The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution
Sep 2009 · Simon and Schuster
4.4star
219 reviewsreport
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480
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About this ebook
Richard Dawkins transformed our view of God in his blockbuster, The God Delusion, which sold millions of copies in English alone. He revolutionized the way we see natural selection in the seminal bestseller The Selfish Gene. Now, he launches a fierce counterattack against proponents of "Intelligent Design" in his New York Times bestseller, The Greatest Show on Earth.
"Intelligent Design" is being taught in our schools; educators are being asked to "teach the controversy" behind evolutionary theory. There is no controversy. Dawkins sifts through rich layers of scientific evidence—from living examples of natural selection to clues in the fossil record; from natural clocks that mark the vast epochs wherein evolution ran its course to the intricacies of developing embryos; from plate tectonics to molecular genetics—to make the airtight case that "we find ourselves perched on one tiny twig in the midst of a blossoming and flourishing tree of life and it is no accident, but the direct consequence of evolution by non-random selection." His unjaded passion for the natural world turns what might have been a negative argument, exposing the absurdities of the creationist position, into a positive offering to the reader: nothing less than a master’s vision of life, in all its splendor.
"Intelligent Design" is being taught in our schools; educators are being asked to "teach the controversy" behind evolutionary theory. There is no controversy. Dawkins sifts through rich layers of scientific evidence—from living examples of natural selection to clues in the fossil record; from natural clocks that mark the vast epochs wherein evolution ran its course to the intricacies of developing embryos; from plate tectonics to molecular genetics—to make the airtight case that "we find ourselves perched on one tiny twig in the midst of a blossoming and flourishing tree of life and it is no accident, but the direct consequence of evolution by non-random selection." His unjaded passion for the natural world turns what might have been a negative argument, exposing the absurdities of the creationist position, into a positive offering to the reader: nothing less than a master’s vision of life, in all its splendor.
Ratings and reviews
4.4
219 reviews
esref celik celik
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June 11, 2014
I did not read the whole book, but I can assure anybody about it. Even the introduction part is boring. he is not a good writer, cannot make it a smooth and joyful read for the readers. To be honest, I tried to read and learn about his ideas and claims about life and evolution. Thanks to him and his attitude, I picked up The God concept for my self and life. Still I'm trying to understand why some one neglects the all miracles around and in us, and claims that all these happens without any reason or aim. I advice you to read Michael Behe, he is much more better and funnier than this.Evolution and evolutionist scientists offer nothing for the problems we face,. All of the books start in the same way, they all glorify Darwin and denounce other approaches on the origin of life. And always use the science as a gun against others.
2 people found this review helpful
Michel Bardiaux
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December 19, 2013
His previous books all had substance, ANCESTORS TALE had both substance AND style, but this book has neither. It is mostly repeats of items from previous books, and boring exegesis of Darwin. The 2nd cardinal sin for a scientist: no research...
5 people found this review helpful
Christopher Doxtator
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July 30, 2013
OK RICHARD WE GET IT ALEADY! You don't believe in god now will you shut up the rest of us are trying to enjoy the show (life).
6 people found this review helpful
About the author
Richard Dawkins is a Fellow of the Royal Society and was the inaugural holder of the Charles Simonyi Chair of Public Understanding of Science at Oxford University. He is the acclaimed author of many books including The Selfish Gene, Climbing Mount Improbable, Unweaving the Rainbow, The Ancestor’s Tale, The God Delusion, and The Greatest Show on Earth. Visit him at RichardDawkins.net.
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