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Please "Check In" here to the discussion of "Books do Furnish a Life" by Richard Dawkins

Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 7:50 am
by Chris OConnor
Everybody benefits by knowing who else is planning to read and discuss the book so please make a brief post here checking in and letting us know of your intention to join the discussion of "Books do Furnish a Life: An electrifying celebration of science writing" - by Richard Dawkins.

Re: Please "Check In" here to the discussion of "Books do Furnish a Life" by Richard Dawkins

Posted: Fri May 07, 2021 3:49 am
by Robert Tulip
Thanks very much Chris, this looks like a great selection for discussion. Dawkins is always so interesting and informative and challenging.

I have just bought it on Kindle and look forward to reading it.

Robert

Re: Please "Check In" here to the discussion of "Books do Furnish a Life" by Richard Dawkins

Posted: Sat May 08, 2021 2:14 pm
by Mr. P
Just got the kindle version!

Re: Please "Check In" here to the discussion of "Books do Furnish a Life" by Richard Dawkins

Posted: Mon May 17, 2021 11:33 am
by geo
Initially I didn't have a good sense of what this book was all about, and didn't know if it would generate much discussion. But I really enjoyed the first chapter—an exchange with Neil deGrasse Tyson—and I'm fully onboard. Great dialogue about how to talk to believers. NDT takes a more respectful approach, RD a little less so. But both men make excellent points.

Who else is reading?

Re: Please "Check In" here to the discussion of "Books do Furnish a Life" by Richard Dawkins

Posted: Mon May 17, 2021 6:11 pm
by Mr. P
I have the book, have not started reading. I wanted to finish the two I had going, which will be done by tomorrow.

Re: Please "Check In" here to the discussion of "Books do Furnish a Life" by Richard Dawkins

Posted: Mon May 17, 2021 7:16 pm
by DWill
I'll join in on my Kindle Fire. I wonder, is using it as a reader much different from using the original Kindle e-reader?

Re: Please "Check In" here to the discussion of "Books do Furnish a Life" by Richard Dawkins

Posted: Mon May 17, 2021 9:45 pm
by Mr. P
Read the intro and found some of Dawkins examples speaking to... A sense of spirituality within the science. And this also calls to mind recent conversations about how he (and the other 3) rejects spiritual considerations in his worldview. He doesn't. It just doesn't draw on myth or what have you. When I think of facts about nature, in its entirety, I do feel in a sense spiritual. It is much more awe inspiring that any other contrived system.

The fact that science admits it is wrong is also very inspiring and is, in my view, a means to also inspire altruism and ethics. We know we can be wrong, so we should always consider how we treat each other for this reason.

Re: Please "Check In" here to the discussion of "Books do Furnish a Life" by Richard Dawkins

Posted: Tue May 18, 2021 8:48 pm
by geo
DWill wrote:I'll join in on my Kindle Fire. I wonder, is using it as a reader much different from using the original Kindle e-reader?
You're using the Kindle app, right? I would think it would be almost exactly like the Kindle e-reader except maybe that the Kindle Fire will be more responsive when turning pages.

Re: Please "Check In" here to the discussion of "Books do Furnish a Life" by Richard Dawkins

Posted: Tue May 18, 2021 10:13 pm
by DWill
I guess we don't have a thread on RD's intro. I second his contention that science-writing should be considered worthy of a Nobel Prize. Maybe with a songwriter having won an NP a few years ago, the committee will be open to choosing from the science category, too.

As Dawkins praises his favorite literary science writers, of course we're aware that he himself is one of the best.

Re: Please "Check In" here to the discussion of "Books do Furnish a Life" by Richard Dawkins

Posted: Sat Jun 12, 2021 7:51 am
by DWill
Having checked in, I now have to check out, with regrets. I no longer have access to the Kindle that stores my copy of the book.