoho National Park (B.C.), Parc national de Yoho, Burgess Shale (C.-B.)., Colombie-Britannique, Yoho, Parc national de (C.-B.).Times
Cambrian, Cambrien, 1909-presentShowing 7 featured editions. View all 23 editions?
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Wonderful life: the Burgess shale and the nature of history
1991, Penguin
in English
0140133801 9780140133806
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3
La Vie est belle : Les Surprises de l'évolution
May 17, 1991, Seuil
Paperback
2020122693 9782020122696
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4
Wonderful life: the Burgess Shale and the nature of history
1990, Hutchinson Radius
in English
0091754224 9780091754228
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5
Wonderful life: the Burgess Shale and the nature of history
1989, W.W. Norton
in English
- 1st ed.
0393027058 9780393027051
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6
Wonderful Life - The Burgess Shale and the Nature of History
1989, Norton
in English
0393027058 9780393027051
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7
Wonderful life: the Burgess Shale and the nature of history
1989, W.W. Norton
- 1st ed.
0393027058 9780393027051
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- Created April 29, 2008
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April 2, 2024 | Edited by Tom Morris | Merge works |
December 4, 2022 | Edited by ImportBot | import existing book |
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April 29, 2008 | Created by an anonymous user | Imported from amazon.com record |