"The text is crisp and logical; the author is a born teacher. Anyone [...] teaching the epistemology of life sciences to medical students must be delighted to have it all neatly packed, ready to be unwrapped and served to the class. [...] Buy it and read it."
Petr Skrabanek, in The Lancet (Vol. 328, 8519, 1986)
"[...] the author has a happy knack of laying out positions quickly and clearly; he does not bog down the reader with too many details [...] and he has a real gift for setting down an idea diagrammatically, separating out concepts with a few strokes of the pen."
Michael Ruse, in Nature (Vol. 326, 223, 1987)
"This book will be a most welcome addition to the books in the philosophy of the life sciences currently available. It [...] demonstrates the author's extensive and profound knowledge of biology. I enjoy the
(brief) historical context in which he places the issues at hand and
the clear-headed philosophical analysis. The writing is succinct,
clear, eminently didactic."
Francisco J. Ayala, Dept. of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine.
"Life Scientists is organized into 12 well-written and carefully outlined sections [...] A worthwile and challenging experience."
J.L. Ninneman, in Choice, 4/1996
"The book shows the world of life scientists seen through the eyes of a biologist with a philosophical background. It is a guided tour through the philosophy of the life sciences, based on the insights of modern scholarship, without going into unnecessary technicalities."
History and Philosophy of the Life Sciences, 20/1998
"For general readers, philosophers and biologists."
New Scientist, 03/1996
"As important as biology is today, most books in the philosophy of
biology are too technical to be understood by students and the general
public. In Life Scientists, Professor Verschuuren gives his readers the benefits of his deep understanding of recent work in both biology and
philosophy, without burdening his exposition with unnecessary
technicalities. Anyone who is interested in current thinking in the
philosophy of biology will profit from reading this book."
David L. Hull, Dept. of Philosophy, Northwestern University, Evanston IL.
"New ideas are introduced clearly, followed by excellent examples that illustrate the concept [...] The book could be a great asset to upper
level students for instilling a more realistic vision of science, and
would be a good book for stimulating discussions with colleagues."
Fraser F. Fleming, Dept. of Chemistry, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh PA
"[...] besides clarifying rules of research logic, there are many useful and informed comments on currently accepted views."
James H. Sang, in The Quaterly Review Of Biology, 12/96
"Succinct chapters make up each part [...] The nature and mode of
operation of life science are demystified for the nonprofessional."
Eugene A. Oshima, in Science Books And Films, 5/1996
"Gerard Verschuuren has provided just what is needed: a concise survey of the philosophy of biology that is readily intelligible to someone
without much background in either philosophy or biology. The book can
thus be read with profit by a wide range of individuals, but it should
be especially appealing to historians and philosophers of science as
well as to biologists."
Michael T Ghiselin, in Isis, 3/1997
"I found it interesting and even enjoyable to read. The terminology is minimal and fully explained when used by the author. Examples from real
science are frequent and used to explain difficult concepts or
terminology. The book is very readable [...] The author asks some
difficult questions and provides some candid answers."
Phillip Eichman, in The American Biology Teacher, 1/1998