Ecology & Genetics:

Table of Contents

Preface

Acknowledgments >

Chapter 1: The Ecosystem in Us

Chapter 2: Incorporation and Excorporation

Chapter 3: Modes of Expression

Chapter 4: Reproduction of the Ecosystem

Chapter 5: Genetic Engineering and the Environment

References

Ordering information

I would like to thank Brent Blackwelder, President, Friends of the Earth (USA), for being open to these ideas and encouraging me to pursue them; Martha Herbert, Pediatric Neurologist at Harvard Medical School, who provided me with advice, many reference materials, and much intellectual stimulation; and Professor Richard Strohman, emeritus, University of California, Berkeley, who took the time to read this essay, comment on more than one draft, discuss it with me at length, and provide me with reference materials.

Izja Lederhendler, of the National Institute of Mental Health, provided me with important comments on several points, including behavioral adaptation. Marty Teitel, Executive Director of the Council for Responsible Genetics, provided a crucial philosophical criticism that led to a reformulation of a part of this essay. I am indebted to Professor Niall Shanks, of East Tennessee State University, who spent a great deal of time reviewing various drafts of this monograph, discussing it with me, and providing me with a very valuable education on many crucial points of evolutionary biology. Of course, as the author, I alone am responsible for the contents of this monograph, including any errors that it might contain.

Lois Chalmers, IEER's librarian, helped extensively with bibliographic research and proofing of the manuscript. I want also to thank all the supporters of IEER who send unrestricted contributions, which make projects such as this possible.

Finally, the sweetest acknowledgements, which are to my daughters. I want to thank Natasha, who repeatedly urged me to convert the notes and scattered ideas I had been talking about for some time into a finished piece. Her confidence in me and her encouragement gave me much of the motivation to do so. And I'm grateful that Shakuntala taught me to watch and appreciate the ants in our yard.

--Arjun Makhijani

Next: Chapter 1