Product Description

In his sensational international bestseller, the preeminent scientist and outspoken atheist Richard Dawkins delivers a hard-hitting, impassioned, but humorous rebuttal of religious belief. With rigor and wit, Dawkins eviscerates the arguments for religion and demonstrates the supreme improbability of the existence of a supreme being. He makes a compelling case that faith is not just irrational, but potentially deadly. In a preface written for the paperback edition, Dawkins responds to some of the controversies the book has incited. This brilliantly argued, provocative book challenges all of us to test our beliefs, no matter what beliefs we hold.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #223 in Books
• Published on: 2008-01-16
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 464 pages

From Publishers Weekly
The antireligion wars started by Daniel Dennett and Sam Harris will heat up even more with this salvo from celebrated Oxford biologist Dawkins. For a scientist who criticizes religion for its intolerance, Dawkins has written a surprisingly intolerant book, full of scorn for religion and those who believe. But Dawkins, who gave us the selfish gene, anticipates this criticism. He says it's the scientist and humanist in him that makes him hostile to religions—fundamentalist Christianity and Islam come in for the most opprobrium—that close people's minds to scientific truth, oppress women and abuse children psychologically with the notion of eternal damnation. While Dawkins can be witty, even confirmed atheists who agree with his advocacy of science and vigorous rationalism may have trouble stomaching some of the rhetoric: the biblical Yahweh is "psychotic," Aquinas's proofs of God's existence are "fatuous" and religion generally is "nonsense." The most effective chapters are those in which Dawkins calms down, for instance, drawing on evolution to disprove the ideas behind intelligent design. In other chapters, he attempts to construct a scientific scaffolding for atheism, such as using evolution again to rebut the notion that without God there can be no morality. He insists that religion is a divisive and oppressive force, but he is less convincing in arguing that the world would be better and more peaceful without it. (Oct. 18)
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From Scientific American
Richard Dawkins, in The God Delusion, tells of his exasperation with colleagues who try to play both sides of the street: looking to science for justification of their religious convictions while evading the most difficult implications—the existence of a prime mover sophisticated enough to create and run the universe, "to say nothing of mind reading millions of humans simultaneously." Such an entity, he argues, would have to be extremely complex, raising the question of how it came into existence, how it communicates —through spiritons!—and where it resides. Dawkins is frequently dismissed as a bully, but he is only putting theological doctrines to the same kind of scrutiny that any scientific theory must withstand. No one who has witnessed the merciless dissection of a new paper in physics would describe the atmosphere as overly polite.

George Johnson is author of Fire in the Mind: Science, Faith, and the Search for Order and six other books. He resides on the Web at talaya.net

From Bookmarks Magazine
Richard Dawkins's latest book raises the question of style over substance. As in his well-known books The Selfish Gene, The Blind Watchmaker, and River Out of Eden, the renowned evolutionary biologist has done his homework, and argues with precision and a fair glaze of wit. But Dawkins can't restrain his vitriol for those that have put their faith in religion, to the point that he comes off as rabid as those believers whose eyes he yearns to open. This fatal flaw knocks his book down a rung or two for critics, many of whom seem inclined to believe in Dawkins, if only he weren't so preachy.

Copyright © 2004 Phillips & Nelson Media, Inc.

Customer Reviews

A brief explanation of Dawkins' flawed logic
Dawkins is highly skilled master of terminological inexactitude whereby he briskfully overlooks the employment of primary sources in his documentation outside of the science arena.

A master revisionist historian/scientist with a finely tuned sense for highly biased selective observations. The problem is, he knows next to nothing about history, theology, or approaching life as an entity other than a robot. Naturally, this catapults him into the revisionist category.

I could easily write a book in response to Dawkins. FTR, I believe in a Creator and I am a scientist. Go figure, I am a scientist with emotions and a sense of existence persisting of more than just logical, robotic thought-processes. I am the exception, not the rule.

Dawkins is clearly not a historian. I heard a debate at Oxford University, where one of the scientists claimed Stephen Jay Gould knows next to nothing about a plethora of scientific subjects in discrediting his "popular science" theories. Upon further investigation it is undeniable that Dawkins chooses, I hope it is purposeful, to understand next to nothing about history, and his use of secular quotations are disturbingly out of historical context. A difficult question is posed in regards to where I should begin in shredding his interpretation of history.

My recommendation to Dawkins is stick to science. Remain the example of what a person should not be outside of the laboratory.

I heard him speak in a public forum. His understanding of the biblical claims are so rudimentary, it would be like a Rabbi or Pope debating an astrophysicist, whereby the Rabbi or Pope starts his argument against science, "I do not know much about astrophysics, but..."

I am not making any claims about the biblical texts, because I am not yet qualified to assess their validity. One thing is unequivocally true, Dawkins is surely not qualified to provide an evaluation regarding the authenticity of the Hebrew Bible.

I would like to see Dawkins debate Gerald Schroeder. Dawkins is wise enough not to box the heavyweights. Schroeder not only knows more about science, he knows more about the Hebrew Bible than Dawkins.

Truly Honest Review ~ Yes I Read The Book
It is my goal to provide an honest review of this book, as seen from my perspective. I appreciate what Dawkins says, from the viewpoint of his arguement. Dawkins also, surprisingly, admits that the existance of God is a 50/50 chance. He does, however, provide arguments for why he believes God is improbable. The book is split into two parts. The first half of the book is Dawkins' argument against religion. The second half is a scientific history of religion and a hypothesis for why it began.

Regardless of if you are Atheist or Theist, I think both sides can appreciate (not neccessarily agree with) Dawkins' arguments. For Atheist's, Dawkins provides a central scientific argument for Atheists beliefs. Saddly enough, Atheist's are persecuted everywhere, simply because of what they believe. This is eerily reminiscent of the persecutions of jews and christians elsewhere. Theist's should not look at this book in disdain, but see it as a resource. Challenge makes people stronger, and "The GOD Delusion" is definitely a challenge.

This book was written for the Atheist, not the Theist or Christian. Dawkins states repeatedly that its not his intent to convert people, but to provide his arguments to those who share his belief. I found his arguments well thoughtout, a bit over explained, and quite stimulating. For the Athiest this book is a true breath of fresh air and a source of solace.

While I have no doubt, that because I said positive things about this book that my review will be terribly rated, I felt compelled to share my view. As an Atheist living in the christian dominated American society, I'm often smothered by the religious beliefs of others. While the Constitution provides freedom of religion, it does not afford freedom FROM religion.

Mr. Dawkins, Thank you sir. Thank you for letting me know that I am not alone in my beliefs, and thank you for your richly inspiring arguments.

Does anyone else think this is totally creepy!?
To write a book about God not existing is completely morbid and sad in a way I can't describe. The pics above also are sad. That people actively try to discredit God blows my mind. What is the point? To try to take away people's hope? God is hope and love. Without God everything is completely meaningless. Might as well kill yourself now cause there's no point in living if you believe this stuff. God is real people, open your eyes and look around you.