What non-fiction book should we read and discuss next?

[Chris OConnor]

Here are a few books I'm suggesting. Please add your own suggestions and maybe some feedback on the books you see suggested by me and other members.

Letters to a Young Scientist
by Edward O. Wilson


This Explains Everything: Deep, Beautiful, and Elegant Theories of How the World Works
by John Brockman


Creationism's Trojan Horse: The Wedge of Intelligent Design
by Barbara Forrest, Paul R. Gross


Sense and Goodness Without God: A Defense of Metaphysical Naturalism
by Richard Carrier

The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution
by Richard Dawkins


Why Evolution Is True
by Jerry A. Coyne

[Dexter]

Well, I've crashed and burned at choosing books and being discussion leader, but let me throw in my two cents so far and try to think of any other suggestions later.

I've read Dawkins and Coyne, both good books, I'm not sure how much discussion it will create as obviously they are not meant to be controversial except to a creationist. I'd probably re-read if other people were interested.

I've skimmed some of Brockman's books -- they sound interesting, but I don't know why he has such short essays, many are just 1-2 pages. It almost becomes just a list of encyclopedia entries, might be something you can dip into to get ideas for further reading but I didn't really care for the format.

[Interbane]

I vote for Richard Carrier's book - Sense and Goodness without God. I would like to hear his compatibilist explanation of free will.

[Dexter]

I vote for Richard Carrier's book - Sense and Goodness without God. I would like to hear his compatibilist explanation of free will.

For $3 on Kindle, I picked up a copy. Got to love some of those ebook prices.

His free will argument will likely give me something to disagree with.

I posted this before, but here's Daniel Dennett arguing for compatibilism against Sam Harris. It's long, and Harris has a reply. It's interesting that he is so confident that Harris has made mistake after mistake, as Dennett is of course a very smart guy. Still, I didn't find him very convincing, seems to me it mostly comes down to changing the definition of "free will" so that we have it.

http://www.samharris.org/blog/item/refl ... -free-will

Anyway, don't want to hijack the thread.

[Chris OConnor]

Thanks for replying and sharing your views guys. This thread isn't meant to be an actual poll but we could ultimately pick one of these books as our next non-fiction discussion book. I was just trying to get the process started for finding our next non-fiction book.

[whathappened]

Here are a few books I'm suggesting. Please add your own suggestions and maybe some feedback on the books you see suggested by me and other members.

Letters to a Young Scientist
by Edward O. Wilson


This Explains Everything: Deep, Beautiful, and Elegant Theories of How the World Works
by John Brockman


Creationism's Trojan Horse: The Wedge of Intelligent Design
by Barbara Forrest, Paul R. Gross


Sense and Goodness Without God: A Defense of Metaphysical Naturalism
by Richard Carrier

The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution
by Richard Dawkins


Why Evolution Is True
by Jerry A. Coyne

Of course, Chris, you know my vote is for "The Assassination of Michael Collins: What Happened at Béal na mBláth?"
(Hope this mention is allowed here... Remind me if I make any "faut pas".)

But seriously, this is not entirely without regard to the list you propose above, around themes of evolution. I'm fascinated by evolution myself. And it's not only because I'm, as you know, the author, that I truly feel deeply that people need to hear this story.

In the book, I've tried to confront assassination from a criminology point of view, as a social problem: why do we continually lose our best & brightest leaders to this syndrome?

Just a thought.

All the best

[Robert Tulip]

I particularly like Edward Wilson, but I am not sure this is his best one compared to The Social Conquest of the Earth, SuperOrganisms, and his ant novel.

I have had some conversation with Richard Carrier following the publication of his latest book On The Historicity of Jesus, which looks excellent, and which I have bought. His use of probability to show that the Bible texts are more like what we would expect if Jesus did not exist than what we would expect if Jesus did exist is an important piece of logic. I vote for Carrier. I will get the Kindle version. Cost me $9.67.

[Dexter]

I will get the Kindle version. Cost me $9.67.

I'm still seeing $3 on Kindle, must be Amazon's variable pricing.

[Chris OConnor]

Since we're not getting much activity in this thread you guys just want to go with the Richard Carrier book?

[Rich528]

Hello, Everybody!

I am a new member on this forum and I am a book publisher. I got 3 very good books to suggest to you. I have published them and have read and re-read them many many times, during the last 28 years.

These are life-changing masterpieces:
- Think and Grow Rich, by Napoleon Hill
- The Secret of the Ages, by Robert Collier
- As a Man Thinketh, by James Allen

If it is not against the rules of this forum, I will give a special discount to all members who want to buy any inspirational book from me. The 12 books I have published can be seen at www.everinc.com

Richard