A philosophy that saw self-possession as the key to an existence lived 'in accordance with nature', Stoicism called for the restraint of animal instincts and the severing of emotional ties. These beliefs were formulated by the Athenian followers of Zeno in the fourth century BC, but it was in Seneca (c. 4 BC - AD 65) that the Stoics found their most eloquent advocate. Stoicism, as expressed in the Letters, helped ease pagan Rome's transition to Christianity, for it upholds upright ethical ideals and extols virtuous living, as well as expressing disgust for the harsh treatment of slaves and the inhumane slaughters witnessed in the Roman arenas. Seneca's major contribution to a seemingly unsympathetic creed was to transform it into a powerfully moving and inspiring declaration of the dignity of the individual mind.

《进化思维:达尔文对我们世界观的影响》的主题是论述查尔斯·达尔文的精神遗产进化论。进化论是从古至今学者所提出的最具说服力且影响最广泛的思想纲领之一。故而任何人都应该学习进化论，哪怕仅仅是想在达尔文的理论所引起的相互对立的论战中表表态也罢。《进化思维:达尔文对我们世界观的影响》旨在提供一个内容丰富而又容易理解的概述，帮助读者多角度地熟悉进化思维——因为其所涉及的，不仅有生物学，而且还有其他许多学科。