I am so shocked and saddened to hear of his death. He was so amazing. I am so upset, he was just here speaking and I didn't go because I was working. If I'd only known.......
60 years old. Cancer, I heard. I just can't believe I could've heard him speak, and now I can't. I guess you should just live life like its your last chance and do that stuff. What a loss the world has suffered.
He's really cool because he is absolutely brilliant about his field(s), but he can write and speak about it in a way that is really easy to understand and interesting to the rest of us normal people. Here is one he is really well known for - http://comp.uark.edu/~mrstoke/2003/gould.html
Sfell, Don't feel bad, I didn't know who he was either. I have heard his name before, but never really found out who he was. I wish I had enough time to learn about all the things I am curious about.
Does anyone remember the show Northern Exposure? I always loved the character Chris, cause he was so philosophical and knew so much about books and stuff. I wish I could be like that.
I guess I will have to go find some of Stephen Jay Gould's writings to educate myself. :-)
That's what is so interesting about the internet. I do a lot of research online, and I always find myself going off into different areas. I bookmark sites that are too off-topic and then go back later. It's a great way to learn about history, philosophy, science, new authors. You have to check the sources though, but of course you can never know everything!
I started reading Gould in a biological anthropology class. He was really very easy to follow, without dumbing it down, you know? I heard he was a great speaker, and I'm just kicking myself for not going when he was here a few months ago.