A professor on campus handed me a book the other day with the comment, “I hand this to promising students.” The title is God’s Debris: A Thought Experiment by Scott Adams. The same Scott Adams that creates the weekly, Dilbert comic strip, but this book is totally different.
It is so different that the first book was only available in e-book format. Publishers were afraid a print source would not sell to the average Dilbert reader. Now, one can get it in print form thanks to positive word-of-mouth reviews.
Author Adams takes on the age old debate, science versus religion. If one is scientific in nature others around generalize that the person is less likely to believe in God. One of my heroes, Galileo, endured Catholic persecution because of this general attitude; although, he professed to embrace the Catholic Church and its teachings his entire life.
In the book the author presents a theory which I find comforting. It all begins with a conversation between delivery man and wise recipient. During the discussion, they both agree that God is omnipotent and knows the future. With this in mind, they begin to theorize that God might be bored. If he knows the future, nothing is left to chance.
What if God tries to destroy his omnipotence and start again from scratch? In order to do this they feel he will have to blow himself up and return to Earth in billions of little living cells. In essence, the Big Bang Theory, but here is the comforting part. God becomes a part of all of us, and the animals, and the plants, rocks, etc.
I need to stop here before I divulge the whole story. Oh, but I do so want to tell you more!
I see why the professor encourages his students to read this book. There is an in-your-face discussion on two subjects that tend to mix like oil and water. It is an encouraging conversation though, and one many students might be struggling with as they prove facts through scientific methods and mathematics.
One of the ongoing discussions through the story centers on mathematical probability. It is my conviction 50 percent of the readers will either love or hate this book. Adams’ follow up book is oddly titled, Stick to Drawing Comics, Monkey Brain!
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
God's Debris (copy)
Saturday, July 26, 2008
The Ghost Map (copy)
Innocence and ignorance opened the door to death. It is almost poetic that the same home, the same household, the same family even, would open and close the door to the worst cholera epidemic ever seen on England’s shores. How could the Lewis family have known?
On a blustery English morning in 1854, an infant girl was born to Thomas and Sarah Lewis. Baby Lewis was rosier, hardier, and—as her parents prayed—more determined to stay within the realm of the living. The previous year the Lewis’s suffered the loss of their infant baby boy. This baby girl showed promise.
In late August, healthy Baby Lewis developed diarrhea. During breaks in her daughter’s illness, Sarah dutifully cleaned her diapers in tepid water, and slung one bucket out the back window and the worst of it she took to the cellar and threw into the cesspool. Not an unusual practice in Victorian London’s Soho neighborhood.
On the 28th, after suffering three straight days, Baby Lewis began to show signs of improvement. Sarah thought to give her chap-lipped baby a little water from the refreshing pump just 10 feet from the Lewis’s front door on 40 Broad Street. Four hours later the baby’s symptoms violently returned. The doctor was called, but it was too late for Baby Lewis; her last diaper was filled with clear liquid and little pieces of rice.
In the late summer air of London’s Victorian streets, many professionals believed miasma to be the culprit. Dr. John Snow had his doubts. Snow had worked with gases, becoming the first professional anesthesiologist to use ether safely. He believed for a gas to be effective it must be delivered to the lungs in concentrated doses.
Before microbes were discovered, poisoned miasma was blamed for many a disease. For instance, the mosquito born malaria was thought to be caused by “bad air” for it derives its name from the Italian “mal aria.” It was the same year as England’s cholera plague that an Italian discovered the comma shaped microbe “Vibrio cholera.” Unfortunately, the Italian’s paper on the microscopic parasite went unnoticed.
Snow, along with another amateur sleuth, The Reverend Henry Whitehead, proved the disease to be waterborne. Both men went door-to-door during and after the tragedy ministering and asking the question. Did you drink water from the Broad Street pump?
The Ghost Map: The Story of London’s Most Terrifying Epidemic and How It Changed Science, Cities, and the Modern World by Steven Johnson will have you unraveling the mysteries of a Victorian enigma.
Note: Fifth book for Joy's Non-Fiction Five Challenge.
Friday, April 25, 2008
I'm Challenged!
First, I joined Joy at Thoughts of Joy for her 2nd annual Nonfiction Five Challenge. I vow to read 5 nonfiction books between the months May - September. Not really a challenge (I love NF) but a chance for me to gain a sense of accomplishment. You know, build my self-esteem. :D
Secondly, I joined a new (to me) blogger, Jeff at BearCastle, for his Science Book Challenge. For this challenge one has all year to read three science books. Jeff has been very helpful and his Book Notes section is excellent.I've not spoken of this, but I'm a committee member of the Outstanding Books for the College Bound and Lifelong Learners for American Libraries Association. Within this committee I am on a smaller Science and Technology subcommittee which will pick 25 S&T books for the list. So far we have 5 books we are considering, and we pick in June. Please, if you have any suggestion, leave a comment.
