Wonderful Life the Burgess

About “Wonderful Life the Burgess”

In "Wonderful Life," Stephen Jay Gould explores the concept of contingency by imagining how the world might have been different if George Bailey from "It's A Wonderful Life" had never existed. Using the Burgess Shale in British Columbia as a central example, Gould rolls back the tape of life half a billion years to examine how different evolutionary paths could have led to entirely different forms of life. He discusses the unique organisms found in the Burgess Shale and how they might have become dominant if circumstances had been different. The book also recounts the history of the shale's discovery and how its interpretation has changed over time. Gould's writing is intense and requires careful reading, often prompting readers to consult a dictionary. The essay serves as an homage to the film "It's A Wonderful Life" and explores the idea that small changes can have major consequences.