Ben L. Callif

This book is an attempt to broaden the scope of genetics from more than natural selection. Callif has coined the term "organumics" to apply to the study of organa, which are evolving life forms that follow epigenetics, which build life experience into inheritance. Jean-Baptiste Lamarck (1744-1829) is an early progenitor of this thinking but is mostly criticized in the scientific community as being in error. Callif believes there is much to learn from him. The first third of the book is a review of evolution, genes, and genomes. The there are viruses which in a way are transmitted to offspring via viruses.… (more)

This tragedy unfolds in three acts. Chapters 1-6 are a review biology, and genetics and were intended as a primer for what was to follow. Chapter 7 unfolded as an attempt to define epigenetics. I thought this was what the book would be about. Wrong. Not even sure what the last two chapters were trying to say. I think if author had focused on any one of the three areas this might have been an interesting read. As it stands it was too sweeping in scope to be readable. Did not finish. Not recommended.… (more)

This book covers a lot of new ground for me, so the brisk review chapters are welcome. I like the examples and discussion of epigenetic mechanisms, especially the regulation of circadian rhythms, time-keeping, long-distance memory, and the view of sickness as imbalance rather than invasion. It was shocking to learn that there may be hereditary trauma from events like the Holocaust. While there is intuitive appeal to broadening from the obsession with genetics to something higher dimensional, the ultimate payoff of the reframing is more philosophical than biological in this work.… (more)