Evolution of Everything

<p><strong>Mr. Ridley's best and most important work to date...there is something profoundly democratic and egalitarian--even anti-elitist--in this bottom-up approach: Everyone can have a role in bringing about change. --<em>Wall Street Journal</em></strong></p><p><strong>The <em>New York Times</em> bestselling author of <em>The Rational Optimist </em>and <em>Genome </em>returns with a fascinating argument for evolution that definitively dispels a dangerous widespread myth: that we can command and control our world</strong></p><p>Human society evolves. Change in technology language morality and society is incremental inexorable gradual and spontaneous. It follows a narrative going from one stage to the next and it largely happens by trial and error--a version of natural selection. Much of the human world is the result of human action but not of human design: it emerges from the interactions of millions not from the plans of a few.</p><p>Drawing on fascinating evidence from science economics history politics and philosophy Matt Ridley demolishes conventional assumptions that the great events and trends of our day are dictated by those on high. On the contrary our most important achievements develop from the bottom up. The Industrial Revolution cell phones the rise of Asia and the Internet were never planned; they happened. Languages emerged and evolved by a form of natural selection as did common law. Torture racism slavery and pedophilia--all once widely regarded as acceptable--are now seen as immoral despite the decline of religion in recent decades.</p><p>In this wide-ranging erudite book Ridley brilliantly makes the case for evolution rather than design as the force that has shaped much of our culture our technology our minds and that even now is shaping our future.</p>