Wendy N. reviewed on + 177 more book reviews
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.
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