Science in the Soul: Selected Writings of a Passionate Rationalist

Description

Science in the Soul brings together three decades of Richard Dawkins' essays, polemics, and paeans illuminating the wonders of nature and attacking faulty logic. In a passionate introduction, Dawkins calls on us to insist that reason take center stage and that gut feelings -- even when they don't represent the stirred dark waters of xenophobia, misogyny, or other blind prejudice -- should stay out of the voting booth. In the essays themselves, newly annotated, he investigates a the importance of empirical evidence and decries bad science, religion in the schools, and climate-change deniers. Dawkins has equal ardor for "the sacred truth of nature" and renders here the glories and complexities of the natural world. Woven into an exploration of the vastness of geological time, for instance, is the peculiar history of the giant tortoises and the sea turtles, whose journeys between water and land tell us a deeper story about evolution. At this moment, when so many highly placed people still question the fact of evolution, Dawkins asks what Darwin would make of his own legacy -- "a mixture of exhilaration and exasperation"--And celebrates science as possessing many of religion's virtues -- "explanation, consolation, and uplift"--without its detriments of superstition and prejudice. Author's introduction -- Editor's introduction -- I. The value(s) of science. The values of science and the science of values Speaking up for science : an open letter to Prince Charles Science and sensibility Dolittle and Darwin -- II. All its merciless glory. 'More Darwinian than Darwin' : the Darwin-Wallace papers Universal Darwinism An ecology of replicators Twelve misunderstandings of kin selection -- III. Future conditional. Net gain Intelligent aliens Searching under the lamp-post Fifty years on : killing the soul? -- IV. Mind control, mischief and muddle. The 'Alabama insert' The guided missiles of 9/11 The theology of the tsunami Merry Christmas, Prime Minister! The science of religion Is science a religion? Atheists for Jesus -- V. Living in the real world. The dead hand of Plato 'Beyond reasonable doubt'? But can they suffer? I love fireworks, but ... Who would rally against reason? In praise of subtitles or, a drubbing for dubbing If I ruled the world ... -- VI. The sacred truth of nature. About time The giant tortoise's tale : islands within islands The sea turtle's tale : there and back again (and again?) Farewell to a digerati dreamer -- VII. Laughing at live dragons. Fundraising for faith The great bus mystery Jarvis and the family tree Gerin oil Sage elder statesman of the dinosaur fancy Athorism : let's hope it's a lasting vogue Dawkins' laws -- VIII. No man is an island. Memories of a maestro O my beloved father : John Dawkins, 1915-2010 More than my uncle : A.F. 'Bill' Dawkins, 1916-2009 Honouring Hitch.