Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Secular Pinoy · 02-05-2003, 03:23 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Doubting Didymus
I agree. I was not impressed by river out of eden myself. Its a very confused metaphor. Climbing mount improbable remains his best popular work (that is, ignoring his contribution to professional evolutionary biology from his first two books).

<nod> <nod> <nod>

Wasn't TEP his only supposed professional book? I thought TSG was a pop-sci book. It's entertaining and not that hard to grasp. I can't say anything about CMI, since I don't have it. BTW, I am disappointed with Dawkins' attepmt at scientific evangelization (so to speak) re his book UTR. It's said that he tried to emulate Sagan's DHW, but I think that he tried so hard that he failed to live up to it. I say don't try hard and just write the way you do. TSG is satisfying to read and very informative, and he didn't have any pressure to live up to any standard (other than to make it accessible). Maybe the pressure did him in. Of course oher people swear that UTR is just as inspiring (probably even more so) as DHW.

Same with EO Wilson's Consilience and Dennett's DDI. The books didn't live up to the hype. Maybe I have this unhealthy habit of over-expectation whenever I hear a lot of hype on a book. Of course, I also heard a lot of hype with DHW, yet I still ended up agreeing with the previous readers' lavish praises. Same with Dawkins' TSG and TBW. Those books are great.

Doubting Didymus · 02-05-2003, 02:47 PM

I've just finished reading 'unweaving the rainbow' myself. While the first half of the book does a very good job of refuting the claims of cold soullessness in science (a very good job indeed), it does not carry through into the second half of the book. Possibly his writings on basic science in that book might be more impressive had I not already known about them.

Embarrasing fact: I have never read the Demon Haunted World. I'll get my hands on it one day. Science sections in my local bookshops are filled with VonDaniken.

Secular Pinoy · 02-28-2003, 04:45 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Doubting Didymus
Embarrasing fact: I have never read the Demon Haunted World. I'll get my hands on it one day. Science sections in my local bookshops are filled with VonDaniken.

DHW is available in audiobook format, which is downloadable in Winmx and Kazaa.

KC · 03-05-2003, 01:50 PM

For the Biogeography section:

The Theory of Island Biogeography, by Robert H. MacArthur and Edward O. Wilson. (1967) , Princeton.

Not light reading by any means, but enormously influential.

The Song of the Dodo: Island Biogeography in an Age of Extinctions, by David Quammen. (1996), Hutchinson.

I haven't read this, but I hear it is good popular science reading on the subject, akin to The Beak of the Finch.

KC

KC · 03-05-2003, 02:06 PM

For Molecular Genetics:

Time, Love, Memory, by Jonathan Weiner.

A beautifully-written, affectionate portrait of the dawn of molecular biology. I think I liked this book even better than Weiner's The Beak of the Finch

KC

Secular Pinoy · 03-06-2003, 11:14 PM

I also found out that DHW is also available as a pdf file. It's available at the eDonkey peer-to-peer network at about 4 megs. If you find it interesting, buy the book and support II by clicking here.

BTW, when will we add the additions to the recommended reading list?

RufusAtticus · 03-07-2003, 07:05 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Secular Pinoy
BTW, when will we add the additions to the recommended reading list?

Some time in the future.

Secular Pinoy · 03-07-2003, 07:10 AM

It doesn't take a psychic to know that!

But I'm glad that there is a plan for amending the reading list.

Gracchus · 03-08-2003, 04:37 PM

One of my favorites, which doesn't seem to have been mentioned is
"Without Miracles: Universal Selection Theory and the Second Darwinian Revolution" MIT Press, (c) 1995 Massachusetts Institute of Technology

This is a "must read", one of those, "Of course! It's so obvious!" epiphanies.

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02-05-2003, 02:47 PM	#42
Doubting Didymus Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: East Coast. Australia. Posts: 5,455	I've just finished reading 'unweaving the rainbow' myself. While the first half of the book does a very good job of refuting the claims of cold soullessness in science (a very good job indeed), it does not carry through into the second half of the book. Possibly his writings on basic science in that book might be more impressive had I not already known about them. Embarrasing fact: I have never read the Demon Haunted World. I'll get my hands on it one day. Science sections in my local bookshops are filled with VonDaniken.

03-05-2003, 01:50 PM	#44
KC Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: San Narcisco, RRR Posts: 527	For the Biogeography section: The Theory of Island Biogeography, by Robert H. MacArthur and Edward O. Wilson. (1967) , Princeton. Not light reading by any means, but enormously influential. The Song of the Dodo: Island Biogeography in an Age of Extinctions, by David Quammen. (1996), Hutchinson. I haven't read this, but I hear it is good popular science reading on the subject, akin to The Beak of the Finch. KC

03-05-2003, 02:06 PM	#45
KC Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: San Narcisco, RRR Posts: 527	For Molecular Genetics: Time, Love, Memory, by Jonathan Weiner. A beautifully-written, affectionate portrait of the dawn of molecular biology. I think I liked this book even better than Weiner's The Beak of the Finch KC

03-06-2003, 11:14 PM	#46
Secular Pinoy Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Quezon City, Philippines Posts: 1,994	I also found out that DHW is also available as a pdf file. It's available at the eDonkey peer-to-peer network at about 4 megs. If you find it interesting, buy the book and support II by clicking here. BTW, when will we add the additions to the recommended reading list?

03-07-2003, 07:10 AM	#48
Secular Pinoy Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Quezon City, Philippines Posts: 1,994	It doesn't take a psychic to know that! But I'm glad that there is a plan for amending the reading list.

03-08-2003, 04:37 PM	#49
Gracchus Regular Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: California Posts: 359	One of my favorites, which doesn't seem to have been mentioned is "Without Miracles: Universal Selection Theory and the Second Darwinian Revolution" MIT Press, (c) 1995 Massachusetts Institute of Technology This is a "must read", one of those, "Of course! It's so obvious!" epiphanies.

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