The Accidental Mind: How Brain Evolution Has Given Us Love, Memory, Dreams, and God

Book Description

You've probably seen it before: a human brain dramatically lit from the side, the camera circling it like a helicopter shot of Stonehenge, and a modulated baritone voice exalting the brain's elegant design in reverent tones.

To which this book says: Pure nonsense. In a work at once deeply learned and wonderfully accessible, the neuroscientist David Linden counters the widespread assumption that the brain is a paragon of design--and in its place gives us a compelling explanation of how the brain's serendipitous evolution has resulted in nothing short of our humanity. A guide to the strange and often illogical world of neural function, The Accidental Mind shows how the brain is not an optimized, general-purpose problem-solving machine, but rather a weird agglomeration of ad-hoc solutions that have been piled on through millions of years of evolutionary history. Moreover, Linden tells us how the constraints of evolved brain design have ultimately led to almost every transcendent human foible: our long childhoods, our extensive memory capacity, our search for love and long-term relationships, our need to create compelling narrative, and, ultimately, the universal cultural impulse to create both religious and scientific explanations. With forays into evolutionary biology, this analysis of mental function answers some of our most common questions about how we've come to be who we are.

Customer Reviews:

Nicely done, accessible account of the human brain.......2007-08-08

David Linden's "The Accidental Mind" is a neat little book. He has two main purposes: (a) to write a readable introduction on brain science, accessible to nonspecialists; (b) to make the case that (page 6) `. . .the brain is an inelegant and inefficient agglomeration of stuff, which nonetheless works surprisingly well." As to the first point, this volume is a far cry from the magnificent work, Michael Gazzaniga's The Cognitive Neurosciences III: Third Edition. However, if one is not well steeped in knowledge and understanding of the neurosciences, Gazzaniga's edited work is close to impenetrable. This book is well and crisply written, explaining simply how neurons work the structure of the brain, how the brain develops, and so on.

As to the second point? He asserts that, quoting Francois Jacob (Page 6), "'Evolution is a tinkerer, not an engineer." That is, evolution operates on organisms as they are and then the process of change takes advantage of the material already existent to adapt to new conditions and challenges. Thus, the human brain is mounted on older, more primitive structures, in an ill fitting complex. As he says (page 21): "The brain is built like an ice cream cone (and you are the top scoop): Through evolutionary time, as higher functions were added, a new scoop was placed on top, but the lower scoops were left largely unchanged."

Thereafter, he speaks of the structure of the brain, how the fully mature human brain develops (with both nature and nurture having roles to play), how the brain is associated with all manner of emotions, learning, religion, and so on.

The Ninth chapter has a title that speaks directly to Linden's first theme--"The Unintelligent Design of the Brain." Here, he slyly critiques advocates of the "Intelligent Design" perspective by noting that the brain is hardly an exemplar of some great design. As noted already, he sees the brain as inefficient and "jury-rigged."

This is a book that provides plenty of insight into how neuroscientists study the structure and function of the brain--and presents some of the exciting possibilities for future research.

In sum, this is a work that ought to be attended to by those interested in the brain sciences, but who cannot readily read the technical literature.

Entertaining?.......2007-07-30

This is a great book for readers who are interested in an overview of the anatomical and physiological functions of the brain. If you have had any previous A+P, this book may give you flashbacks (and does a good job of explaining how those feelings were "created.") You may even recognise many of the examples and case studies right from classic lectures.
If you are approaching "The Accidental Mind" as pure entertainment, enjoy. If you are looking for juicier or more in depth case studies, keep browsing.

A Very Refreshing Book On Brain Science.......2007-07-18

The addition of this review is to fill in one gap in particular. Dr. Linden is the first scientific author I have read in quite a while that wasn't flip with schools of thought. He has distilled research with varied hypothesis and has enough respect for his field and the reader to frankly state when "We just don't know." My only regret is that Dr. Linden didn't make this book the "larger tomb" he mentions when wrapping up the research that didn't make it into the book. Highly recommended to anyone who is mystified by belief and dreams.

A Perspective-Changing Read about the Brain.......2007-07-04

Why do we sleep? What is love? What is happening when we dream? These questions seem so basic to our human experience, and yet the average person in at a complete loss to explain even the most common of our daily experiences. This is where the Accidental Mind comes in. Linden's book offers a refreshingly different perspective on the brain. After reading this book, you will have a much better understanding of how your brain shapes your experience, it's limitations, and what is going on "behind the curtain." Intelligence, gender identity, sexuality, are all covered with an eye to how these factors play out in the architecture of the brain.

This book also provides a great deal of information on the biological basis for issues that are being debated in our culture, which many people will find enlightening and necessary for making informed comments.

If you are considering picking up this book, read Chapter 7 on sleep, available for free from Linden's website:

[...]

While the book may sometimes goes into great detail on the biology, most readers will find plenty of compelling information in these pages. People who enjoy this book and are interested in some of the practical insights that new research is providing about humans, how we work, and practical advice for improving our lives should check out The Happiness Hypothesis by Jonathan Haidt.

Happy reading!

For your thinking and reading friends...........2007-05-31

I found The Accidental Mind a well written, humorous and thought-provoking introduction to neuroscience and to some profound ideas about evolution and other topics. It's the kind of book that makes you interrupt your partner's reading every five minutes with "Hey, listen to this...." If Dr. Linden lectures as entertainingly and interestingly as he writes, his classes at Johns Hopkins University must be in great demand.

In Gods We Trust: The Evolutionary Landscape of Religion (Evolution and Cognition Series)

Average customer rating:

An excellent first step
Defectors and norms?
Very sad
Thoughtful analysis of the origin of religious beliefs
Simply the best book on a charged and intricate topic

In Gods We Trust: The Evolutionary Landscape of Religion (Evolution and Cognition Series)
Scott Atran
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0195178033

Book Description

This ambitious, interdisciplinary book seeks to explain the origins of religion using our knowledge of the evolution of cognition. A cognitive anthropologist and psychologist, Scott Atran argues that religion is a by-product of human evolution just as the cognitive intervention, cultural selection, and historical survival of religion is an accommodation of certain existential and moral elements that have evolved in the human condition.

Customer Reviews:

An excellent first step.......2007-07-26

This book is no beach read. It is dense, technical, and written in a rather stiff prose style. It is, however, absolutely the best book available on the evolutionary origin of religion.

Briefly, Atran defines religion as a community's costly and hard-to-fake commitments to nonexistent beings, commitments which help to assuage existential anxieties involving death, suffering, loneliness, and so on.

Atran uses an incredibly wide array of primary sources in biology, psychology, and religious studies to make his points, and the book brims with insights, both large and small, about how human minds manufacture religion. For example, psychologists and ethnologists have commonly argued that magic in many tribal cultures represents a primitive form of thought which children also have. Atran points out that children in such societies actually believe LESS in magical explanations than their elders. His discussion of divination is also quite insightful.

On the downside, this book is pitched at a rather general, ahistorical level. There is little discussion, for example, of the differences between tribal religions and religions which have had much longer written histories, such as Zen Buddhism and American Protestantism. This is perhaps unavoidable in a book on such a large topic, particularly when this book applies a relatively new sort of explanation to this topic.

Also nice would have been more on how prayer, meditation, and other techniques are used in religion, or about how and why different religions (e.g., Sufi mysticism, Church of Christ Protestantism, and shamanism) differ in the way that they do, but again, this may be expecting too much from a book that weighs less than I do.

On the whole, a superb first step on the road to explaining what human religiosity owes to our evolutionary ancestry, and a wonderful antidote to anti-religious screeds which ignore the universality and complexity of religion itself.

Defectors and norms?.......2007-04-11

Negative reviews are not popular in this venue, so I'll keep this short and sour.

I refer you to ch. 8, "Culture without mind."

I ask you to reconcile the sense of the following claims:

"There is no compelling psychological evidence for norms as packages of learned information, stored as discrete units, clustered into higher order knowledge structures, encoded as specific memory traces in neural tissue, or expressed in clearly recognized and denumerable bundels of behavior."p. 199.

"Perceived reciprocal altruism may result in a culturally stable strategy as long as defectors can be defected and excluded." p. 201

How does one define or recognize a "defector" without a clear notion of norms and their violation? But, it will be argued, the point is that the evidence used by those who identify "norms" as units of selection does not include the detail necessary to verify or falsity the the role of such norms. But the semantic nature of my objection simplify shifts focus to "defection": How can evidence insufficient to verify or falsify the role of norms do more to verify or falsify "defector detection"?

The argument of ch 8 also suggests that 'mind' is equivalent to 'computational architecture'. But current notions of computational architecture are totally inadequate to account for individual differences among any of the world's cultures. That the human mind has a "module" for organizing taxonomies of living things, suggests only that taxonomies always and everywhere are based on essences which do not change over a lifetime and which can be arranged as elements in a hierarchy of nested sets. This is true the world around. But so called modularity of mind does not enable us to distinguish the folk taxonomies of the Amazon basin from those of lowland Guatemala.

If we can't tell folk taxonomies apart, aren't we just being asked to put all the world's religions into one box labeled "minimally counter-intuitive" by-products of natural selection?

Why should that rate five stars?

Very sad.......2007-03-09

It is sad that so many in the world are saddled with the consequences of belief in gods; one hopes that this book will enlighten! It is fairly hard work but worth it.

Thoughtful analysis of the origin of religious beliefs.......2007-03-08

There have been a slew of recent books by scientists on religion which fall basically into two camps. The first, exemplified by Sam Harris' "The End of Faith," are essentially attacks on the logical plausibility of the major religious belief systems. For those who have already realized that these sorts of beliefs are absurd, such works are entertaining but are a bit like preaching to the choir, if you'll excuse the metaphor. The second camp, exemplified by Pascal Boyer's "Religion Explained," are attempts at explaining WHY people believe in such absurdities, from the perspectives of cognitive neuropsychology and anthropology. Atran's book is in the latter camp, and in fact overlaps to some extent with Boyer's book, published at about the same time, although each author has unique insights. I especially liked Atran's analysis of the origin of beliefs in the supernatural as stemming from a cognitive module predisposed to interpret environmental stimuli as coming from a potential predator, and I also found his analysis of "meme theory" to be enlightening (he strongly discounts it). Atran's book is the harder to read of the two and is largely missing the dry sense of humor in Boyer's book, which is why I docked it one star. I also disagree with the pessimism in Atran's last chapter about why religions are likely to endure indefinitely; I believe the secular trends present especially since Darwin must ultimately prevail. But his book is certainly a valuable contribution to the discussion of the origins of religious thought and behavior, which is of paramount importance in understanding today's world of religious fanaticism.

Simply the best book on a charged and intricate topic.......2007-02-01

The topic of Atran's book has recently received a lot of attention, primarily because of the publication of Daniel Dennett's "Breaking the Spell" and Richard Dawkins' bestselling "The God Delusion".
I have just finished teaching a graduate course on evolutionary perspectives on religion, and have fewer doubts than ever that Atran has written by far the best book on the topic. In terms of explanatory structure his theory is more detailed and precise than any of the competitors.
While Atran says openly that he is an atheist, he tries to keep his discussion neutral, and his book is devoid of the polemical tone of Dawkins and Dennett. Yet, paradoxically, his approach has interesting implications for dealing with religious fundamentalism on a political level.
Even though "In Gods we Trust" is an unabashedly scientific book, it is well written and accessible to informed lay-people. I also recommend viewing the interchanges of Atran and Sam Harris ("The End of Faith")during the recent "Beyond Belief" conference either on youtube or (written) on the "Edge" website.

No god but God: The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam

Average customer rating:

A good begining
Excellent Intro to Islam
3 1/2 Stars. Not objective like the author intends, but still a good read
Know thy enemy
Wishfull thinking

No god but God: The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam
Reza Aslan
Manufacturer: Random House Trade Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0812971892
Release Date: 2006-01-10

Book Description

Though it is the fastest-growing religion in the world, Islam remains shrouded in ignorance and fear for much of the West. In No god but God, Reza Aslan, an internationally acclaimed scholar of religions, explains this faith in all its beauty and complexity. Beginning with a vivid account of the social and religious milieu in which the Prophet Muhammad forged his message, Aslan paints a portrait of the first Muslim community as a radical experiment in religious pluralism and social egalitarianism. He demonstrates how, after the Prophet’s death, his successors attempted to interpret his message for future generations–an overwhelming task that fractured the Muslim community into competing sects. Finally, Aslan examines how, in the shadow of European colonialism, Muslims developed conflicting strategies to reconcile traditional Islamic values with the realities of the modern world, thus launching what Aslan terms the Islamic Reformation. Timely and persuasive, No god but God is an elegantly written account of a magnificent yet misunderstood faith.

Customer Reviews:

A good begining .......2007-08-27

If your interest in Islam stems from the media attention the religion receives then this book is a wonderful way of learning about the beginning of it all. Aslan's work is clearly structured and unbiased. I wants the reader to understand the gentleness of the religion as well as the powerful protectiveness of the muslims that practise this faith.
War can be found within any religion, just look at the Crusades.
The book is a wonderful piece that I would highly recommend to people who would like to learn more and make their own opinion rather than rely on the views of others.

Excellent Intro to Islam.......2007-08-18

After 9.11, there has been a sudden obsession with Islam. The extreme right-wing media would like to portray the religion as spewing hate and preaching violence. But what is the truth? There are so many versions out there trying to explain Islam to you -- but as an ignorant person, how do you determine what is true and what is fiction?

My knowledge of Islam is practically nil. With growing interest in the religion and my curiosity to learn the origin and spiritual leanings of Islam and the reasons behind the fanaticisms that seem to pervade through a section of the middle east - I decided to read No God but God. Basically, I wanted to form my own opinion rather than being fed with half-baked truths by the media, erroneously termed as facts.

I should also confess - I chose this book because of the author. Reza Aslan has appeared on Real Time with Bill Maher and on the Daily Show. On these shows, he appeared intelligent, eloquent, and exuded a firm grasp of the politics and history of the underpinings of the Islamic movement and the religion itself.

Needless to say, I was impressed. I wikkipedia-ed and googled him; read through his website and discovered he was a scholar - a major plus. Obviously, there are many books out there on Islam. However, as a researcher myself, I decided to go with my kind. I was not wrong with my choice.

The book is very well written. At no time, do you feel that you are getting a boring history lesson. The information is overwhelming, but at the back of my mind, I kept thinking - Does the author have an ulterior motive? Is there a hidden agenda? Is he espousing something specific? Unfortunately, it is difficult to know because I have nothing to compare to. He is a research scholar not the average novelist and therefore, I am inclined to accept his explanations and historical accounts.

The book does not disappoint, it is a fascinating read. I learned a lot and now have a better understanding of the nature of Islam and also, why a faction of Muslims are imposing their myopic interpretation of Islam.

He does a great job in narrating and combining history with current happenings. He beautifully leads us through the origins of the Prophet, his beliefs, principles, and persuasions behind the characterization of the Quran. You also read about the Ka'ba at Mecca, its inextricable link with the origins of Islam and the politics of the rulers that came and went. You learn about the struggle to dissociate Islam, the religion, from the politics of establishing law and governance, as espoused by the various Islamic sects. And finally, you learn about the continuing struggle - as Islam and its believers unravel what the Prophet truly hoped to establish and the future direction of this massive religious movement.

What I found most interesting was the confluence of the origins and teachings of Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. Ironically, despite the clear commonalities between these main religions, there is so much strife and hate.

I highly recommend this book and look forward to reading more of Reza's work.

[...]

3 1/2 Stars. Not objective like the author intends, but still a good read.......2007-06-20

As a Muslim, I read this book with interest. In NO GOD BUT GOD, Reza Aslan attempts to narrate and analyze the Origins and Evolution of Islam, and a vision of its Future.

Starting with an exploration of Pre-Islamic Arabia, he details the life of the Prophet Muhammad (s), and follows up with the 4 Rightly Guided Caliphs. He then focuses on the evolution of Islamic thought, including the development of the Ulama in Sunni Islam, and the development of other schools of thought/sects such as Shiism and Sufism. He finishes by detailing the response of the Muslim world to colonialism, and modern issues today, especially Islam's struggle towards democracy.

Aslan aims to portray what he feels is an 'objective' portrayal of Islamic history, by correcting what he feels are errors by past scholars, especially Muslim scholars with idealized views. However, ultimately, he is not very successful in his quest. While he criticizes early Islamic historians for portraying '9th century Baghdad' rather than '7th century Madina', one can argue that his view of Islamic history is '21 century American' rather than '7th century Madinan.' His biases are evident, and are typical of 21st century America and the West: Denial of supernatural events, resistance to established historical (especially religious) authority, preference for free-flowing spirituality versus formalized doctrines of law, and importance given to issues such as democracy. (Note, as an American, I share some of these biases, but its important to note their existence as biases in a quest for objectivity.)

Aslan usually starts each section by presenting 'the idealized' view of a topic, as narrated by early Muslim scholars (what he terms as 'myth') and then presents what he believes 'really happened' (history). Myth typically includes miracles, and heroic portrayals of people involved. Those inclined to believe in miracles (and I am one) may have difficulty with this approach, as he flatly says that it doesn't matter whether or not miracles happened (ie, whether Jesus raised the dead) but rather, what role such myths play in shaping the beliefs of a particular religious community. I heartily disagree with Aslan here- I believe it matters a great deal whether or not the beliefs of a religious community are shaped by actual historical events (including wonderous, amazing ones) or whether such beliefs are based on, in the end, lies and falsehood. In any case, Aslan was not there to witness events such as Lazarus rising from the dead, and neither were the early historians, so ultimately, it is up to each person to make up their own mind about the actual historicity of such supernatural events.

Aslan also occasionally over stretches himself in his attempts to deny miracles. For instance, he suggests that its unlikely that the Prophet (s) was illiterate, because as a merchant, he supposedly had to be able to read and write. Clearly Aslan has not spent much time with illiterate people- and is unable to recognize just how much these people can do without reading and writing. (illiterate people today are health workers treating pneumonia and malaria using complex medical regimens, and performing internationally recognized research, including recording results, about endangered species).

However, I must admit that I greatly appreciated Aslan's candor about the religious personalities involved. Sunni Islamic scholarship presents early Islamic historical figures (such as the first 4 Caliphs) and the early Muslim community as incredible, nearly error free, almost absolutely perfect, human beings- almost super-beings. I was always struck at the incongruity of such idealized descriptions and the fact that within a few decades after the death of the Prophet (s), the early Islamic community entered a massive civil war from which one could argue Islam never recovered. I wondered, how could such a supposedly perfect community made with such supposedly perfect people get into such a serious mess so quickly? Reading Aslan's descriptions (which included Sunni, Shii, and western sources) of the personalities involved was very helpful in this regard: they weren't perfect people, but were deeply religious, well meaning people who, yes, had their share of faults, misunderstandings, and disagreements (about Islam and a lot of other things) which built up over the years, and in the chaotic transition after the Prophet's death, exploded into civil war.

Aslan is unable to hide his obvious disdain of the Ulama (Islamic Scholars who have codified Islamic Law, or Shariah). He paints them entirely in a negative light, as a power hungry, control-mad group which has stifled all flexibility from the religion. While this view undoubtedly has a good deal truth to it (I am extremely sympathetic), it must also be admitted that the Scholars did a great deal of work to preserve the religion, and its history, without which we may not even have the religion today, and certainly would know far less about the events surrounding its birth and rise. Aslan is equality negative about the Ayatollah Khomeni, who he feels promised democracy but in reality bamboozled the Iranian people into accepting a theocracy (in reality, a dictatorship under his rule) through his powerful persona. Aslan's views on Khomeni are understandable given the fact that he lived his early life in Iran, experienced the hope that the Iranian people felt during the revolution, only to have to flee the country with his family.

On the other hand, Aslan is quite positive about Sufism, the spiritual branch of Islam, defending all its variations, despite admitting that at least some Sufi beliefs don't square very well with the basic Islamic creed, "No God but God." Aslan correctly states that Sufism is quite complex, and is not generalizable. However, he occasionally tries to generalize anyway, with a view of defending Sufism against the barrage of negative criticism it has received for the unorthodox views of some of its branches. However, this approach leads to occasional contradictions: for example Aslan states that all Sufis follow Islamic acts of worship such as 5 daily prayers, but then also says that some Sufis believe acts of religious worship are only important for the masses, and others believe it is a shell that can be cast off once deeper layers of spirituality are realized.

Aslan's biases are finally represented in his vision of Islam's future. He clearly believes in Islamic pluralism, and believes that it can best be represented by a democracy. Furthermore, he believes that when God's law and the popular will contradict, the popular will should win out. The limits of Islamic pluralism is hotly debated today in the Muslim world, but for me, the claim, "No God but God" is the key to Islam, along with the belief in Muhammad (s) Prophethood. These two aspects should be the backbone of anyone calling themselves a Muslim.

The issue of popular sovereignty over divine law (properly understood and contextualized) is considerably more complex. I ultimately agree with Aslan, one cannot force on a community any law, including a law from God, over a people who do not believe in it, or do not want it implemented in their community. However, Aslan leaves it there, as if that is the end of the story. I would argue that every effort should be made to make the community see the wisdom of divine laws, emphasizing positive consequences in implementing them (improved justice, equality, social harmony, etc) and pointing out negatives of not following them (chaotic society, broken down families, etc), both in this world and in the afterlife.

As other reviewers mention, Aslan is a good writer. His writing is clear and he is able to explain complex concepts deftly. I actually found his 'idealized' sections (the 'myths') often even better written and more powerful than this supposedly objective analysis that follows: his 'myths,' whether of the Prophet (s), the companions, the Caliphs, or Sufi legends are dramatic and pulsating with life. After reading them, it was a bit of a let down (and at times, even irritating) to be told, 'well this is what REALLY happened' and reading an analysis of events that I did not find objective. Aslan should try his hand at fiction!

Know thy enemy.......2007-06-10

Being an agnostic, I look at this book as an analysis of Islam from a present and future aspect. I did not realize that there were so many sects within Islam. Most members of this faith that I have known or been acquainted with have been normal members of society,mainly of Pakistani origin. I am of Jewish origin and some Islamists, mainly from Egypt, would not talk to me. This is against the teachings of Mohammed, a fact unknown by most Mohammedans. The politicalization of this faith is also contrary to his teachings.Since there is so little organization within the relgious factions, I can now understand how the faith can be manipulated by a few. It is almost like the takeover of Germany in the 1930's by Adolph Hitler and his group. I used to think it was sloganism when people said that the faith was hijacked by radical politicians. Now It seems to me, after reading this text, to be a reality .I think it should be a must reading especially by our politicians,but also people of all faiths, especially Islamists!

Wishfull thinking.......2007-06-08

Not in our grandchildren's lifetimes will they see anything remotely resembling enlightened Islam. The author's major problem is that he grew up in America, and understanably, sees the Islamic world and history from that Christianized perspective. The Koran is written in an old fashioned language and script that is not easily accessible to the modern arabic reader. Couple that with the fact that illiteracy rates are very high in many Islamic-dominant countries, except his home country of Iran, and they are at the mercy of the mullahs who preach and teach whatever they interpret as "holy writ". With over 240 admonitions to control, convert, or kill the infidel, and only one or two mentions of Love in a Christian sense, it's no wonder the Islamic fundamentalist have won the reformation battle. Game over. Anyone who espouses a modernistic reform agenda will be be rooted out, and struck down. It's dangerous wishful thinking otherwise.

History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Average customer rating:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers
Pants on fire?
Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
Very Interesting
History as Science Fiction

History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
Manufacturer: Mithec
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They Cast No Shadows: A Collection of Essays on the Illuminati, Revisionist History, and Suppressed Technologies

ASIN: 2913621058

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

The Nature of Consciousness : The Structure of Reality: Theory of Everything Equation Revealed : Scientific Verification and Proof of Logic God Is

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The Real Deal
A life changing experience??
Should be Required Reading for everyone
A Very Important Book
Illuminating!!!

The Nature of Consciousness : The Structure of Reality: Theory of Everything Equation Revealed : Scientific Verification and Proof of Logic God Is
Jerry Davidson Wheatley
Manufacturer: Research Scientific Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0970316100

Book Description

This book describes how understanding the structure of reality leads to the Theory of Everything Equation. The equation unifies the forces of nature and enables the merging of relativity with quantum theory. The book explains the big bang theory and everything else.

Customer Reviews:

The Real Deal.......2006-09-25

Although Mr. Wheatley is a little verbose in sections, his documentation of Zen Buddhistic Principles found throughout the disciplines of Mathematics, Physics, Theology, etc. forms a nice reference guide for anyone tuned into that wavelength. In particular, his explanation of how Godel's Theorem and Cantor's "Confusion" shed great light on the difference between GOD's Logic and Man's Logic should be a revelation to any undergraduate level math students who encounter these ideas for the first time. Curiously, Mr. Wheatley makes many misstatements about both Zen Buddhism Principles and the Bible, however. For example, by accepting the false biblical teaching of Original Sin, he misses the point that eating the proverbial apple gave Adam and Eve the ability to make Moral Discernments in fulfillment of GOD'S PERFECT PLAN. As proof, read Genesis 1 which states that Man and Woman were made in GOD's Image. Genesis 4 shows that Adam and Eve weren't the first humans on Earth at all, there were plenty of others by then. The allegorical meaning of the story of Eden, then, isn't that Adam and Eve were the first humans on Earth, but they were the first humans with the ability to make Moral Discernments (in GOD's Image). In fact, Moral Discernment is God's Unique Gift to Man, which is the basis of consciousness, not some Math Formula. But because the wages of the resulting, unavoidable sin are Death, many people foolishly try to return to Eden by: (1) living a sinless Life (2) by removing choice altogether by passing and enforcing strict Laws (3) by attempting to do away with Moral Discernment and the resulting consequences for our actions altogether by trying to remove Shame from Shameful actions. GOD is not some ethereal Man-In-Space, but is simply the Totality of all Real Things, The Set of All Real Sets. GOD's Love manifests itself from the amazing sub-atomic relationships that underly this magic Life all the way to the grandest of Macroscopic Scales, the Interconnected Totality itself. The Zen Buddhism connection can be found by simply superimposing the 0 symbol and the symbol for infinity (8 on its side) in Mr. Wheatley's supposedly "new" formulation that 1 = 0 x infinity. Superimposing them gives you the yin-yang symbol. A potential disadvantage of artificially separating the infinity from the zero, however, is that Mr. Wheatley is able to equate the entire expression to be equal to 1. This potentially might obscure the fact that the deepest meaning of the yin-yang symbol is that it is both 2 and 1 AT THE SAME TIME. His overall equation does preserve that important meaning by utilizing a single element on one side of the equation and two elements on the other side of his final TOE equation. This may be hard to see for some at first, however, which could potentially obscure the richest meaning of this beautiful symbol/equation. A much more GODLY TOE, in my opinion, comes from Euler, who discovered that e ^ (i * pi) - 1 = 0. When someone can explain that relationship, then they can say they know GOD.

A life changing experience??.......2005-06-13

This book is an easy read and does succeed in being somewhat thought-provoking. However, I am a little surprised at the awesome, "life changing" experience it apparently was for many of the readers. Wheatley's conclusions were interesting but nothing really new. All of his material should have passed through the mind of any thinking person without the aid of this book.
The reason I gave this book three stars is because he uses unneccessarily wordy ways of describing simple things. Also, the author and many other reviewers insist that Wheatley makes only one assumption. Wrong-his whole theory is one big assumption.
Overall though it was a very interesting and worthy book.

Should be Required Reading for everyone.......2004-06-26

This book will change your life. You will never think the same way you did before reading it.
I have a degree in chemistry and I think this book should be read by everyone in the sciences. Without a doubt, the best book I've ever read. Why and what are two of our best friends

A Very Important Book.......2004-01-26

I must preface my review by stating that I have never been so excited and moved by a book that I have wanted to contact the author. That is what I found myself doing upon reading this book. This book is just what its title says. The author does not "miss a beat" describing in great detail using practically every aspect of scientific knowledge from atomic structure through logic to quantum theory---we are even given a valuable explanation of Love. This text may be challenging to read for those unfamiliar with scientific terminology. And it can also be difficult for those with a science background, such as myself. However, for me it is well worth the work necessary to strive to understand the unfamiliar terminology. (I am continually learning from this book. I am presently on my third reread).

One of the author's main messages is "not" to believe anything without first verifying it with reality, as we know it. He calls it the "Personal Explanation Principle". He indicates that religions are just such belief systems that we as people "fall" victims of; because we do not verify the beliefs with the facts, as we know them, of reality. He gives a very detailed explanation of how the New Testament can be explored using his methodology.

The author methodically and meticulously walks us through his thought processes, which took 30 years to assimilate, of delineating the structure of reality and the nature of consciousness. Included in the "walk" are many of reality's phenomena made revelatory. An example of that, for me, would be the dual nature of light. It's particle/wave duality, which is explained as "functions". Also, when the author took me on the mental journey of "Setness" an exhilaration of the magnificence of life swelled up in me.

To me this is a very important book that should be read by all that are seekers of truth. It is for all those wanting to gain an understanding of the purpose for their existence, wanting to know where life is headed towards, and wanting to know who God is.

This book will enlighten and develop one's mind substantially. You will discover that this is our objective.

And yes, I contacted the author and he responded openly.

Illuminating!!!.......2002-12-30

This is a really great book. It combines philosophy and science in order to tackle a multitude of existential problems. The author's style of writing is fresh and alive, I recommend ths book to anyone interested in expanding the fronteirs of their understanding. Books I also liked are a Universe in an Nutshell by Steven Hawkings and Descent into Illusions by Paul Omeziri.

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Reasoned, honest discussion
Brilliant Brevity
Review by a Social Scientist
An attempt at reconciling science and religion
About right on the question of religion and science

God's Universe
Owen Gingerich
Manufacturer: Belknap Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0674023706

Book Description

We live in a universe with a very long history, a vast cosmos where things are being worked out over unimaginably long ages. Stars and galaxies have formed, and elements come forth from great stellar cauldrons. The necessary elements are present, the environment is fit for life, and slowly life forms have populated the earth. Are the creative forces purposeful, and in fact divine?

Owen Gingerich believes in a universe of intention and purpose. We can at least conjecture that we are part of that purpose and have just enough freedom that conscience and responsibility may be part of the mix. They may even be the reason that pain and suffering are present in the world. The universe might actually be comprehensible.

Taking Johannes Kepler as his guide, Gingerich argues that an individual can be both a creative scientist and a believer in divine design--that indeed the very motivation for scientific research can derive from a desire to trace God's handiwork. The scientist with theistic metaphysics will approach laboratory problems much the same as does his atheistic colleague across the hall. Both are likely to view the astonishing adaptations in nature with a sense of surprise, wonder, and mystery.

In God's Universe Gingerich carves out "a theistic space" from which it is possible to contemplate a universe where God plays an interactive role, unnoticed yet not excluded by science.

Customer Reviews:

Reasoned, honest discussion.......2007-10-10

Christian conversations regarding the compatibility of science and religion must address two questions: What Biblical hermeneutic should be used for Genesis 1 and does current scientific theory preclude theistic belief? In "God's Universe," Gingerich addresses the only latter, and his answer is a resounding "no." This singularity of focus is not a weakness, but potential readers might like to know up front.

Gingerich relays the excitement that he has for the mysteries of the universe and how they feed his faith, giving the sense that his faith is not contigent on scientific understanding in any age. He also acknowledges that science does not and cannot offer any formal proof for the existence of God. As a scientist myself and a believer, I resonate with his views. In fact, most of the believing scientists with whom I'm acquainted more or less share his views. Although this does not necessarily mean that he is correct. Nevertheless, the book is fun and refreshing--read it with the understanding that he will not answer anyone's every question, but his perspectives are thought provoking and might just increase our appreciation of God's universe.

Brilliant Brevity.......2007-09-15

"The heart has its reasons that reason does not know." So ends this brief book on the convincing, consistent and coherent facts that point towards the existence of a divine Creator of the universe. Pascal's quote is a reminder that science can never conclusively prove or disprove the existence of God, since science is concerned with explaining how things work, not necessarily why they work.

Dr. Gingerich persuasively argues that one's predisposed worldview of belief steers them to conclusions about final causes when weighing the objective and rational truths of nature, whether in astronomy, physics, biology or chemistry. And, "what passes for truth in science is a comprehensive pattern of interconnected answers to questions posed by nature."

His challenge to search for similar convincing consistency in teleological and theological explanations leads to a coherent conclusion of a universe with purpose, designed by a transcendent Creator - a truly uplifting and inspiring result from a preeminent man of both science and faith.

Review by a Social Scientist.......2007-08-12

An absolutely superb book. A review of evidence from a scientific vantage by a prominent physical scientist.

An attempt at reconciling science and religion.......2007-07-09

Gingerich, who is an astronomer and a historian of science, believes in intelligent design with a small "I" and a small "d"; but he doesn't think that Intelligent Design should be taught in the science classroom. He "believes" in Darwinian evolution up to a point, but not in the random or "accidental" appearance of life. He writes, "I am personally persuaded that a superintelligent Creator exists beyond and within the cosmos, and that the rich context of congeniality shown by our universe, permitting and encouraging the existence of self-conscious life, is part of the Creator's design and purpose." (p. 39)

What I wonder is what purpose God would have created us for. Most people when asked what is the purpose of their lives, answer to serve others, to help others, maybe even to be good stewards of this planet. But such a purpose comes down to God playing with himself (you should excuse the expression) and is no more meaningful that the Darwinian, "to reproduce." Both, like the "turtles all the way down" of some primitive cosmology, end eventually with no purpose left. Clearly this is why many people who believe in a personal God say that the purpose of their lives is to please God.

But why should God want to be pleased? Why would God need or desire to create beings whose purpose is to please Him? Such a God, upon reflection, becomes an anthropomorphic projection of human beings, endowed with human emotions and human psychology.

In the first chapter, "Is Mediocrity a Good Idea?" Gingerich argues against the Copernican principle of "mediocrity" in astronomy. The principle states that humans do not occupy a special place in the cosmos, that we are not at the center of the universe, and that things are pretty much the same (taken generally and in very large chunks) anywhere in the cosmos. This is de rigeur in physics of course, and seems a good idea in, say, astrobiology. But Gingerich opines that we are special and so is the universe that we occupy. He uses the now familiar argument that because the universe is so precisely balanced as to be favorable for life in a myriad of ways, this is a clear indication that divine guidance has been at work. If any of a number of factors in terms of the nature of the elements or the speed of the expansion of the universe, etc., had been off by just a bit, we would not be here. This couldn't happen by chance is Gingerich's conclusion.

Of course the answer to this is to invoke the anthropic principle and point out that the very fact that we are here necessitates a universe congenial with our being here! Another point to make is that had things been different, who is to say what kind of life might have evolved? When Gingerich speaks of "life" in this context he leaves out the very significant and necessary qualification "life as we know it." The universe could be "designed" in many different ways we know nothing about and still be hospitable to intelligent life. The fact that the universe is the way it is does not imply any tinkering by a supernatural being. Moreover, if there are an infinite number of universes comprising all possible configurations (about which we know nothing), then clearly one having our particular configuration is a cinch to be in existence.

In the second chapter Gingerich ask the provocative question, "Dare a Scientist Believe in Design?" He concludes that "just as I believe that the Book of Scripture illumines the pathway to God, I also believe that the Book of Nature...suggests a God of purpose and a God of design. And I think my belief makes me no less a scientist." (p. 79)

But the presumption of purpose and design is antithetical to scientific inquiry in the broadest sense. If we already hold it to be an article of faith that there is purpose and design, then we are practicing theology not science. Properly speaking science begins without preconceived ideas about what is true and what isn't and accepts only those findings that can be verified again and again, and at no time holds any discovery to be the final word. All science, as Gingerich agrees, is subject to falsification. His preconceived notion of purpose and design is not.

While Professor Gingerich insists on meaning and purpose in the universe, he doesn't say what that meaning or purpose might be. Several times he intimates that such things are beyond our ken. Appropriately enough the third and final chapter in this short, attractive book is entitled "Questions without Answers." The famous question, "Why is there something rather than nothing?" is posed but no attempt at an answer is made. It is the kind of question that can lead to enlightenment if meditated upon sufficiently. A possible and somewhat spooky answer is another question, How could "nothing" have meaning without "something"? Some people believe that such concepts are part of the apparent duality of our lives--things like pleasure and pain, good and evil, being and non-being--and may simply be conundrums imposed upon us by our limited logic.

Gingerich writes, "...rather than believe that the universe is simply meaningless, a macabre joke, I would prefer to accept a universe created with intention and purpose by a loving God...." (p. 96) Putting aside the false dilemma, might it be just as agreeable to realize that the universe exists in a way that is beyond our comprehension without implying anything that we should be uneasy with. Our notions of "meaning" and "purpose," like our physical and sensory abilities, are the products of our evolutionary experience and limited by that experience. We cannot see gamma rays or hear certain sounds because we have not had the evolutionary need for such ability. Probably it is the same for our limited understanding of "meaning" and "purpose."

About right on the question of religion and science.......2007-06-13

Owen Gingerich's little book on the place for God in the universe gets it about right, which means that he doesn't buy into hard-core materialism, but he also doesn't "prove" anything. When all the brouhaha over fundamentalism and new atheism dies down, we will be left standing about where Gingerich stands. Nobody's book is going to solve the problem. I respect his book for hitting the proper balance. He is a Christian believer, but there is very little dogmatism. (Perhaps the most interesting thing about his book is this paradox of the non-dogmatic believer. If there is no dogma or doctrine, what is the stuff of belief? In the end I think there is soft-spoken dogma in Gingerich's text, but it is not quite orthodox.)

At times I felt that I could just glimpse a kindly-uncle, Thomas-Kinkade Jesus lurking in background. I'm not sure that Gingerich's use of the image of a "dappled" world (taken from Gerard Manley Hopkins) to deal with the problem of evil quite does justice to the harshness of nature. But then "harshness" and "gentleness" are human ideas, which means they are fuzzy and changeable standards. On the whole, Gingerich sticks to his measured stance of claiming that there are many questions without answers. Science and religion both have metaphysical dimensions which are based on mental/aesthetic/spiritual instinct rather than empirical evidence. God, therefore, is a matter of faith. Gingerich feels that theism ultimately makes more scientific sense, while Dawkins (to pick a prominent counter-example) does not. But they both rely on their "sense" of things, not proof. This is nothing new.

The first part of the book makes the intriguing argument that the Copernican principle of mediocrity (i.e. that we should not consider ourselves a "special" part of the cosmos) runs into paradox. On the one hand it discourages us from placing any special value on intelligence, but on the other hand it justifies the assumption that intelligent life has developed throughout the universe. In other words, it both counters and supports the idea that intelligence is the "goal" of the universe.

More interesting is the theological concession that Gingerich makes to extraterrestrial life. He seems to believe that *self-reflective* beings rather than *human* beings are the goal of creation. In other words, aliens can look (and presumably behave) very, very differently from ourselves, which means that God as an Old Bearded MAN is totally out of the question. To be "made in God's image" is merely to think. (And yet, thought as we know it must be embodied. I can't help wondering why God should be an exception. Should God have mentality without physicality?) I really like how Gingerich's Christian cosmology serenely confronts the fantastic.

A good read, and a good model of a believer who does not villainize atheists.

Food of the Gods: The Search for the Original Tree of Knowledge A Radical History of Plants, Drugs, and Human Evolution

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Interesting Perspective
Stoned Apes
Great Book
AMAZING BOOK!
An in depth look into Mr. McKenna's view of the mind of modern man.

Food of the Gods: The Search for the Original Tree of Knowledge A Radical History of Plants, Drugs, and Human Evolution
Terence Mckenna
Manufacturer: Bantam
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ASIN: 0553371304
Release Date: 1993-01-01

Customer Reviews:

Interesting Perspective.......2007-09-21

I can't give 5 stars to this book because I know the history of Terence McKenna and his drug use. That said the book does pose interesting answers to age old questions.

"What was the fruit in the garden of Eden?"

"Why did our brains grow larger in ratio to our body weight than any animals in a relatively short amount of time?"

"Why is caffeine an acceptable drug to use daily? Should it be?"

I think people who read this should know it's an opinion given with historical facts to make his opinion seem like scientific and historical fact.

For instance he references what drugs were in use in certain cultures at what times then equates their overall temperament in historical events to the widespread use of those drugs. His claims may or may not have merit, we'll never know but it is an opinion none the less.

That said it is a very interesting read that is hard to put down. Attention keeping, he has one of a kind theories on lesser known early civilizations that could use a second look.

I was sorry to hear his library and personal notes burned up in a fire in early 2007, adding just more mystery to this one of a kind author.

Stoned Apes.......2007-07-31

I seriously was astounded by this book. Great historical knowledge on all sorts of drug and plant use from primates to Bush administration. McKenna really goes in depth about the evolution of language and consciousness. His theory that primates found psilocybin containing mushrooms growing in cow dung in the grasslands of Africa. Is represented quite well. He believes we may have literally "eaten our way to a higher conscious". McKenna really makes the war on drugs look like an absolute joke. He is subtly condescending of close minded politics yet brilliant and charming in informing readers of the power and potential of consciousness expanding drugs if taken properly.

Great Book.......2007-05-13

This book is very good if you are into evolution, shamanism, and the human life. I recommend everyone should read this book. You might get a new insight about life.

AMAZING BOOK!.......2007-02-04

I enjoyed this book and every single last bit of information with it! The information in here I highly agree with and realize is something that we as a nation need to start being a part of. We have learned from the 60's, but it was still a wonderful time. We can take that and modernize it, maybe even improve on some things. But first-we need to end the war on drugs. Overall-this book was great, I highly recommend it, one will learn so much.

An in depth look into Mr. McKenna's view of the mind of modern man........2007-01-11

I really did enjoy the honest and straightforward approach of Mr. McKenna's writing on the subject.

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Disappointing, but what was I to expect
God Code
God Code reveals a Hidden Message
EVERYONE LISTEN UP!!!!!!!
Where is the evidence?

The God Code
Gregg Braden
Manufacturer: Hay House
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The Gregg Braden Audio Collection: Awakening the Power of Spiritual Technology : Beyond zero point; The lost mode of Prayer; The Gift of the Blessing; The Isaiah Effect

ASIN: 1401903002

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Author and computer systems designer Gregg Braden wrapped this entire book around the premise that God's name is literally encoded into every human body. According to Braden's logic, the basic elements of DNA--hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen and carbon--directly translate into specific letters of the Hebrew alphabets (YHVA), which then translate into the original name of God. Braden's hope is that knowing that God's signature is carried within each cell of the estimated six billion humans on earth will give humankind the evidence we need to overcome our differences and renew our faith:

Beyond Christian, Jew, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Shinto, Native, Aboriginal, white, black, red, or yellow; man, woman, or child, the message reminds us that we are human. As humans, we share the same ancestors and exist as the children of the same Creator. In the moments that we doubt this one immutable truth, we need look no further than the cells of our body to be reminded. This is the power of the message within our cells.

One could argue that this melding of spirituality and science may be the next frontier in human evolution. Nonetheless, skeptics could also argue that this DNA=YHVA equation is an eerie coincidence, instead of a quantum breakthrough--like folding a $20 bill in a certain shape and seeing the twin towers in flames (Braden dispels such skepticism by asserting that the "odds that this relationship has occurred by chance are approximately 1 in 200,000"). This is neither a consistent or easy read. Some passages are filled with dense, analytical stretches of cross referencing ancient texts with modern science. Others are more prosaic as Braden explains his beautifully optimistic hope for peace on Earth. --Gail Hudson

Book Description

A coded message has been found within the molecules of life; deep within the DNA in each cell of our bodies. Through a remarkable discovery linking Biblical alphabets to our genetic code, the "language of life" may now be read as the ancient letters of a timeless message. Regardless of race, religion, heritage or lifestyle, the message is the same in each cell of every woman, child and man, past and present.

With nearly one third of the world's nations currently embroiled in armed conflict, such proof of a universal bond offers compelling evidence that we are greater than any beliefs that have separated us in the past. Through this newly found expression of unity we find a place to begin when our differences seem insurmountable.

In this all-new original research, Gregg Braden shares the life-changing discovery that led him from a successful career in aerospace and defense to an extensive 12-year study of the most sacred and honored traditions of humankind. Through his global search and controversial findings: • Discover the coded message of our cells from the day of our origins • Experience that message as a universal principle of unity that makes war based in our differences obsolete • See the recently revealed fragment of the Dead Sea Scrolls validating the text discovered in our cells • Discover tangible and unprecedented evidence that we are part of a greater existence • Learn how the message in your DNA becomes the foundation to resolve conflict; and offers a method, and a reason to believe that peace is possible within families and between nations

Customer Reviews:

Disappointing, but what was I to expect.......2007-09-19

I came upon this book by accident and given some of the great reviews and the claim by the author to have worked for many years as an engineer, I expected this would be a logically sound book. I was very disappointed to learn that not only was the book mostly(about 95%) a compilation of works from other authors and just common knowledge, but to make the leap from what the author wants to believe and what he presents to be so undeniable is just absurd. There is no proof, nor did I expect any, but I did expect a logical progression to making logically sound points, which were missing. Assumptions were made left and right to come to a conclusion that the author wanted to believe in more than anything. Very disappointed with this book, would not suggest this book to anyone, and unfortunately I've bought two books by this author before being acquainted with his work, so I'll just have read The Divine Matrix and provide my review independent of The God Code.

God Code.......2007-07-23

Thought provoking. Makes you wonder about all that we don't know about our history and about our prehistory.

God Code reveals a Hidden Message.......2007-07-15

Like so many books that delve into the more esoteric aspects of reality, the God Code explores the hidden, unseen aspects of codes. Hidden in our DNA, and applying gematria (Hebrew letters which are assigned number values), we get a very important message that God is eternal and within our bodies.

For some people, a few of Braden's conclusions will be a stretch and seem far-fetched. However, I totally relate to all the numerological relationships Braden puts forth, so I really enjoyed the God Code. The book actually helped me understand several important connections about YHVH (Hebrew name of God) and the four DNA bases that make up all life. Because this was important to me, I referenced his observations in the book I was writing at the time.

EVERYONE LISTEN UP!!!!!!!.......2007-04-04

YOU HAVE TO GET THIS BOOK. THE WHOLE WORLD NEEDS THIS MESSAGE. I HAVE BEEN TRAVELING DOWN A SIMILAR PATH AND CAME TO THE SAME BASIC CONCLUSIONS. THE TIME FOR AWAKENING IS HERE AND WE ARE RUNNING OUT OF TIME. GREGG BRADEN HAS PUT HIS MONEY WHERE HIS MOUTH IS. HE IS BRILLIANT AND TIMELY...GREAT READ....

Where is the evidence?.......2007-02-13

The Cod Code presents an interesting theory but then proceeds to insist that it is the TRUTH with no supporting evidence. I was disappointed. I wanted to see some justification for Mr Braden's theory. I wish the book had left me with more than the knowledge of Mr Branden's belief.

Average customer rating:

A Study in Fallacious Reasoning
great book, was extremely hard to put down
Don't believe a word of it
awesome
The Lie is the Heart of the Matter

The Lie: Evolution
Ken Ham
Manufacturer: Master Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0890511586

Book Description

An eye-opening look at the harmful effects of evolutionary thought on modern culture and religion. Author Ken Ham uses his years of teaching and ministry experience to expose false teaching that is destroying children and families.

Customer Reviews:

A Study in Fallacious Reasoning.......2007-08-17

Let me make one thing clear, to begin: I am a Christian, I believe in the divinity of Christ, the reality of the Gospel, and the authority of scripture--and also that God created the universe.

For that reason, I gave Ham's book as objective a treatment as I could, coming to it with an open mind, and a willingness to find not the problems in his argument but to discover what he could teach me as a thinking believer. In other words, I intentionally read the book with an "I'm going to assume he's right unless he proves himself wrong" sort of mentality.

What I found in Ham's book was not a logical argument but rather something I'm seriously considering using in writing classes I teach at a Christian university as an example of fallacious logic--of what NOT to do when trying to make an argument from a Christian perspective.

A number of his fallacies are pointed out in other reviews, here are several that seemed significant to me:

1. He seems to willfully mis-characterize both the Bible and science. Primarily, he attributes to a present-day consensus about evolutionary theory a number of ideas that present-day scientists rejected as false long ago, and that have been roundly critiqued as destructive lies by the very liberal academic community (both in the humanities and sciences) he descries, such as social Darwinism. Present-day scientists do not accept Darwin's theories wholesale, and haven't for a very long time. By thus mischaracterizing the nature and ideas of his opposition, he creates a clear "straw man" argument, setting up not the real arguments used by present-day scientists, but rather the ideas that he can knock down most easily.

The largest fallacy of all in this vein is the assumption that science itself purports of "prove" anything at all. I have a number of friends who are scientists, some at Christian universities. Each of them would immediately correct a student who says he/she says that an experiment has "proven" a theory as "true," when, in fact, what they have done is observed a phenomenon that has acted in a manner consistent with a hypothesis: nothing more, nothing less. This isn't the same thing as religious belief.

2. Ham argues that evolutionary theory is essentially the "root of all evil" in modern society, responsible for things like homosexuality, abortion, and the rest of the usual litany of social ills. He fails to address, however, the fact that all these things existed in significant ways well before Darwin published his theories, and existed even in a medieval and renaissance western Europe that was an entirely Christian society in which the idea of young-earth creation was accepted as a matter of course. Perhaps there is a counterargument to this--but the point is that Ham doesn't make it.

3. Ham also fails to answer the potential counterargument of why science actually seems to work under many other circumstances. He argues, essentially, that all science is theory, that all theory is "tainted" by belief and bias, and that if science is theory, then it must uncertain; and if it's uncertain, it can't really explain anything. The problem is, it does explain a lot of things: if you take medication for a physical condition and it works, you're acting on the kind of science Ham descries: the medication was generated using empirical research, which noticed how certain chemicals acted on the body, and explained that interaction sufficiently well to create a medication that, say, demonstrably dries up your sinuses when you're sniffly. If science is nothing but spurious belief, why does science clearly explain many things? And if Ham's critique of science is true, why does he not also critique, say, the law of gravity as just as big a religious myth as evolution?

In a way, he's actually right: if you read up on the philosophy of science, you'll find that even scientists don't believe they can prove that the law of gravity is an eternal constant, that it will keep operating as it has forever. Why? Because science deals with observable phenomena, and the future isn't there to be observed. All science can prove is that the law of gravity has acted in a consistent manner in the past. However, if we take Ham's argument to heart, then we should be nailing down or furniture, because if science can't prove that it will continue to act as it does, then the idea that gravity will continue to act as it has is nothing but a spurious religious belief. In other words, if Ham's argument is true, then ALL science is nothing but empty religious belief, including all the scientific concepts that you take for granted on a daily basis--the concepts that theorize why airplanes fly, how light and electricity are transmitted, how the mechanism of your watch works.

4. The biggest problem, for me, was that a huge part of his argument really seemed to be missing: Ham argues, as I've mentioned, that because our knowledge of science isn't absolute, it can't explain anything with complete surety. If that's the case, Ham says, then science really doesn't teach us anything. However, he argues, we can know about the Bible because if we start with the idea that God is supreme and all-knowing, then his word, i.e. the Bible, must be true. But here's the question he doesn't answer: HOW DO WE KNOW THAT OUR KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE BIBLE IS COMPLETE? We are, as Ham acknowledges, a fallen species, our understanding both the world and God is tainted by our own sinfulness. If that's the case, can we really afford to think that our understanding of scripture isn't equally tainted by our fallenness? I'm not saying, here, that God isn't all-knowing and the scripture doesn't contain the Truth with a capital-T; I'm saying that if we are a fallen people, we can't trust our own understanding of anything, that includes science, but it also includes God and the scriptures. The reason this is a problem is that it shows that Ham actually commits the very sin he thinks is at the root of all contemporary social evil: he assumes that his understanding of the Bible and of God are absolute, assumes that, when we read the Bible, a perfect knowledge of God is beamed into our hearts, untainted by our own fallen, human understanding. This is important because what he does, here, is to literally LEAN ON HIS OWN UNDERSTANDING. That, my friends, is a stance that Ham himself has a word for: Humanism. For that reason, I would submit that Ham is the ultimate hypocrite, because he proves himself, ultimately, to be the very kind of humanist he so abhors.

To those who are inclined not to believe me in any of this, my response is "GREAT! Don't believe me! Do some reading from the real sources and judge for yourself!" Read recent work that's coming out from actual scientists in the fields of geology or biology: what are the questions they're really asking these days? How are they going about looking for answers? What do they say their research is really telling them? What do real, pious scholars of the scriptures have to say about Genesis? What has been said and thought about Genesis in the Christian tradition?

If you'd like a really accessible overview of all this, allow me to recommend a different book, which I'm sure is available here on Amazon: Roger Olson's _The Mosaic of Christian Belief_. Olson is a respected scholar of Christian theology at Baylor University--and is very orthodox in his belief. I'm not going to review the book here, but only issue this challenge: after you've read both books, ask yourself which seems the more logical? Which writer seems to be working from accurate historical knowledge? Which writer seems to write from a position of real humility and generosity toward his fellow believers, including the ones with whom he disagrees? Which seems the more informed? Which seems to be writing more out of a sense of Christ's commandments to love God and neighbor than our of a sense of simply accusing the "other guy" of being the source of all the world's evil? Which one seems to be building up rather than tearing down? Which writer evinces more real hope and joy? Which demonstrates the fruits of the spirit and the spirit of the beatitudes more clearly? What are the potential fruits of Ham's view of the scriptures and the world as opposed to Olsen's?

Blessings to all.The Mosaic of Christian Beliefs: Twenty Centuries of Unity & Diversity

great book, was extremely hard to put down.......2007-06-15

I was very impressed with this book. This book challenged my beliefs when it comes to science and I agree with Ham's points. This book attacks the dangers of mixing the humanist and Christian worldviews and only cracks the surface on the scientific holes that are in the religion of evolution and the strategies to brainwash our children. If you are a professional who wonders about creation and the Bible and how it all relates with the Biology classes you took in high school and college on your way to a non-science degree this book is for you. If you are a scientist there are many more books available that will get more indepth into the science of creationism and the Bible and the glaring holes in evolution and why it takes just as much faith to believe the evolution theories of our origins.

Don't believe a word of it.......2007-05-27

Is anyone going to believe this nonsense who is not in the first place a religious believer in the Hebrew Scriptures (or for that matter the Koran.) In other words, is anyone going to be convinced by the logic of this "creation science" who is not a religious fool to begin with? Real science, evolution, an ancient universe, the fossil record and so on is accepted throughout the world by educated people of all faiths, religions, and nations.

Ken Ham will have you believe he is giving you the literal truth of Genesis, but he merely gives you his interpretation. Dinosaurs on the ark? Come on, they went extinct exactly because they were left off the ark, along with the unicorn.

To ask the classical question: whom did Cain and Abel and Seth marry? Ken Ham says they married their sisters. Huh, their sisters? Yes, because the rule against sibling marriage did not come into effect until Leviticus, you see. That's not what the Bible says, that's Ham's inference. Of course, the law against murder was not written until Leviticus either, so why was Cain punished?

So Cain went off to the Land of Nod, and there he impregnated his wife. Ken Ham would have you believe Cain dragged one of his sisters with him into exile. My interpretation is (1) there was an established people in the Land of Nod, and Cain (2) married one of them. Which of course opens this question, is Genesis about the beginning of the universe, the earth only, or the tribe of Hebrews.

Don't believe there is a simple, straight forward interpretation of the Bible or that Ken Ham and his museum own it.

awesome.......2007-03-19

this is awesome. i love this book. i recommend it to buy it. it's such a blessing to have people like ken ham who defend the TRUTH! the age of the earth is young. look at the evidence, do the research from true honest scientists who arent corrupt like many are.

The Lie is the Heart of the Matter.......2007-03-02

This book will strengthen the faith of the believer in Christ and the Bible. It will help those wavering between creation and evolution. It will empower Christians from the onslaught of evolution teaching and the anti-Christ dogma that accompanies society. It will help families raise godly children today. It may even help an evolutionist see the error of their ways. I highly recommend [...].

Believe it or not; there is an answer to the question; "what came first, the chicken or the egg?" The answer is found right in the first chapter of Genesis

Finding Darwin's God: A Scientist's Search for Common Ground Between God and Evolution

Average customer rating:

Great science but makes the same philosophical errors as creationists
Hella cool
A Christian Evolutionist??
Solving the conflict
Great science, poor philosophy

Finding Darwin's God: A Scientist's Search for Common Ground Between God and Evolution
Kenneth R. Miller
Manufacturer: Harper Perennial
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0060930497

Book Description

Question: Who made us?
Answer #1: God made us.
Answer #2: Evolution made us.

Which is it? What is the true answer to the age-old question of where we came from? Is it even possible to know for sure?

In Finding Darwin's God, Kenneth R. Miller offers a surprising resolution to the evolutionism vs. creationism debate.A distinguished professor of biology at Brown University, Miller argues that the genuine world of science is far more interesting than either the scientific mainstream or its creationist critics have assumed. He begins by systematically demolishing the claims of evolution's most vocal critics, showing that Darwin's great insights continue to be valid, even in the rarefied worlds of biochemistry and molecular biology. As he puts it, evolution "is the real thing, and so are we."

Does this mean that evolution invalidates all worldviews that depend upon the spiritual? Does it demand logical agnosticism as the price of scientific consistency? And does it rigorously exclude belief in God?

His answer, in each and every case, is a resounding No. Not, as he argues, because evolution is wrong. Far from it. The reason, as Miller shows, is that evolution is right.

In this lively, fast-paced book, Miller offers a thoughtful, cutting-edge analysis of the key issues that seem to divide science and religion. As his narrative shows, the difficulties that evolution presents for Western religions are more apparent than real. Properly understood, evolution adds depth and meaning not only to a strictly scientific view of the world, but also to a spiritual one. Miller's resolution of the issues that seem to divide God from evolution will serve as a guide to anyone interested in the classic questions of ultimate meaning and human origins.

Customer Reviews:

Great science but makes the same philosophical errors as creationists.......2007-09-23

Miller is an EXCELLENT defender of evolution. His presentations are some of THE best I've ever seen, stronger than even Dawkins'.

Yet he makes the incredible blunder of providing no evidential basis for God yet claiming God's existence with as much certainty as he claims evolution. Evolution has a clear evidential basis, which he provides strongly in the book and so is justifiably adamant about it. God has no clear evidential basis, he does not provide it in the book (he just assumes it) and yet is also very unjustifiably adamant about it. He sets evolution and God on equal grounds as ideas, yet provides no justification for the latter.

Miller seems completely blind to this philosophical error. I attended a talk of his at the University of Kansas. The next day after the talk, he held a Q & A session. Some friends of mine presented him with the above error and he had no response to it aside from something like "well religion is important and something we need". Yet another claim that we AGAIN have no evidence for believing.

Miller's religious arguments make you think.. a very small amount. They made me think for about 2 minutes until I realized that he was just making the same gap argument for God that the creationists are. He is just moving the gap from [God created life] to [God created evolution which then created life]. He is still claiming that behind this universe, a place that science can never go (so he assumes), we will find a God who created all universal processes. It is exactly the same type of argument the creationists make. He is still contending that God is somehow necessary to make it all work (but he claims this with no justification).

He just thinks it is safe to retreat with God to the outer universe and that the oncoming rush of science will not reach such a distant target. This may be a bold claim, but I think, as history has shown us (and as Miller himself claims), science will find him. So Miller believes in the principle of science filling the gaps but makes the logical error of not applying this principle to his own ideas after using them to dismantle the creationists'. Religious people do this a lot. They put their own pet ideas in a vacuum, safe from logical criticism yet use logic to ferociously dismantle anyone else's who conflict.

Finally, Miller also makes the philosophical mistake of thinking there is no meaning in life without God. This is again the same philosophical mistake that his creationists make, just on a higher order.

How this works: creationists assume that since evolution is true, God cannot be. The logical fallacy here is argument from lack of imagination. I.e. "I cannot see how there could be a God if evolution is true therefore there couldn't be." Miller refutes this strongly: of course there could be; God still could have created evolution. This still has the gap problem above, but I've already covered that.

Now here is Miller's analogous logical error: "I cannot see how there would be morality and meaning in life without God, therefore there can't be." But philosophers over the ages and just normal every day people have shown that life continuously has meaning and is infused with morality whether there is a God or not. The fact is, we want meaning and we have morality. There is no cosmological worldview that can take that away. People feel sick when they think of a life without meaning or morality. There is a reason for this: these things are naturally important to us. We don't need a God to feel that way. The very fact that people want to keep God around to protect meaning and morality is proof that it does not depend on God. It is proof that these things matter to us no matter what. And we will believe the most ridiculous absurtities to justify believing in them. But the funny and obvious step that it seems no religious person chooses to take is to simply believe in meaning and morality as ends in themselves without the ridiculous justifications. We don't need a God around to think they are important.

So in conclusion, Miller makes the same philosophical mistakes that he criticizes creationists of making; he just makes them on higher order ideas that creationists have not yet evolved enough to have. These mistakes are claims without evidence, God of the gaps, and argument from lack of imagination.

His evolutionary arguments are sound and make the book valuable. His theological arguments are an erratic philosophical nuisance polluting an otherwise cogent presentation of ideas.

Hella cool.......2007-08-17

You shouldn't care so much to even bother to rate, but I just wanted to say please be careful when you read "literature," there's a lot of people making a lot of money... if your local library doesn't have this book, think about why not. Or just order anything by Rush Limbaugh, hell, you've got to do something, right? I'm sure he can give you an opinion about the common ground between god and evolution.

A Christian Evolutionist??.......2007-08-06

I am a Christian who wants to learn about evolution but after buying "Not By Chance" by Dr Lee Spetner and being criticised that he didn't understand the theory and I was mislead I was confused and frustrated. There is so much misinformation on both evolution and creation that its so easy for one to be mislead. I did my research on this book and found from my biologist friends, the internet that this book's biology is flawless. Miller teaches Biology like Richard Dawkins and in his book "The God Delusion" he recommends Miller's book which is how I came across this title. Miller's position is that God used evolution as the mechanism by which he created all plants and animals. He has a prejudice and bias towards science which results in him having to water down the Genesis account which some religious readers my find disturbing. It could be argued this book isn't really a common ground but more a book that shows creation and evolution can co-exist and how one might reconcile the two. I would've taken the approach that evolution was the physical process used by God and the biblical account outlines the meaning, purpose and intent of evolution and what God was aiming at for that would've been a more common ground.

Miller argues that God created evolution to do his creating and then more or less sat back and watched the show. He argues, evolution and creation do not conflict or contradict each other they actually supplement each other. Miller doesn't argue for God's existence so if you're looking for that sort of book sorry, this is not it! Miller takes a faith based approach to God using the Uncertainty Principle of quantum mechanics to argue God can't be proved or disproved. Victor J Stenger on his website has a essay where he shows the problems with Miller's God for the Uncertainity Principle only goes so far. Miller argues that one species would've eventually surfaced through evolutionary processes where God could have a relationship. What I find Miller doesn't seem to explain is why the bible says Man was a separate creation? God created man in his image if we evolved from primates then God is an ape? I don't mean to offend anyone with that statement but that's the impression Miller gave me. Miller's interpretation of Genesis is that its analogous and God used the terminology of those at the time he chose to reveal himself to explain creation to them. He supports Augustine's view that the bible should not be taken literally and I tend to agree. I do like how Miller goes through the evidence that supports evolution and why this evidence argues against the common conception of God. He does address certain groups in this book such as proponents of Young Earth Creation (YEC), Creationism, unbelievers who take science beyond its limits, God of the Gaps arguments, Micro & Macro Evolution and why the fossil record supports evolution not creation.

I learnt a lot from this book and I enjoyed reading it for its one of the few title's on this subject I've read that's not full of hostility towards their opponents. I believe this book should be purchased for the biological information included for its written in a language that anyone can understand and its accurate. I do believe that Miller's common ground is not really common it does have a prejudice and bias toward science and does slightly undermine the biblical account. But its good to know that evolution and creation can co-exist and this evolution vs creation debate can be reconciled I just don't agree with Miller's position on it.

Solving the conflict.......2007-06-27

Miller offers essential keys to show that Darwin's ideas do not preclude the existence of God. He is a fantastic thinker and scientist.

Great science, poor philosophy.......2007-06-20

One could only expect sound evolutionary science by the co-author of the textbook "Biology." Dr. Miller's refutation of creationism, including intelligent design, is excellent and merciless. Yet this book does not deliver in its main goal: to find common ground between God and evolution.

Miller's argument, briefly stated, is that God (spiritual and infinite) created the universe (material and finite) where he acts in concordance with scientific laws. The material world, however, is not absolutely deterministic. Quantum uncertainty renders the very fabric of existence inherently unpredictable. As a result, mankind is contingent, that is, it did not *have* to emerge from the evolutionary process. When it did, it had (and has) truly free will. We are free to love or reject the God who has chosen a material universe, including evolution, to shape us.

This argument sounds fascinating at first, but truly has a number of flaws:

--- The relations among quantum uncertainty, freedom of will, and determinism are foggy. Miller himself realizes that quantum mechanics is unpredictable but not random (that is, it's statistically significant), yet claims it undermines determinism. His very idea of determinism is unattainable and indefensible, and no one really tries to defend it. It is a mere straw man that's easy to burn down. If determinism rules out God, I fail to see how a probabilistic universe gives it back. Likewise, if absolute determinism would exclude freedom of will, I fail to see how quantum uncertainty would give it back to us.

--- Miller criticizes deism (the idea that God created the universe but is now absent or dead) and affirms that evolution is compatible with the great monotheistic religions... but his idea of "quantic God" who assigns laws to a material world and then waits for the outcome is distinctly deist in nature. Miller never tackles serious apologetic questions such as prayer, the nature and existence of Jesus Christ, or the presence of thousands of other religions, so there is no reason to favor the Judeao-Christian god over any other deity.

--- Miller automatically ascribes ethics and purpose to religion, showing great ignorance in moral philosophy, where the identification of moral principles with religious faith is laden with issues.

--- Part of Miller's argument in rejecting determinism is based on a dichotomy of faith and reason, which most materialists inherently reject. His discussion of sociobiology and evolutionary psychology is incomplete at best.

--- Concepts such as God's love, God's gifts to humanity, God's grace, and divine purpose are seldom explained and poorly employed. It's not so much that they do not belong to serious philosophical inquiry, but rather that Miller uses them in an almost random, doctrinal sort of way that reminds the reader of preachers' and televangelists' cheap apologetics. Some paragraphs are very well informed and even enlightening, while others fall into the same category as Sunday school sermons.

The overall feeling while reading the (well-written, if a bit redundant) book is that Miller has tackled a titanic but hopeless apologetic task. He seems to be struggling to find a bridge between two hemispheres of his brain--the scientific mind and the spiritual area--where a bridge might just not exist. His refutation of one extreme, creationism, is well done. His refutation of the other, materialism and determinism, presents serious unsolved problems. Miller has good insights, and his discussion of divine purpose and contigency of humanity is brilliant, but ultimately he fails to deliver exactly in the area where the debate could use fresh air: the common ground between religion and scientific materialism.

Exactly like John Haught's "God After Darwin," this book is another failed attempt at reconciliation of Christian thought and evolutionary theory. The point is not that religion and science collide: it's that Christianity (monotheism in general) and evolutionary science collide. Deism has no issue with Darwin, while Christ does, and Miller, like many others, will not or can not face the issue.

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