Rate this book

Superstition: Belief In The Age Of Science (2008)

by Robert L. Park(Favorite Author)

3.77 of 5 Votes: 3

ISBN

0691133557 (ISBN13: 9780691133553)

languge

English

genre

Nonfiction

publisher

Princeton University Press

review 1: Park is a physicist who enjoys debunking silly, superstitious, and or fraudulent beliefs. At the end of his book, the author, has the good grace to admit that the existence of God can be neither proved nor disproved. However, throughout, he makes clear his essential contempt for religion and religious beliefs. He reserves special contempt for those who profit through fraudulent claims of healing or for espousing a religious view but behaving in ways antithetical to those views. A lot of entertaining stories to illustrate his points. Park is clearly not aware of some of his own prejudices and what one might call superstitious beliefs. But that's a minor point.
review 2: Bob Park is fascinated by the same thing I am: why do so many people believe weird things wit... moreh no evidence, or indeed that contradict the evidence and rational thought? He looks at a number of different things, from homeopathy to religion, and comes up with some answers. However, this book feels a little more like a collection of essays than a book, and doesn't say a whole lot that feels new. A quick, good read nonetheless."Humans all seem to be on the verge of apophenia. The brain that is able to link the tides to the phases of the moon may also see in the passage of a comet an omen of victory in battle, or perhaps link a distant supernova to the birth of a god. A strategy is needed to tell which patterns are significant, and which are merely coincidence. It took 160,000 years before such a strategy was found. We call it science."-Bob Park less

Download links for: Superstition: Belief in the Age of Science

Advertising