Helpful Score: 13
This is a great book. Dawkins demolishes just about every argument for religion there is. Others have suggested that a couple of chapters get muddled, but I thought they were all well written. Highly recommended.
Helpful Score: 5
Some great points are made, and then made again, and again. But he makes clear points on our origins and validates all people who do not believe in the supernatural. And in America, I think we need some validation.
Helpful Score: 4
An excellent introduction to the idea that God is really not likely, or even necessary. A lot of ideas that skeptics have entertained but not developed will be crystallized by the author's excellent elucidations. Reading this book will give you lots of talking points to help you defend your position when confronted with zealots. It also helps one understand the real dangers to society of allowing even moderate religiosity to persist unchallenged.
The one topic I would have liked to see covered which was not was the idea that individual brain chemistry has a lot to do with our propensity for unsupported faith. A tidbit from Temple Grandin's Thinking in Pictures comes to mind, where she fell into a vat of chemicals (used for delousing cows, or some such) and afterward had a completely different perspective on religion. I don't know how much research has been done on neurotransmitter-based religiosity but I would have liked to have seen it mentioned by Dawkins.
Overall, and excellent book. Gives one the confidence to profess one's doubts and disbelief.
The one topic I would have liked to see covered which was not was the idea that individual brain chemistry has a lot to do with our propensity for unsupported faith. A tidbit from Temple Grandin's Thinking in Pictures comes to mind, where she fell into a vat of chemicals (used for delousing cows, or some such) and afterward had a completely different perspective on religion. I don't know how much research has been done on neurotransmitter-based religiosity but I would have liked to have seen it mentioned by Dawkins.
Overall, and excellent book. Gives one the confidence to profess one's doubts and disbelief.
Helpful Score: 1
delusion [n.] a persistent false belief held in the face of strong contradictory evidence
Robert M. Pirsig, 'When one person suffers from a delusion, it is called insanity. When many people suffer from a delusion it is called Religion.'
Although some of Dawkins arguments are only speculation (though very plausible) and his weakest pieces of evidence (ie: the theory that religion may be an evolutionary by- product of a psychological disposition once important to our survival), he makes very clear and valid points using science and logic (most of which are Darwin- inspired, ie: 'A designer God cannot be used to explain organized complexity because any God capable of designing anything would have to be complex enough to demand the same kind of explanation in his own right.')
I don't believe this book will succeed in converting even the moderately religious because of the offense Dawkins' judgmental and superior air incites (however, the fact that he can be an ass does not negate his poignantly crafted assertion of his 'God Hypothesis'), I recommend this book to anyone interested in seeing religion from a different point of view. And if you're the adventurous type, it may even test your faith
Robert M. Pirsig, 'When one person suffers from a delusion, it is called insanity. When many people suffer from a delusion it is called Religion.'
Although some of Dawkins arguments are only speculation (though very plausible) and his weakest pieces of evidence (ie: the theory that religion may be an evolutionary by- product of a psychological disposition once important to our survival), he makes very clear and valid points using science and logic (most of which are Darwin- inspired, ie: 'A designer God cannot be used to explain organized complexity because any God capable of designing anything would have to be complex enough to demand the same kind of explanation in his own right.')
I don't believe this book will succeed in converting even the moderately religious because of the offense Dawkins' judgmental and superior air incites (however, the fact that he can be an ass does not negate his poignantly crafted assertion of his 'God Hypothesis'), I recommend this book to anyone interested in seeing religion from a different point of view. And if you're the adventurous type, it may even test your faith
Helpful Score: 1
This book and "God is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything" by the late great Christopher Hitchens are the gospels of atheism.
Nobody else has made the case better for the toxic effects of belief in imaginary beings. I'd say Hitchens is better at highlighting the evil outcomes of belief in imaginary beings, while Dawkins does the better job of highlighting the logical, scientific and philosophical absurdity of belief in imaginary beings.
Read them both.
Nobody else has made the case better for the toxic effects of belief in imaginary beings. I'd say Hitchens is better at highlighting the evil outcomes of belief in imaginary beings, while Dawkins does the better job of highlighting the logical, scientific and philosophical absurdity of belief in imaginary beings.
Read them both.
A book that everyone should read. You will only walk away with a clearer picture of the concept of "belief."
This is not only a clear, concise argument, it is also an entertaining read. It's also a very important, even urgent subject, and should be required reading for every American. Approach it wirh an open mind and it just might change your life.
Dawkins is an eloquent(and sometimes a little arrogant) writer and this book is a must read for atheists and believers alike. I would recommend any of Dawkins's books but this one would probably make the top of my list.
Excellent book, as Jeff said above (or below), some of the arguments were hard for me to follow, he covers quite a bit of ground in a very short volume.
An excellent and well written book about religion, existence of a god, and the scientific process that debates both. It has reaffirmed my beliefs on the ills of organized religion and the notion of a "god"...
not Dawkins best work but definitely worth the read.
This is a very interesting book comparing Darwinism/Natural Selection to the belief in God. It brought up some new ideas and expanded on some common beliefs.
One issue w/this book. Author seems to think that the uneducated are all idiots. I am not what you would call educated...got thru high school and that's it. Some of the words in this book were "too big for me". I don't think having belief or not in an invisible sky fairy has much to do w/education as it does common sense. I know, common sense ain't so common anymore, but some of us still have it. The best quote in the book was the one by George Carlin, should put that on a shirt!
This book was a big eye opener for me. A must read if you have any questions about "you know who" really being there.
Gee, I didn't think he was an ass - I think he was right on. Rather an opinionated bloke, though, wouldn't you say?
Basically an argument against the existence of God. Do we really need a two inch book telling us about whether or not God exists? I was intrigued when I received this book but started to - gasp! - think about spirituality. It's what YOU, as an individual, believe in. If you think God is a man sitting on a big shiny throne in the sky, great for you! If you think God is a feeling, an intuition, great for you! If you think God does not exist, great for you! If you think any sort of spirituality is bullsh**, great for you! It's what YOU believe in. Personally, I feel God is not too happy with how we are treating HER whole existence. And that's great for ME! But, honestly, I didn't need 400+ telling me this!
never been read
