I just finished and set down next to me E.O. Wilson’s The Creation: An appeal to save life on earth. When I picked it up at a bookstore months ago (I’ve been reading it in small chunks here and there between reading other books), I was pretty excited about it as I’ve been wanting to read something by Wilson for quite a while…and this one was written under the premise that scientists and religious leaders need to work together to preseve the Earth’s rapidly vanishing biodiversity.
I have to say, I did enjoy it…but I’m not so sure Wilson succeeded in his premise. His thoughts and words about biodiversity and its importance were beautiful, but he seemed to head off onto various rabbit trails (I know his specialty is ants, and the near entire chapter he wrote about a certain species of ant in the Caribbean and its ethno-natural history was fascinating, but I honestly can’t figure out what it has to do with urging scientists and religious leaders to work together…or helping people in the religious community further value the creation).
When he writes about the wonders of bacteria and the near countless species of microorganisms and SLIMES that a square meter of soil contains, he’s at his best. But to me it almost seemed like Wilson was appealing to the worst in people when speaking of the value of earth and its biomes and biodiversity in actual monetary value or basing its value on how these organisms might benefit us directly (through possible medicines, cures, etc.). I would have much rather he stayed on valuing organisms and biodiversity because of their intrinsic value and the beauty of the relationships and interconnectedness between them. As Wilson writes at one point, “…ecosystems and species can be saved only by understanding the unique value of each species in turn, and by persuading the people who have dominion over them to serve as their stewards.” If he had stayed on this path, I think the result (and his argument) would have remained strong (and in my opinion, created MUCH more common ground for scientists and religious leaders to stand on).
I really enjoyed his last section, “Teaching the Creation” and the chapters included within (How to Learn Biology and How to Teach It, How To Raise a Naturalist, Citizen Science). Perhaps this is simply where I’m at and has to do with what I’ve been trying to exercise and encourage in others, but many of his suggestions and examples in these chapters were great.
He concludes his “letter” hoping that he has succeeded in convincing religious leaders of the value and need for saving Earth’s biodiversity. Although I was already convinced of this before I took the book from the shelf, I hope it serves in urging others in the religious community in understanding and working toward the preservation and restoration of the creation we were called to steward.
