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Steve Paulson
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Atoms and Eden: Conversations on Religion and Science 1st Edition

by Steve Paulson (Author)

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Here is an unprecedented collection of twenty freewheeling and revealing interviews with major players in the ongoing--and increasingly heated--debate about the relationship between religion and science. These lively conversations cover the most important and interesting topics imaginable: the Big Bang, the origins of life, the nature of consciousness, the foundations of religion, the meaning of God, and much more.
In Atoms and Eden, Peabody Award-winning journalist Steve Paulson explores these topics with some of the most prominent public intellectuals of our time, including Richard Dawkins, Karen Armstrong, E. O. Wilson, Sam Harris, Elaine Pagels, Francis Collins, Daniel Dennett, Jane Goodall, Paul Davies, and Steven Weinberg. The interviewees include Christians, Buddhists, Jews, and Muslims, as well as agnostics, atheists, and other scholars who hold perspectives that are hard to categorize. Paulson's interviews sweep across a broad range of scientific disciplines--evolutionary biology, quantum physics, cosmology, and neuroscience--and also explore key issues in theology, religious history, and what William James called ''the varieties of religious experience.'' Collectively, these engaging dialogues cover the major issues that have often pitted science against religion--from the origins of the universe to debates about God, Darwin, the nature of reality, and the limits of human reason. These are complex, intellectually rich discussions, presented in an accessible and engaging manner. Most of these interviews were originally published as individual cover stories for Salon.com, where they generated a huge reader response. Public Radio's "To the Best of Our Knowledge" will present a major companion series on related topics this fall.
A feast of ideas and competing perspectives, this volume will appeal to scientists, spiritual seekers, and the intellectually curious.
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  1. ISBN-10
    0199743169
  2. ISBN-13
    978-0199743162
  3. Edition
    1st
  4. Publisher
    Oxford University Press
  5. Publication date
    November 2, 2010
  6. Language
    English
  7. Dimensions
    9.5 x 6.1 x 0.9 inches
  8. Print length
    312 pages
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"In this wonderfully insightful and provocative book, Atoms and Eden, radio journalist Steve Paulson explores two of the most powerful forces in human history - science and religion - and the way they shape our world view. Using interviews with scientists, historians and philosophers as a springboard, Paulson deftly creates a conversation about faith, doubt and the very nature of belief systems that draws the reader into rethinking assumptions about what's important in the way we build our lives today."

--Deborah Blum, author, Ghost Hunters: William James and the Search for Scientific Proof of Life After Death

"These transcripts capture the excitement of the radio series from which they are drawn. They stimulate the imagination, broaden the knowledge of all but the most widely informed readers, and clarify key issues and perspectives in the tensions between science and religion."--Library Journal

Book Description

A stellar who's who of public intellectuals ponder some of the most interesting topics in the debate over science and religion

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Oxford University Press
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ November 2, 2010
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ 1st
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 312 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0199743169
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0199743162
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 15.2 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 9.5 x 6.1 x 0.9 inches
  • Best Sellers Rank: #1,564,018 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Steve Paulson

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Top reviews from the United States

  • Elderman
    5.0 out of 5 stars The Battle Goes On!
    Reviewed in the United States on August 6, 2011
    Verified Purchase
    Up until the late 19th century it was not unusual to find clergy dabbling in fields of science. An example is John Wesley, an Anglican priest who birthed early Methodism, was noted for his writings and experiments in science and medicine. The title of a most popular book among lay people and physicians of the 18th century was entitled PRIMITIVE PHYSICK that was a best seller and considered to be a valuable source for medical knowledge and practices. It is worth noting that the book was acknowledged in the PROCEDINGS Of THE ROYAL SOCIETY of MEDICINE, Volume 13, 1920, for its set of rules for good health.

    ATOMS & EDEN: Conversations on Religion and Science written by Steve Paulson, Executive Producer of Wisconsin Public Radio's nationally syndicated radio program To The Best of Our Knowledge, uses the tools of interviews with clergy and scientists, believers and non-believers alike, to provide a tool for intelligent discussion and research for today's readers. His interviews with scientists of various disciplines, clergy of differing faith persuaions and those who choose to be known as atheists are like discovering nuggets of gold in a muddy stream of water.

    This is a thoughtful, challenging book great for personal engagement with the struggle between science and relgion and for study groups whether or not in local churches.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • jp drotsky
    4.0 out of 5 stars very balanced view of a difficult subject
    Reviewed in the United States on July 20, 2013
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    halve of the people interviewed are scared that they might not go to heaven, the rest knows that heaven and hell don't exsist. Just think how boring it would be to stay in a place where nothing happens every second forever.
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  • Ashton Womack
    5.0 out of 5 stars Interviews from today's greatest minds
    Reviewed in the United States on October 4, 2015
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    I was assigned to read portions of this book for a college class and found it so fascinating that I read the whole thing. This book contains incredible interviews from many prominent figures in religion, science, and the academic study of religion. Topics include the function of religion, the existence of God, the meaning of the universe, the history of the Earth, and so on. Paulson mostly gets out of the way and lets the powerful minds in this book speak for themselves, although he pushes them for more at times. This book presents an incredible variety of thoughts and beliefs about the world we live in. Read this book to peek into the minds of Sam Harris, Richard Dawkins, Karen Armstrong, Francis Collins, E.O. Wilson, Jane Goodall, and many more.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Laurie S.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in the United States on October 24, 2015
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    Great book
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  • jclark211
    3.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable and Insightful, but Lacking
    Reviewed in the United States on April 15, 2015
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    For the most part, the conversations included in this book are very insightful and easy to follow. And Paulson enhances the discussion by graciously referencing books authored and cited by those interviewed. Regrettably however, the book itself does not really deliver on its promise of scientific and religious debate. Instead, it seems decidedly tilted towards the supremacy of science as the ultimate exclusive truth authority. Notwithstanding my own agnostic leaning beliefs, Paulson could have, and perhaps should have provoked a more compelling debate by including interviews from additional theologians. Nevertheless, overall this was an enjoyable and thought provoking read.
    One person found this helpful
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  • cprkwy8
    4.0 out of 5 stars Great Topic
    Reviewed in the United States on October 31, 2015
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    Lots of interesting ideas to grapple with here. I had strong reactions to a number of the essays in this collection, which made it worthwhile reading for me.
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  • Dr. Peter Davies
    5.0 out of 5 stars Tolerant, interested, engaged and interesting,
    Reviewed in the United States on September 21, 2014
    This is an excellent book. Steve Paulson is a gentle but thorough interviewer who knows his subjects well, and who asks the right questions to get them to display their knowledge and arguments well. He challenges a bit, and gets some useful clarifications of people's views. He doesn't get into all out challenges to his subject's propositions. There's debate and conversation here, not polemic.The pages come across as engaged conversations, with people who know something about the topic, and actually respect each other more than polarised reports might suggest. There's actually some listening going on in these interviews.

    As a result all the participants come across as more rounded, nuanced, thoughtful and tolerant than they usually do. My opinion of Daniel Dennett in particular went up after reading his interview in this book. Sadly Richard Dawkins remains as polarising and argumentative as ever, not conceeding or considering other's views, evidence or feelings.

    This book is well worth reading, and takes readers a long way into the God Debate- both as to whether God exists- and more interestingly into what sort of a God might be said to exist. It brings the sides in the God debate together in conversation, and shows that there is much more to the question of God- both on human and metaphysical levels- than simple debates about his existence admit.

    I can recommend this book both to theists and atheists, as it will deepen their understanding of what we are actually debating.
    One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Dr. Peter Davies
    5.0 out of 5 stars Tolerant, interested, engaged and interesting
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 5, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    This is an excellent book. Steve Paulson is a gentle but thorough interviewer who knows his subjects well, and who asks the right questions to get them to display their knowledge and arguments well. He challenges a bit, and gets some useful clarifications of people's views. He doesn't get into all out challenges to his subject's propositions. There's debate and conversation here, not polemic.The pages come across as engaged conversations, with people who know something about the topic, and actually respect each other more than polarised reports might suggest. There's actually some listening going on in these interviews.

    As a result all the participants come across as more rounded, nuanced, thoughtful and tolerant than they usually do. My opinion of Daniel Dennett in particular went up after reading his interview in this book. Sadly Richard Dawkins remains as polarising and argumentative as ever, not conceeding or considering other's views, evidence or feelings.

    This book is well worth reading, and takes readers a long way into the God Debate- both as to whether God exists- and more interestingly into what sort of a God might be said to exist. It brings the sides in the God debate together in conversation, and shows that there is much more to the question of God- both on human and metaphysical levels- than simple debates about his existence admit.

    I can recommend this book both to theists and atheists, as it will deepen their understanding of what we are actually debating.
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  • David E. Perkins
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Lot to Think About!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 26, 2012
    Verified Purchase
    A series of interviews with highly disparate people gives a very broad range of views which a quite thought-provoking, even where I disagreed with them.

    A very thoughtful presentation where quite some effort seems to have been made to link ideas in different interviews together, as if Steve Paulson really was trying to take interviewees' views on board and explore them with other interviewees. He seemed genuinely interested in the views put to him, without imposing his own on the conversations, and has put together a very cohesive collection of 'essays'. At the end of it I felt, for example, that I could see where Richard Dawkins was coming from (though I'm not there!), yet also qwuite clearly (to me) where he has got his crusade out of kilter, with the result that he may not end up where he wants to go.

    Recommended to those for, against and undecided! Made me THINK.
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