Customer Reviews

BEYOND COSMIC DICE

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Now is the time for everyone to read this book. You may not agree with all of it, but discussion about these issues of religion, science, and morality goes beyond being simply relevant and is truly necessary given our current world politics. Beyond Cosmic Dice is an easy read, but densely packed with important ideas. Somehow the authors have managed to pull off making the usually dry subjects of ethics, morality and religion humorous without in any diminishing the serious nature of the discussion. This is actually a page turner! I love the chapter titles, and that irreverence is reflected in the text of the book as well, but without ever being disrespectful toward the long-held beliefs that are being so effectively challenged. If you have ever questioned religion's answers to life's mysteries, then this book is a must read. I do not agree with everything the authors say, but find myself in agreement with their biggest ideas about morality and religion. I loved this book and found it a deeply satisfying read.

Beyond Cosmic Dice is perhaps not the book you would expect from the title. To me, the title suggests that the book is primarily about morality and ethics in a world in which there is no ultimate purpose or absolute morality. In a very real way, this is what this book is about, but not in the way you'd think.

Chapter 1 is an extremely compelling description of the difficulties in defining life. Schweitzer explains quite convincingly that life is not an either-or proposition. Rather, the difference between life and non-life is a gradation. Instead of life being white and nonlife being black, life is closer to blue and nonlife is closer to green, with gradual shades in between. One can look at a dog and say, "this dog is definitely alive" and one can look at a rock and say, "this is definitely not alive", but not all things are so easily classified. As he puts it, "Nobody would deny the existence of green or blue, yet nobody can define when one color becomes the other. That inability to draw a clear line between them does not diminish the reality of the two colors" (pp 46). This is important to understand because when people ask, "how did life arise out of nonlife" they imagine life and nonlife as binary constructs, when in fact they are constructs on a spectrum. "Life" is nothing more than "an arbitrary label we apply to distinguish extremes of complexity along a continuum" (pp 47).

After explaining that life is an arbitrary label, Schweitzer goes on to briefly explain evolution. What I find most spectacular about this chapter is that while I am a seasoned reader of explanations and treatises on evolution, he offered a very unique perspective. He explains that evolution has no direction, purpose or drive toward complexity. Humans, in all of their complexity, are not abnormal in the grand scheme of evolution. In the grand scheme of evolution, simple, single-celled organisms are much more favored by natural selection than complex beings such as us. As Schweitzer puts it, "bacteria can easily live without us, but we would die quickly without them" (pp 65). Bacteria and other simple organisms outnumber us by both sheer numbers and mass - we are the latecomers, a "biological aberration", and when humanity is gone, the bacteria will go on living, having for all intents and purposes not noticed our coming and going at all. If there is a god and he designed the earth for any type of organism, it is not for complex humans but for the single-celled. The earth is far more suited to their kind, and they can survive where we absolutely cannot.

Chapter 3 deals specifically with humans, and the fact that most of the cells in our bodies are not ours (they are the cells of microorganisms using our body as a convenient apartment complex) and most of our DNA is not human either. We are they, and they are us. The other characteristics that we believe make us unique and special (intelligence, tool use, self-consciousness, self-awareness, etc) are not uniquely human. They are present in other species as well, to different degrees. A cheetah could just as easily point out that they are the pinnacle of evolution because they are the fastest land animal, making our claims to superiority quite arbitrary. The only thing that really separates us from everything else is our capacity to choose to be moral.

I found the first three chapters to be the most enlightening aspects of the book. These chapters make up part I. Part II of the book (the next 3 chapters) deals briefly with how religion arose and the shortcomings of religious morality. Part III deals with cultivating a natural ethic based on part I. Schweitzer defines a natural ethic as, "based on the principal that with the ability to choose to be good comes the obligation to make that choice; Choosing to be moral is what makes us special. The act of choosing to live a good life is the foundation for all pleasure, peace and happiness" (pp 176).

All organisms exploit their environment to the maximum extent possible, and humans are the only organism capable of recognizing this and then rising above this exploitative relationship. We should do so because we can.

Schweitzer then lays out moral foundation that he feels arise out of this natural ethic, but he stresses that these are personal guidelines and not universal ones. While I absolutely understand this tack, I feel as though the loose link between the strong and insightful first half of the book and the guidelines for ethical behavior in the second half of the book leave something to be desired. I wanted the book to end as strongly as it started. It didn't, but in a way I think that reflects the reality of morality. I have yet to find a system of morality that operates prescriptively that is also based on solid foundations, and instead I am left with shades of gray and bell curves of behavior. Perhaps that means it is time for me to abandon my childish notion that moral questions can be examined in the same way that we examine other empirical facts about the universe.

Beyond Cosmic Dice is written in an accessible, almost conversational style and is an excellent read for non-theists and theists alike. It may even be a good starting point for a theist with a desire to better understand the naturalistic worldview.

Beyond Cosmic Dice is a very concise manual describing how intelligent human beings can interpret the world around themselves and develop a peace with that understanding, without necessarily depending on the crutch of an "imaginary friend" to explain and support their need to be the supreme species of the universe.

The author, in an unemotional, fact based manner, helps the reader understand how religions became a crutch, and then a corrupt crutch, praying on the weakness and fear of the unknown of the masses.

Ultimately, the author presents a set of guidelines by which our species can live a morally sound life answering only to the basic instincts of good and bad without necessarily creating a totalitarian tautology to describe and encourage such behavior.

The irony is that in some future society, they may uncover a copy of this book and its straight-forward ideas, and decide to create an organized following of those ideas that ultimately becomes a religion (the world according to Schweitzer???) in spite of itself!

Excellent read! Some chapters are rather demanding of attention (i.e. wading thru all of the contemporary moral philosophies in order to break them down) but for the most part, a very informative and intellectually inspiring book to read.

As someone who believes fully in the divine and in the magical unfolding of the mystery of the Universe, I was curious to see what two scientists would have to say about the dismantling of religion in America and even though I think the author's approach is remarkably linear - the 'call' for 'morality' as a Principled based way of life is extraordinary and for this I give KUDOS to the authors voice in the scientific community for calling on such an action to occur ~

Jeff Schweitzer has only touched on a brand new sense of morality that makes sense.

A brief summary: He lays out why our modern religions and theories of ethics have failed to provide a meaningful moral code, in addition to closing the perceived gap between living and non-living. Life is special, but not sacred. He also argues that man evolved to have a special adaptation of a large brain; however, this does not make us automatically superior to other organisms. Our ability to create technologies to survive is just as unique as a Sperm whale's ability to dive kilometers under the ocean's surface or a bird's natural ability to fly. Evolution didn't culminate or end at homo sapiens. We are only a single branch of the evolutionary tree. His new morality is based on this premise; we must live in harmony with earth rather than as rulers of it. Near the end he lays out basic principles to live by.

Review: Beyond Cosmic Dice reminded me of Ishmael: An Adventure of the Mind and Spirit by Daniel Quinn. Schweitzer, however, seems to take the idea behind Ishmael, put it in front of the reader, and make a straightforward argument for it rather than build up to it as Quinn did through a fictional story and broad examination of human history. I thought he dissected religion a little too much, but it may have been necessary to establish why religious moral codes are ultimately improper to live by. The chapters he aimed at recognizing and debunking the perceived difference between life and non-life as a quantum leap were interesting and very enlightening. Anyone who cares about the future of mankind should read this book in order to BEGIN understanding how humans should live on planet earth.

Nicely presented argument for a moral society despite religion. I agreed with almost everything presented. A good book for everyone to read who may not believe in evolution or that we would be better off without religion, which has caused more murder and bloodshed than anything else in history. Human's brains want to believe and explain the unkown so much that they will swallow almost anything presented by a convincing leader, the bible or their priest. Unfortunately, we humans are smart but are really gullible!!!!

Overall this is a pretty good book. It makes a strong argument for a natural approach to morality and does an excellent job of debunking religious morality.

Towards the beginning of the book there is a rather long argument about how humans are really no different than other animals. I get the point but I think it was stretched and as I was reading I couldn't help but be struck by the fact that no other animals were having a similar debate.

The latter part of the book lays out a basic natural morality. I thought it was reasonable but there was no rigor to the arguments in favor of it.

All in all the book makes its overall points well but is not rigorous enough on the details. Despite that I have no problem recommending it and enjoyed the read. It makes one think.

Beyond Cosmic Dice by Jeff Schweitzer and Guiseppe Notarbartolo-di-Sciara

"Beyond Cosmic Dice..." is a philosophical book that looks at the meaning of life through secular eyes. It makes a strong case that humans must create their own ethics without interference of religious dogma. This 258-page book is composed of the following three parts: Part I: Human Kind Inperspective, Part II. Religion and Morality, and Part III. A New Natural Ethic.

Positives:
1. It's an accessible, well-written book that flows well.
2. Provides compelling arguments against the veracity of the bible. Including immoral scripture.
3. Provides arguments in favor of a new moral code that is devoid of "God" and religion.
4. Great quotes spruced throughout book.
5. Provides good arguments in favor of a naturalist worldview.
6. Where would we be without Darwin's awe-inspiring theory of evolution?
7. We were not created...the great diversity of life is a result of random changes that occur over a long period of time.
8. The interesting look at bonobos and their sense of morality.
9. Observational learning in the animal kingdom.
10. The rejection of dualism and hence the insupportable soul.
11. The origin of religion, the need to control and the need to explain away the unknown.
12. Interesting look at religious cults.
13. Evolution as proof that life has no design, purpose or inherent meaning.
14. The importance of natural ethics created by humans through choice.
15. In defense of natural ethics. The superiority of natural ethics over religious morality.
16. An excellent review of major moral theories.
17. Sound moral principles are presented.
18. A chart with a chronology of how moral theory evolved. Excellent.

Negatives:
1. Links did not work for Kindle.
2. Weak humor but attempt was appreciated.
3. Some areas were glanced over. Example...the concept of the soul.
4. Nothing really groundbreaking but the book was informative.

In summary, I enjoyed this book. It was a pleasant read and the authors accomplished what they sought out to do which is to present the superiority of natural ethics over religious morality. The book does a good job of establishing a strong case for natural ethics by using sound reasoning.

Further recommendations: "Sense and Goodness without God" by Richard Carrier, "Hardwired Behavior: What Neuroscience Reveals about Morality" by Laurence Tancredi, "Christian No More..." by Jeffrey Mark, "Godless..." by Dan Barker and "The Moral Landscape" by Sam Harris.

Even without the science, we see the proof that organized religion isn't working and that the morality needs to be a personal choice; however, the science makes it all the more evident.

I have listened to the author, Jeff Schweitzer, on the 4/30/2009 podcast from Point of Inquiry and I was most favorably impressed. I have listened to many (hundreds?) of podcasts from rational thinkers and this author has presented one of the best thought through discussions. I have not read the book yet, but thought I would note the podcast - you can get this free on iTunes or elsewhere. This looks like a rational and exciting discussion on how to evolve beyond our current disappointing state of ethics and morals without falling back again to the failures of dogma.