Rereading the Fossil Record: The Growth of Paleobiology as an Evolutionary Discipline

This book provides the first historical account of the origin, rise, and importance of palaeobiology, from the mid-nineteenth century to the late 1980s. Drawing on a wealth of archival material, Sepkoski shows how the movement was conceived and promoted by a small but influential group of palaeontologists – including Stephen Jay Gould and Niles Eldredge, among others – and examines the intellectual, disciplinary, and political dynamics involved in the ascendancy of palaeobiology. By emphasizing the close relationship between palaeobiology and other evolutionary disciplines, this book writes a new chapter in the history of evolutionary biology, while also offering insights into the dynamics of disciplinary change in modern science.