-
In total there are 2 users online :: 0 registered, 0 hidden and 2 guests (based on users active over the past 60 minutes)
Most users ever online was 871 on Fri Apr 19, 2024 12:00 am
Guns, Germs, and Steel one: Style
-
-
Kindle Fanatic
- Posts: 545
- Joined: Sun Oct 27, 2002 2:19 pm
- 21
- Location: Saint Louis
Guns, Germs, and Steel one: Style
I'm about halfway through Diamond, Guns, Germs, and Steel. Not the easiest read, but fascinating. I have three barely related comments so I'm going to give each its own thread and see if anyone bites.The style and approach of GGS remind me of another author/book, and I realized today who/what it is. I find Diamond's book strongly reminiscent of Darwin, On The Origin of Species. Not bad company... Like Darwin, Diamond has accumulated many, many facts to make a specific case. The core concept of each book, without the evidence, could probably be summarized in a paragraph or two. Each author feels the ideas are important enough to touch on as many different ramifications as possible. Edited by: Jeremy1952 at: 2/8/03 9:00:41 pm
- Chris OConnor
-
- BookTalk.org Hall of Fame
- Posts: 17025
- Joined: Sun May 05, 2002 2:43 pm
- 22
- Location: Florida
- Has thanked: 3514 times
- Been thanked: 1309 times
- Gender:
- Contact:
Re: Guns, Germs, and Steel one: Style
Jeremy:I moved this thread to this forum since it pertains to Guns, Germs and Steel. These book forums never die so feel free to continue the discussions even when we have moved to another book.Chris Edited by: Chris OConnor at: 10/30/05 3:40 pm
Re: Guns, Germs, and Steel one: Style
Jeremy,yes, I agree. Darwin called his effort "one long argument" and it is an example of what in philosophy of science people refer to as "consilience" or "triangulation in logical space." The idea is that each individual piece of evidence is not overwhelming per se, but the cumulation of it makes for a strong case. It is typical of the biological and social sciences' modus operandi.Now, there are people like Stephen Gould who took the "one long argument" way too literally, and came up with the awful The Structure of Evolutionary Theory, an unreadable and unbearable book that I most certainly do not suggest this group adopts for reading!Cheers,Massimo
- Chris OConnor
-
- BookTalk.org Hall of Fame
- Posts: 17025
- Joined: Sun May 05, 2002 2:43 pm
- 22
- Location: Florida
- Has thanked: 3514 times
- Been thanked: 1309 times
- Gender:
- Contact:
Re: Guns, Germs, and Steel one: Style
MassimoI recently was looking at Goulds book at Barnes & Nobles and was thinking what a nightmare it must be to read. It might work better for jacking my car up to change a tire.Chris Edited by: Chris OConnor at: 10/30/05 3:41 pm