Recently, friend Douglas Ell gave a talk on his book, Counting To God: A Personal Journey Through Science to Belief, at MIT:
Blurb from MIT maven:
What if you could combine the best of science and religion, and leave the worst behind?
The best scientists are precise, thorough, and open minded, willing to change their opinions if, and only if, the data calls for change.
Religion brings out the best in people when it calls forth nobility of spirit, a sense of the grandeur and wonder of nature and a uniting, not dividing, sense of purpose.
Doug Ell’s new book, Counting to God, is an approach that combines the best of science and religion. He leaves the dogmatism and narrow-mindedness which infects much religion – and also much science – behind, and uses scrupulous analysis to make a convincing case that the most advanced, sophisticated thinking in science not only allows for the idea of a designed universe, but encourages it.
How careful is the science? Counting to God has been endorsed by a number of leading scientists, including the head of the physics department at MIT.
But Ell won’t preach at you – consider the science – make up your own mind.
I highly recommend this thoughtful exploration of the relation between science and spirituality, two seemingly opposed descriptions of our world. Posed as a personal journey, Doug asks “How can we relate the descriptions of the spiritual and physical worlds?” Doug takes on the biggest questions of our time: cosmology, the origin of the universe and the biochemistry of genetics in a relevant and accessible way. Whether you agree with him or not, you will enjoy and learn from this book.
-Professor Peter Fisher, Head of the Department of Physics, MIT
Thing is, the Internet atheist won’t read the book, but you might be hearing from him less often, which is a feature, not a bug.
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Just finished his book and lent it out to a friend. Nicely written. He has an ability to make complex subjects easily accessible.
I’ve not read this book, but another I recommend is Professor Edgar Andrews’ book Who Made God? at http://whomadegod.org/
No … I’m not offering to trade since I’ve already given my copy away. But I would like to read Counting to God
http://www.science20.com/write.....9982?psych
All Internet atheists should consider that article required reading. Here’s an excerpt:
Fascinating article. Religious instinct and spiritual belief is universally experienced in humanity – even among atheists.
Interesting but not surprising, the researchers conclude this is due to evolution or social conditioning, but never suggest that it might be because God actually does exist.
Strange comment … I don’t understand. If there are more atheists in stable and prosperous societies then climate change will kill them off? Environmental degradation will convince more people that God exists? Or possibly, a higher proportion of atheists will die off than of believers – thus atheism won’t spread?
That’s the predictive and scientific power of sociology and evolutionism at work. 🙂
Doug Ell at MIT Counting To God – video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVK1L-bXr1Q
Counting To God – website
http://www.countingtogod.com/
Listen to Doug – audio
http://www.countingtogod.com/ctg.mp3