Paleontology: A Brief History of Life
Written by Ian Tattersall
Narrated by Brett Barry
4.5/5
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About this audiobook
Ian Tattersall, a highly esteemed figure in the fields of anthropology, archaeology, and paleontology, leads a fascinating tour of the history of life and the evolution of human beings.
Starting at the very beginning, Tattersall examines patterns of change in the biosphere over time, and the correlations of biological events with physical changes in the Earth's environment. He introduces the complex of evolutionary processes, situates human beings in the luxuriant diversity of Life (demonstrating that however remarkable we may legitimately find ourselves to be, we are the product of the same basic forces and processes that have driven the evolutionary histories of all other creatures), and he places the origin of our extraordinary spiritual sensibilities in the context of the exaptational and emergent acquisition of symbolic cognition and thought.
Concise and yet comprehensive, historically penetrating and yet up-to-date, responsibly factual and yet engaging, Paleontology serves as the perfect entrée to science's greatest story.
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Reviews for Paleontology
35 ratings2 reviews
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Absolutely fantastic book. Best nonfiction I've enjoyed in some time. READ IT! :)
2 people found this helpful
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Most of the book is very interesting and a good read. However, the NOMA (non-overlapping Magisteria) claims of a compatibility between science and religion were disappointing in an otherwise scholarly work.
Science and religion are not compatible - one’s claims to justified true belief (knowledge) is unjustified.
There is no beauty in religion or benefit that could not be found in a good speculative fiction or science fiction book. With the key element that the latter admits it is fiction.2 people found this helpful