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A Good Life
by Dr. David Eller
| The world lost a friend on May 20 when renowned paleontologist Stephen Jay Gould died at the young age of 60. I say the world rather than the world of science or the world of freethinkers because Gould was one of the few scientists of our time who brought the message of science to the public in an entertaining yet educational way. Like Carl Sagan, whom we also miss, he had that special gift to communicate important ideas clearly and humorously to all readers, not just to his professional colleagues. He even appeared in animation on “The Simpsons.” |
Anyone who was lucky enough to open one of Gould’s many popular books, including The Panda’s Thumb, Bully for Brontosaurus, Rock of Ages (with its poignant subtitle Science and Religion in the Fullness of Life), or Full House was treated to a scholar and a man in love with his discipline, with knowledge in general, and with nature and life itself. Eminently readable, his books radiated a deep understanding of evolution and the processes of the physical world as well as a joy in discovery and sharing those discoveries. In fact, in Full House, he dealt with his own near-fatal illness and used it to illustrate issues of complexity and statistical interpretation. From the beginning and to the end, he was not afraid to live, to learn, and to speak the truth. |
Just before his passing, Gould had given us his magnum opus, the 1,433-page The Structure of Evolutionary Theory, which only appeared in March and summarizes the history and accomplishments of evolutionary science. Whether he knew that this would be his final work I don’t know (though I would not be surprised), but it serves as a fitting climax and tribute. To those who struggle against the theory of evolution and its evidence, here is a place to turn for enlightenment and answers. I am reminded of the letter in one of the local newspapers recently that claimed that there is not a single piece of evidence in support of evolution. To that letter-writer and others like him: read Gould and learn what we evolutionists know and what we get excited about. |
Society needs scientists, but even more so it needs scientists who convey their knowledge and their passion to the masses. There have been too few of them—apart from Gould and Sagan, there were Margaret Mead and Albert Einstein—and there are few left today. Maybe Stephen Hawkings qualifies as the last remaining popular major scientist. Why are they important for our national mind and heart? Because they teach us not only the technical facts of our world but the human side of the struggle for and celebration of knowledge. They put a human face on what often seems like a cold and dispassionate pursuit, but nothing humans pursue—nothing worth pursuing—is without passion. Knowledge cannot only set you free; it can make you smile too. |
Gould took particular pleasure in the motto of the Paleontological Society which is Frango ut patefaciam (“I break in order to reveal"). He knew, and we all should know, that the only path to knowledge is the courage to break a few rocks, a few traditions, and a few preconceptions and to accept whatever is revealed. We will miss him and his hammer. |
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