Details Books Concering Unweaving the Rainbow: Science, Delusion and the Appetite for Wonder
| Original Title: | Unweaving the Rainbow: Science, Delusion and the Appetite for Wonder |
| ISBN: | 0618056734 (ISBN13: 9780618056736) |
| Edition Language: | English |
Richard Dawkins
Paperback | Pages: 352 pages Rating: 4.02 | 10251 Users | 246 Reviews
Point Of Books Unweaving the Rainbow: Science, Delusion and the Appetite for Wonder
| Title | : | Unweaving the Rainbow: Science, Delusion and the Appetite for Wonder |
| Author | : | Richard Dawkins |
| Book Format | : | Paperback |
| Book Edition | : | First Edition |
| Pages | : | Pages: 352 pages |
| Published | : | April 5th 2000 by Mariner Books (first published 1998) |
| Categories | : | Science. Nonfiction. Philosophy. Biology. Evolution |
Relation In Favor Of Books Unweaving the Rainbow: Science, Delusion and the Appetite for Wonder
Did Newton "unweave the rainbow" by reducing it to its prismatic colors, as Keats contended? Did he, in other words, diminish beauty? Far from it, says acclaimed scientist Richard Dawkins; Newton's unweaving is the key to much of modern astronomy and to the breathtaking poetry of modern cosmology. Mysteries don't lose their poetry because they are solved: the solution often is more beautiful than the puzzle, uncovering deeper mysteries. With the wit, insight, and spellbinding prose that have made him a best-selling author, Dawkins takes up the most important and compelling topics in modern science, from astronomy and genetics to language and virtual reality, combining them in a landmark statement of the human appetite for wonder.This is the book Richard Dawkins was meant to write: a brilliant assessment of what science is (and isn't), a tribute to science not because it is useful but because it is uplifting.
Rating Of Books Unweaving the Rainbow: Science, Delusion and the Appetite for Wonder
Ratings: 4.02 From 10251 Users | 246 ReviewsWrite Up Of Books Unweaving the Rainbow: Science, Delusion and the Appetite for Wonder
Probably my favorite so far. Dawkins has a gift for helping the layman understand scientific principles. This book convinced me that reasoning like a scientist could be helpful to anyone.Dawkins takes his title from John Keats, who decried Isaac Newton's explanation of light as "unweaving the rainbow." Far from robbing the wonderment of light by revealing some of its mysteries, Dawkins maintains that the greater understanding can only increase one's sense of wonder at a commonplace phenomenon, that we have, indeed, become immune to the wonder of the commonplace by not looking too deeply into it. Starting from Newton's discoveries on the nature of light, Dawkins works his way
Have you ever, while sheltering in space-time under threat of a belligerent snippet of information enclosed in a flimsy lipid membrane, sat on your porch during the rain and tried to derive from first principles how it is that a rainbow forms? Trying to discard all the things youve learned about droplets of moisture and the refractive index of light? Imagining how youd interpret the phenomenon from a position of scientific ignorance? For me, this brought to mind two things. First, that Keats
Readability 5. Rating 5. I have had this one for years and started it more than once. Finally decided to plow through. I think the kindest thing I can say it that it was a mixed bag. I think he uses the phrase "tiresome pedant" and even though he has written some great stuff, parts of this one were brutal and he comes across as a tiresome pedant. Part of it is simply taste - I don't care about arguments one should use with those who believe in pseudo-science and I am not worried that if someone
Ive personally come to the conclusion that this will most likely be the last Richard Dawkins book Ill read. I will not deny the fact that Mr. Dawkins is brilliant, however his writing certainly isnt. I enjoyed his book The God Delusion but even that was border line dry and I would consider that to be his most entertaining book. This book is certainly filled with solid information hence why I gave it the benefit of the doubt and gave it 3 stars. If I wanted to simply learn the information I would
The first few pages sum up, as well as Ive ever seen done, the wonder and awe we can find in what science tells us about the world around us. Sadly Dawkins then goes on and follows it with an entire book on the subject. OK, thats unfair. Some bits of the book are first class, particularly (as youd expect) the section explaining the true nature of natural selection when looked at from a genetic point of view. Other parts are more mixed and Dawkins just cant seem to prevent himself from
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