| SCIENCE AND RELIGION |
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The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief by Francis S. Collins Average Rating: "I read Dr. Collins' book with great anticipation, because of the his scientific reputation (one of the most respected research scientists in the world and the head of the Human Genome Project). I figured he'd offer a balanced approach to scientific and theological issues. I think that's why many people will read this book. ..."
The Case for a Creator: A Journalist Investigates Scientific Evidence That Points Toward God by Lee Strobel Average Rating: "Lee Strobel has written another fantastic book for the beginners-level apologist. This book turned out to be an excellent sequel to his previous two works, "The Case for Christ" and "The Case for Faith." I found the experts that Strobel interviewed to provide excellent cases for "Intelligent Design" based on data from their respective fields of study. ..."
The Devil's Delusion: Atheism and Its Scientific Pretensions by David Berlinski Average Rating: "Any book by David Berlinski is bound to be fun. He is simply one of the most erudite writers in popular science and mathematics today. Those who particularly like seeing sacred cows treated with a hint of sarcasm and irreverance will enjoy his writing on almost any subject, but this book, attacking the "new atheism" as it does, is especially delightful if for no other reason than for how pompous writers like Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett, and Christopher Hitchins are in their approach to this subject.
In brief, Berlinski's argument boils down to three main points: there is nothing in science proper that undermines religion (a point that used to be widely recognized and even extolled by writers like SJ Gould), most of the new atheists badly misunderstand even the most rudimentary arguments of theology and are not logically consistent, and finally that much of science has become rather dogmatic, like a new religion. ..."
Only a Theory: Evolution and the Battle for America's Soul by Kenneth R. Miller Average Rating: ""Only A Theory: Evolution and the Battle for America's Soul" is all we have come to expect from noted Brown University cell biologist Kenneth R. Miller in the course of his many public debates against creationists; a sterling blend of ample wit and elegant prose coupled with his passionate sincerity in defending genuine science's methodology and data from those intellectual Vandals seeking to replace it with their delusional notion of pseudoscientific mendacious intellectual pornography known as Intelligent Design. ..."
Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon by Daniel C. Dennett Average Rating: " Religion is commonly believed to be a stablizing influence in any society - but is it really? "Why not subject it to scientific scrutiny?" asks Daniel Dennett, director of the Center for Cognitive Studies at Tufts University. "Maybe it is just another bad habit." History has shown that science - despite wrong turns, egos, politics, jealousy, ambition - has a consistent record of being more correct than any other method of inquiry. ..."
Reinventing the Sacred: A New View of Science, Reason, and Religion by Stuart Kauffman Average Rating: "This is a hard book. A work of generative genius that is almost a sustained prose poem on the subject of how reductionism is not really a good way of looking at how the universe works.I found the early part of the book which shows how the operation of biological processes cannot be determined by or derived from the laws of physics understandable and convincing. ..."
Thank God for Evolution: How the Marriage of Science and Religion Will Transform Your Life and Our World by Michael Dowd Average Rating: "In a nation where nearly half the adult population denies or rejects the reality of Darwinian natural selection, Michael Dowd is a fresh voice. He's disturbed about that lack of acceptance of reality, so he applies the term in many forms to make his pitch. His cause is to incorporate various realities: deep time, the continuity of life, and the genetic underpinnings of our behaviour. ..."
God: The Failed Hypothesis. How Science Shows That God Does Not Exist by Victor J. Stenger Average Rating: "In a time when any human group is coming out of the closet, finally atheists are doing the same and are being outspoken. Articles and books by Dawkins, Harris, Dennet and Stenger are much needed in America, less so in old Europe where Sunday church attendance is low. I always wonder if there is a connection between a highly religious society and one with a high percentage of inmigrants o descendants of inmigrants.
Religion is one of the last taboos, "the opium of the people" as marxism declared. ..."
Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife by Mary Roach Average Rating: "Well, I guess it's a step up from the pop tabloid treatments we see all too much of. Chapters are allocated to separate subjects such as reincarnation, search for the physical evidence of the human soul, spiritualism, physical mediums, etc. Unfortunately, Ms. Roach seems to be far more intertested in milking wisecracks out of her "research" than she is in doing any heavy lifting, and the breezy, smartacre style wears out its welcome quickly. ..."
The Universe in a Single Atom: The Convergence of Science and Spirituality by Dalai Lama Average Rating: "--I'd like to add another five-star vote for this gentle, insightful book. It's a gift for everyone.
--The Dalai Lama has been interested in science since childhood, and has collaborated with some of the best minds in science and psychology for many years. This book gives some perspectives on that collaboration. ..."
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