In its modern usage, the term "consilience" was first established by Edward O. Wilson in his 1998 book, Consilience: The Unity of Knowledge. Wilson's original thesis contained two parts: that nature forms a unitary order of causal forces, hierarchically organized, and that scientific knowledge, because it delineates nature, also forms a unitary order, promising consensus among diverse fields.

Bringing together cutting-edge scientists and scholars across this range, Darwin's Bridge gives an expert account of consilience and makes it possible to see how far we have come toward unifying knowledge about the human species, what major issues are still in contention, and which areas of research are likely to produce further progress. Readers will be delighted as they, along with the work's contributing authors, explore the deeper meaning of consilience and consider the harmony of human evolution, human nature, social dynamics, art, and narrative.