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Awards
OverviewFor many of us, the great scientific discoveries of the modern age--the Big Bang, evolution, quantum physics, relativity-- point to an existence that is bleak, devoid of meaning, pointless. But in The Sacred Depths of Nature, eminent biologist Ursula Goodenough shows us that the scientific world view need not be a source of despair. Indeed, it can be a wellspring of solace and hope. This eloquent volume reconciles the modern scientific understanding of reality with our timeless spiritual yearnings for reverence and continuity. Looking at topics such as evolution, emotions, sexuality, and death, Goodenough writes with rich, uncluttered detail about the workings of nature in general and of living creatures in particular. Her luminous clarity makes it possible for even non-scientists to appreciate that the origins of life and the universe are no less meaningful because of our increasingly scientific understanding of them. At the end of each chapter, Goodenough's spiritual reflections respond to the complexity of nature with vibrant emotional intensity and a sense of reverent wonder. A beautifully written celebration of molecular biology with meditations on the spiritual and religious meaning that can be found at the heart of science, this volume makes an important contribution to the ongoing dialog between science and religion. This book will engage anyone who was ever mesmerized--or terrified--by the mysteries of existence. Full Product DetailsAuthor: Ursula Goodenough (Professor of Biology, Professor of Biology, Washington University, St. Louis)Publisher: Oxford University Press Inc Imprint: Oxford University Press Inc Dimensions: Width: 15.40cm , Height: 2.20cm , Length: 21.90cm Weight: 0.422kg ISBN: 9780195126136ISBN 10: 0195126130 Pages: 224 Publication Date: 27 May 1999 Audience: Professional and scholarly , Professional & Vocational Format: Hardback Publisher's Status: Active Availability: To order Stock availability from the supplier is unknown. We will order it for you and ship this item to you once it is received by us. Table of ContentsReviewsThe groundwork for a religious naturalism is superbly laid - in this respect the detail and precision with which she [Goodenough] presents the context of our human experience is an important advance on previous authors. The structure of her book is also an important innovation, in its alternation of third-person and first-person perspectives. Most importantly of all, she presents a highly coherent case for the possibility of a planetary ethic which bypasses the authority of scriptural tradition deriving its authority instead from science Ecotheology """Goodenough gives us a new bridge between science and religion that is both eloquent and elegant. She offers us the poetry, power, and passion of her vision of nature, a vision born from scientific knowledge, nurtured by religious sensibility, and inspired by nature itself."" --Mary Evelyn Tucker, historian of religion, Bucknell University ""An engaging, authoritative and lyrical account of the molecular basis of life and its evolution. Goodenough...explains the dynamics of biology with the evident pleasure of a gifted science writer. Her reflections evoke a deep gratitude for the magic of our existence and the necessity to preserve that which makes it possible.""--Thomas Pollard, cell biologist, President, The Salk Institute ""Incisive, comprehensive, witty, and beautiful, with paragraph after paragraph of lucidity and significance. We could be witnessing one of the most important cultural events of the last three centuries--the moment when scientists themselves take seriously their role in forging a planetary wisdom.""--Brian Swimme, cosmologist, California Institute of Integral Studies ""A celebration of molecular biology, with meditations on the spiritual and religious meaning that can be found at the heart of science, makes an important contribution to the ongoing dialog between science and religion. This book well engage anyone who has ever been mesmerized--or terrified--by the mysteries of existence.""--Biology Digest ""Her descriptions of enzymes, zygotes, and eukaryotes are crystal clear, and warmly complement her outlook.""--Gilbert Taylor,Booklist ""In this unique book...Goodenough has accomplished what few scientists dare to try: to provide a clear, even reductionist, account of the most modern concepts in science.""--San Francisco Examiner & Chronicle ""For a scientist like myself, Goodenough's elegant narratives provide a refreshing way to encounter familiar material. I was especially impressed with her ability to cut right to the quick, so that within a few short pages the reader is whisked from the big bang to the emergence of our planet and the birth of life on earth.""--Scientific American" Goodenough gives us a new bridge between science and religion that is both eloquent and elegant. She offers us the poetry, power, and passion of her vision of nature, a vision born from scientific knowledge, nurtured by religious sensibility, and inspired by nature itself. --Mary Evelyn Tucker, historian of religion, Bucknell University An engaging, authoritative and lyrical account of the molecular basis of life and its evolution. Goodenough...explains the dynamics of biology with the evident pleasure of a gifted science writer. Her reflections evoke a deep gratitude for the magic of our existence and the necessity to preserve that which makes it possible. --Thomas Pollard, cell biologist, President, The Salk Institute Incisive, comprehensive, witty, and beautiful, with paragraph after paragraph of lucidity and significance. We could be witnessing one of the most important cultural events of the last three centuries--the moment when scientists themselves take seriously their role in forging a planetary wisdom. --Brian Swimme, cosmologist, California Institute of Integral Studies A celebration of molecular biology, with meditations on the spiritual and religious meaning that can be found at the heart of science, makes an important contribution to the ongoing dialog between science and religion. This book well engage anyone who has ever been mesmerized--or terrified--by the mysteries of existence. --Biology Digest Her descriptions of enzymes, zygotes, and eukaryotes are crystal clear, and warmly complement her outlook. --Gilbert Taylor,Booklist In this unique book...Goodenough has accomplished what few scientists dare to try: to provide a clear, even reductionist, account of the most modern concepts in science. --San Francisco Examiner & Chronicle For a scientist like myself, Goodenough's elegant narratives provide a refreshing way to encounter familiar material. I was especially impressed with her ability to cut right to the quick, so that within a few short pages the reader is whisked from the big bang to the emergence of our planet and the birth of life on earth. --Scientific American Author InformationUrsula Goodenough is Professor of Biology at Washington University. One of America's leading cell biologists, she is the author of a bestselling textbook on genetics, and has served as President of the American Society of Cell Biology and of the Institute on Religion in an Age of Science. She lives in St. Louis, Missouri, and in Chilmark, Massachusetts, on Martha's Vineyard. Tab Content 6Author Website:Countries AvailableAll regions |