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Good Enough: The Tolerance for Mediocrity in Nature and Society
Author: Daniel S. Milo
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In this spirited and irreverent critique of Darwins long hold over our imagination, a distinguished philosopher of science makes the case that, in culture as well as nature, not only the fittest survive the world is full of the good enough that persist too.Why is the genome of a salamander forty times larger than that of a human? Why does the avocado tree produce a million flowers and only a hundred fruits? Why, in short, is there so much waste in nature? In this lively and wide-ranging meditation on the curious accidents and unexpected detours on the path of life, Daniel Milo argues that we ask these questions because weve embraced a faulty conception of how evolutionand human societyreally works.Good Enoughoffers a vigorous critique of the quasi-monopoly that Darwins concept of natural selection has on our idea of the natural world. Darwinism excels in accounting for the evolution of traits, but it does not explain their excess in size and number. Many traits far exceed the optimal configuration to do the job, and yet the maintenance of this extra baggage does not prevent species from thriving for millions of years. Milo aims to give the messy side of nature its dueto stand up for the wasteful and inefficient organisms that nevertheless survive and multiply.But he does not stop at the border between evolutionary theory and its social consequences. He argues provocatively that the theory of evolution through natural selection has acquired the trappings of an ethical system. Optimization, competitiveness, and innovation have become the watchwords of Western societies, yet their role in human livesas in the rest of natureis dangerously overrated. Imperfection is not just good enough it may at times be essential to survival.ReviewThrough a marshaling of facts and a careful reading of scientific opinions, Milo shows himself to be a persuasive analyst and historical detective, revealing critical sides of the evolution argument that have often been ignored. The book, full of humor and unexpected examples, showcases Milos skill for storytelling.Marc Kirschner, Founding Chair, Department of Systems Biology, Harvard University Good Enough is a book that changes key cultural assumptions, offering a radical revision of the ideas of evolution and selection. Daniel Milo argues that nature follows the law of inertia, makes do with mediocrity, and relies on chance rather than maximization. It is a rare book that will leave a lasting impact on scientific discourse and on popular imagination. Eva Illouz, Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales, Paris In this salutary essay, Daniel Milo tells biologists with delight what they already know but never confess. Rooting his argument in the genesis of Darwins theory, Milo emphasizes the place of the mediocre, the useless, and the level-down in natural variation. Without contradicting the power of natural selection, Good Enough suggests that the long tails of trait variation govern survival more than optimization, subsequently shaping the diversity of life. Nicolas Gompel, Ludwig-Maximilians University, MunichAbout the Author bDaniel S. Milo bis the chair of natural philosophy at the School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences in Paris and has been a visiting professor at the University of Chicago, Mills College, the University of California, Berkeley, Wissenschaftskollege in Berlin, and Tel Aviv University. He has directed two theater productions, produced three films, and written several books.
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In this spirited and irreverent critique of Darwins long hold over our imagination, a distinguished philosopher of science makes the case that, in culture as well as nature, not only the fittest survive the world is full of the good enough that persist too.Why is the genome of a salamander forty times larger than that of a human? Why does the avocado tree produce a million flowers and only a hundred fruits? Why, in short, is there so much waste in nature? In this lively and wide-ranging meditation on the curious accidents and unexpected detours on the path of life, Daniel Milo argues that we ask these questions because weve embraced a faulty conception of how evolutionand human societyreally works.Good Enoughoffers a vigorous critique of the quasi-monopoly that Darwins concept of natural selection has on our idea of the natural world. Darwinism excels in accounting for the evolution of traits, but it does not explain their excess in size and number. Many traits far exceed the optimal configuration to do the job, and yet the maintenance of this extra baggage does not prevent species from thriving for millions of years. Milo aims to give the messy side of nature its dueto stand up for the wasteful and inefficient organisms that nevertheless survive and multiply.But he does not stop at the border between evolutionary theory and its social consequences. He argues provocatively that the theory of evolution through natural selection has acquired the trappings of an ethical system. Optimization, competitiveness, and innovation have become the watchwords of Western societies, yet their role in human livesas in the rest of natureis dangerously overrated. Imperfection is not just good enough it may at times be essential to survival.ReviewThrough a marshaling of facts and a careful reading of scientific opinions, Milo shows himself to be a persuasive analyst and historical detective, revealing critical sides of the evolution argument that have often been ignored. The book, full of humor and unexpected examples, showcases Milos skill for storytelling.Marc Kirschner, Founding Chair, Department of Systems Biology, Harvard University Good Enough is a book that changes key cultural assumptions, offering a radical revision of the ideas of evolution and selection. Daniel Milo argues that nature follows the law of inertia, makes do with mediocrity, and relies on chance rather than maximization. It is a rare book that will leave a lasting impact on scientific discourse and on popular imagination. Eva Illouz, Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales, Paris In this salutary essay, Daniel Milo tells biologists with delight what they already know but never confess. Rooting his argument in the genesis of Darwins theory, Milo emphasizes the place of the mediocre, the useless, and the level-down in natural variation. Without contradicting the power of natural selection, Good Enough suggests that the long tails of trait variation govern survival more than optimization, subsequently shaping the diversity of life. Nicolas Gompel, Ludwig-Maximilians University, MunichAbout the Author bDaniel S. Milo bis the chair of natural philosophy at the School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences in Paris and has been a visiting professor at the University of Chicago, Mills College, the University of California, Berkeley, Wissenschaftskollege in Berlin, and Tel Aviv University. He has directed two theater productions, produced three films, and written several books.
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