‘The Greatest Show on Earth- The Evidence for Evolution’ by Richard Dawkins was published in 2009 and is an absolutely STUNNING book! It explains evolution theory in easy language and terms accessible to a layman, and provides construct that begin to integrate different evolution theories like Chaos Theory (my personal favourite), Field of Bullets, Red Queen and gives dozens of examples to show why evolution is probably the only likely reason we are here, or any of the stuff that has happened is likely to have happened at all. Lots of color prints add to the overall appeal. On a more sobering note, although he doesn’t say it plainly: a straight-forward conclusion that I could draw from Dawkins’ work is that given that we are apparently hard-wired to compete as individuals more than as a species (and this is true of most species that have survived thus far), it is unlikely that we will ever be able to tackle a problem like global warming. Much more likely that we will continue to perish as individuals while we adapt as a species - because there is a perpetual incentive for an individual to break the rules. What I did not also realise is that an astoundingly large percentage of the US population believes in creationism (44% from a 2008 Gallup survey): the key beliefs being that (i) human life on the planet is 10,000 years old or less and has existed in more or less the same form as it has today (ii) that dinos and men existed at the same time and (iii) that there is intelligent design (i.e. God) that created everything. This belief is more marked in the Abrahamic religions, where it is an article of faith. (and while the US i s marked for the high percentage, most other countries are not much better So a good portion of the book is clearly and visibly debunking the creationist argument (very articulately and lucidly, I might add). Not being of an Abrahamic faith, I can relate to both sides of the argument intellectually and miss the passion of the creationist argument – but the overall debate obviously engages Dawkins (and hopefully a whole lot of others!) very deeply. Recommended. However, needs uninterrupted time (approx 3 hours) and concentration. Helps if you have already read up a bit on evolution theory, of the non-intelligent-design and non-creationist variety.
Posted on: Sun, 12 Oct 2014 09:26:52 +0000
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