Evolutionary Biology in France: A Review of Some Recent Books

Abstract

Contemporary evolutionary thought in France is summarized in a critical review of a number of books published in French between 1967 and 1981 and authored by French-speaking biologists. Sixteen of these books are first discussed individually. A synthesis of major evolutionary concepts, based on an analysis of this literature then follows. Mutation, recombination, chance, natural selection, adaptation, speciation, developmental processes, behavior, macroevolution, Lamarckism, and Darwinism are among the concepts discussed. Evolutionary thought in France is often held to lag behind that of biologists elsewhere. This view appears unfounded. With only a few exceptions, the authors of books (or chapters in books) published in French on evolutionary topics in the last fifteen years are fully conversant with modern evolutionary thinking and have espoused the synthetic theory. French-speaking students seeking material to read as part of a course of lectures on evolutionary subjects have the choice of several excellent textbooks that complement each other nicely. The authors of this literature are actively angaged in research in evolutionary biology. The mistaken notion that French-speaking biologists hold antiquated ideas about evolution must be due to the fact that these biologists rarely publish the results of their work in English in the journals considered by most biologists to be the standard avenues of publication. It is hoped that this paper will help English-speaking evolutionists who do not read French to become better acquainted with evolutionary thinking in France. The suggestion is made that French biologists who work on evolutionary topics should start a French Society for the Study of Evolution and should publish a journal as an outlet for the results of their work.