[Review] John O. Reiss (2009) Not by design: retiring Darwin's watchmaker

I have always advocated philosophy as an important component of a science degree. Many practising scientists may dispute this and see it as a waste of time and energy when there is so much else to be learned about science. Not by Design requires the reader to grasp some underlying concepts in philosophy, but does not leave them stranded. Tackling the idea of Intelligent Design creationisms latest wolf in sheeps clothing head on is important, since those who wish to subvert and undermine evolution as a central tenet of the discipline of biology often utilise philosophical arguments to support their position. This book, Reiss states, is not written for philosophers but for biologists. Covering the history and philosophy of science, population mathematics and a detailed exploration of adaptedness and whether we have misunderstood natural selection, biologists will have their work cut out to grasp the full impact of this book in one reading. The aim of the book is to rid evolutionary biology of the teleological position to which Darwin and Wallace exposed their revolutionary idea.