A Book Suggestion Please...

[Chad]

So, I've been reading quite a few books at once. I'm almost done with three of them. I'm looking towards starting either Carl Sagan's Demon Haunted World, Stephen Hawking's A Brief History of Time, Richard Dawkins Unweaving the Rainbow or something else. I'm really looking for some sort of popular science book with some substance. I don't mind learning new concepts and looking up information! Any suggestions would be very welcome. I'm currently close to finishing Stephen Hawkings The Universe in a Nut Shell, Matt Ridley's Sex and the Evolution of Human Nature and Richard Dawkin's The Ancestor's Tale. All of these have been really great, and I've made a pretty big attempt to make sure I understand and comprehend what I'm reading so it doesn't all just pass through, heh Any and all suggestions would be great, thanks!

[Tim the Skeptic]

Chad,

Here's a good one. Not exactly the same science you've been reading lately, but maybe you want a diversion.

A Brief Tour of Human Consciousness: From Imposter Poodles to Purple Numbers by V.S. Ramachandran

Interesting stuff to bring up in brain/mind discussions. Or in a religious context, how does dualism work? Physical things that could happen to your brain radically change your behaviour. Where did your soul go?

I got it at the library. Probably not one to buy, this field of study is really starting to take off and more complete books may be on the way.

[McCulloch]

I have recently read The Third Chimp, Guns, Germs and Steel and Collapse all by Jared Diamond and would recommend them all.

The Third Chimp points out that not only are the chimpanzees our closest relatives genetically but we are their closest relatives. In essence, Homo sapiens is a species of domesticated chimpanzee.

Guns, Germs and Steel takes an extremely broad look at world history and postulates that geography has a lot more to do with historical success and dominance than previously suspected.

Collapse takes a look at a number of societies which have collapsed, Easter Island, the Greenland Norse, Incas and others in search of patterns which may explain why some societies collapse and others do not. Lots of interesting details and somewhat ecologically focussed.

I have found Diamond an accessible writer with a sound scientific background.

[Dilettante]

Carl Sagan's book (Demon Haunted World) is a must. How to Think About Weird Things by Theodore Schick and Lewis Vaughn is good too. I recently started How We Believe by Michael Shermer and it's been very interesting so far. I could recommend other books also, but they're in Spanish.

[bernee51]

So, I've been reading quite a few books at once. I'm almost done with three of them. I'm looking towards starting either Carl Sagan's Demon Haunted World, Stephen Hawking's A Brief History of Time, Richard Dawkins Unweaving the Rainbow or something else. I'm really looking for some sort of popular science book with some substance. I don't mind learning new concepts and looking up information! Any suggestions would be very welcome. I'm currently close to finishing Stephen Hawkings The Universe in a Nut Shell, Matt Ridley's Sex and the Evolution of Human Nature and Richard Dawkin's The Ancestor's Tale. All of these have been really great, and I've made a pretty big attempt to make sure I understand and comprehend what I'm reading so it doesn't all just pass through, heh Any and all suggestions would be great, thanks!

Ken Wilber is often anything but aproachable but I found the summary of his works - The Essential Ken Wilber - an introductory reader published by Shambala to be very worthwhile.

[Chad]

Chad,

Here's a good one. Not exactly the same science you've been reading lately, but maybe you want a diversion.

It's not too big of a diversion, I did read Susan Blackmore's The Meme Machine and found it rather interesting. Of course, it's not like her book really delved too far into the topic of consciousness. I also read part of a book on nuerorology until I realized it was mainly about neurotheology I had trouble taking the author seriously and ended up returning the book, heh.

I have seen some of the reviews of Jared Diamond's work, and I'm very interested in picking up one of his books.

I did check out How to Think About Weird Things and How We Believe on Amazon. They look interesting! It would probably be quite the change from what I have been reading.

Ken Wilber I haven't actually heard of, so I guess I will have to look him up.

Now if only I had a lot more extra time and some spending money I would be able to get some of this reading done

[McCulloch]

Now if only I had a lot more extra time and some spending money I would be able to get some of this reading done

If you ever find yourself with lots of extra time and spending money, do not hesitate to let us know. I am sure that we can help you find ways of reducing your excess of both.