Customer Reviews

Three Scientists and Their Gods: Looking for Meaning in an Age of Information

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4 star:		(3)
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Wright focuses on the theories of digital physicist Edward Fredkin (the universe is a computer), sociobiologist Edward O. Wilson (the universe is united by genes and culture), and Kenneth Boulding (the universe is united through communication as a natural process of evolution). Each man has *faith* in his hypothesis without following it up with rigorous experiments. Therefore, this book reads as one man's evaluation of other men's ego trips. I give it four stars, tho, because it is an excellent review and synthesis of these theories, including their origins. The book touches upon the "coincidence" that each theory maps into the basic tenets of the world's religions. Wright includes a fantastic bibliography with reviews of each listing; definitely worthwhile if you are interested in any of these theories. (For a more captivating read of Wright, check out _The Moral Animal_ and _Nonzero_. In those books, he continues what he starts in _Three Scientists_.)

In agreement with another reviewer, that this is a good synthesis of the theories of the scientists reviewed and very readable with discussions in layman terms. However, if one has not been introduced to these theories, then spend the time to take the brain out of the box and on a wonderful stroll. If so, I am confident that after consumption of these theories you will have an active interest and enthusiasm to pursue further studies, or further reading in at least one (1) of the three (3) views.

I recently re-visited this book after reading it years ago. It has improved with age for me, as I have become more knowledgeable and so able to "interface" with it better.

It is always good to read about E.O. Wilson, but there are other books which offer interesting profiles, including his own.

The section I came back to is the one on Fredkin -- the one who thinks the universe is "digital." I think he's right in thinking that spacetime is discrete as opposed to analog. As string theory founders, or at least doesn't seem to be going anywhere into what you'd call testable, it's worth thinking about the idea I thought was pretty outrageous the first time I read it, of a truly digital universe. (If you get REALLY into exploring that set of ideas, you can find his website on line, with his papers and a forum.)

But that's only one of the ideas packed into this book. I found on revisiting it that I'd put about 100 placemarkers and marginal notes in this the first time I read it. I didn't AGREE with everything said in this book, but it did stimulate quite a bit of thought.