Shop portable fans
Buy new:
-24% $30.36
FREE delivery Monday, May 26 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Ships from: Amazon
Sold by: ChampReaders
$30.36 with 24 percent savings
List Price: $39.95
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
FREE delivery Monday, May 26 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Or Prime members get FREE delivery Friday, May 23. Order within 3 hrs 57 mins.
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
$$30.36 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$30.36
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Ships from
Amazon
Amazon
Ships from
Amazon
Returns
30-day refund/replacement
30-day refund/replacement
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Payment
Secure transaction
Your transaction is secure
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
$11.38
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
Cover and pages with normal signs of wear. May contain some underlines, highlights or handwriting. Good condition. Cover and pages with normal signs of wear. May contain some underlines, highlights or handwriting. Good condition. See less
FREE delivery Thursday, May 29 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
$$30.36 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$30.36
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Cosmosapiens: Human Evolution from the Origin of the Universe 1st Edition

4.3 out of 5 stars 158 ratings

{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$30.36","priceAmount":30.36,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"30","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"36","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"FHIAz1mNoxLlexw7%2BlNyqmJ9ybIn27NnWDvURfDlI9Tbu69hmSUtquV%2FKqdL93gucgSL7Lv2ALZ3h%2BBkRZsKS1W2X%2FklMhyOGqnYCl%2BxBkKw1jC5ObopjFXiy6P5Ek2O1FKjlgT0T6calxsrBe8P13XYFfyBWVjvHVZIedkYEU4uAJkxLi077CPzKTTBP1Gd","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}, {"displayPrice":"$11.38","priceAmount":11.38,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"11","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"38","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"FHIAz1mNoxLlexw7%2BlNyqmJ9ybIn27NnwVLJ7ao1urafTb01Lb7LRCR%2BDiMvbmccvp9xb5VfyFZ94bpgP5XFh6C%2BSr5AF90bqPj7hekscJDuWd5d63R17Dti1fcQC8zaK%2BOP0Ry2oPp6I6RfluuHH7fXJyMfbjB0Jp6h1ql82PVRkqIahQujEuKeuhy04KNe","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":1}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

Specialist scientific fields are developing at incredibly swift speeds, but what can they really tell us about how the universe began and how we humans evolved to play such a dominant role on Earth?John Hands’s extraordinarily ambitious quest is to bring together this scientific knowledge and evaluate without bias or preconception all the theories and evidence about the origin and evolution of matter, life, consciousness, and humankind.This astonishing book provides the most comprehensive account yet of current ideas such as cosmic inflation, dark energy, the selfish gene, and neurogenetic determinism. In the clearest possible prose it differentiates the firmly established from the speculative and examines the claims of various fields such as string theory to approach a unified theory of everything. In doing so it challenges the orthodox consensus in those branches of cosmology, biology, and neuroscience that have ossified into dogma.Its striking analysis reveals underlying patterns of cooperation, complexification, and convergence that lead to the unique emergence in humans of a self-reflective consciousness that enables us to determine our future evolution.This groundbreaking book is destined to become a classic of scientific thinking.(67 black and white illustrations)

Frequently bought together

This item: Cosmosapiens: Human Evolution from the Origin of the Universe
$30.36
Get it as soon as Monday, May 26
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
Sold by ChampReaders and ships from Amazon Fulfillment.
+
$12.99
Get it as soon as Monday, May 26
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
Total price: $00
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Details
Added to Cart
One of these items ships sooner than the other.
Choose items to buy together.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“In this audacious, ambitious, and philosophically completist study, Hands leads an interdisciplinary search through all the current human knowledge that may help answer two burning questions: What are we, and where do we come from? The result is a pearl of dialectical reasoning between Hands and the most celebrated experts he can find. In today’s age of specialization, readers will welcome this throwback to the days of the well-informed layperson, conversant and opinionated in a variety of topics. Hands grounds his musings in logic and scientific fact to produce a thoughtful treatise for the eternally curious”
-
Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

“A thoughtful, well-written volume”
-
Library Journal

“[A] Book of astonishing ambition and scope.”
-
TLS (A Best Book of the Year)

“A compendious work that will intrigue serious readers”
-
Kirkus

“This is a truly exceptional piece of work.”
-
Tim Crane, Knightbridge Professor of Philosophy, University of Cambridge

“A magisterial, persuasive and thought provoking survey of the horizons of modern science.”
-
Dr James Le Fanu, author of The Rise and Fall of Modern Medicine

“This book is an intellectual tour-de-force…highly recommended for anyone wishing to get a deeper insight into the fundamental but typically arcane theories that purport to explain where we and the universe that surrounds us are coming from.”
-
Professor Francis Heylighen, Evolution, Complexity and Cognition Group, Free University of Brussels

“A major accomplishment”
-
Professor James Shapiro, author of Evolution: A View From The 21st Century

“Any conventional Darwinist (and I am one of them) will find a lot to take exception to: but disagreement is the fuel of progress and if you enjoy an argument this is the book for you.”
-
Professor Steve Jones, author of The Language of the Genes

“An audacious and admirable book…written with engaging style, and the strongest scientific ideas across a swathe of fields in physics and biology are presented lucidly”
-
Larry Steinman, Professor of Neurological Science, Stanford University

“With depth and virtuosity, John Hands explores the Big Questions of human existence: who are we? why are we here? where are we headed? …Hands's voyage of inquiry will not only educate you, it will also surprise.”
-
Derek Shearer, Director, McKinnon Center for Global Affairs, Los Angeles

“A fine book...brave, very wide ranging, synoptic.”
-
Professor Stuart Kauffman, author of At Home in the Universe

“John Hands…came to realise, and makes us realise, how much we don't know. Nevertheless, he is optimistic, and when he comes to human evolution and a schematic view of our history, he is hopeful and sees progress in understanding and co-operation. From his book we get that big picture he sought.”
-
Professor David Knight, author of The Making of Modern Science

“Hands’s book is a game-changer. In the tradition of Thomas Kuhn’s The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, this lucidly written, penetrating analysis challenges us to rethink many things we take for granted about ourselves, our society, and our universe. It will become a classic.”
-
Peter Dreier, E P Clapp Distinguished Professor of Politics, Occidental College

“John Hands is an astute observer of recent trends in scientific ideas bold enough to point out what he sees as sense and nonsense and intelligently explain why. Even in cases where one might disagree, the arguments are thought-provoking.”
-
Paul Steinhardt, Albert Einstein Professor in Science, Princeton University

“A work as bold, broad, and challenging as this will no doubt tweak the bias any one of us may have regarding a particular event, but, then, so did Darwin’s
On the Origin of Species.”
-
Jeffrey Schwartz, Professor of Physical Anthropology and of The History & Philosophy of Science at the University of Pittsburgh

“[A]rgues that mind and matter evolved in unison and, one day, human consciousness and the star-filled universe will be revealed as part of the same cosmic whole. Such ideas were lapped up by the 19th-century followers of Hegel and it is both shocking and invigorating to hear them stated again…in the context of a quantum universe”
-
Nicholas Blincoe, The Telegraph (UK) Best Science Books of 2015

“Hands wants to create here a grand synthesis of the history of scientific research in such fields as astronomy, physics, and evolutionary biology. He lays out a sharply lucid picture of each of these disciplines and expertly summarizes the latest thinking on each.”
-
Open Letters Monthly

About the Author

John Hands has devoted more than ten years to evaluating scientific theories about human evolution from the origin of the universe. He graduated in chemistry from the University of London and co-authored two research studies and published one book in the social sciences. He was the founding Director of the Government’s Co-operative Housing Agency and served on three Government committees. He has tutored in both physics and management studies for the Open University and was Royal Literary Fund Fellow at University College London. He has written three novels and been published in 8 countries.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Abrams Press
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ February 16, 2016
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ 1st
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 704 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1468312448
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1468312447
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.05 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.6 x 1.8 x 9.4 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 out of 5 stars 158 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
John Hands
Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

John Hands devoted more than ten years to evaluating scientific theories about human evolution from the origin of the universe, resulting in the award-winning COSMOSAPIENS, published in the UK, USA, Germany, China, Spain, Korea, and Romania. He has now published the sequel, THE FUTURE OF HUMANKIND Why We Should Be Optimistic. He graduated in science from the University of London, founded the Society for Co-operative Dwellings, published Housing Co-operatives, and was appointed founding Director of the UK Government’s Co-operative Housing Agency. His three critically acclaimed novels, Perestroika Christi, Darkness at Dawn, and Brutal Fantasies were published in the UK and USA, while Perestroika Christi was also published in Germany, Brazil, Russia, Hungary, Poland, and Ukraine. He was Royal Literary Fund Fellow at University College London for 5 years. Previously he had taught physics for Britain’s Open University for 4 years.

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
158 global ratings

Review this product

Share your thoughts with other customers

Customers say

Customers find the book filled with insight, providing a well-balanced evaluation of scientific axioms. Moreover, the writing style receives positive feedback for its simple yet precise language.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more

24 customers mention "Insight"24 positive0 negative

Customers find the book filled with insight, providing a well-balanced evaluation of scientific axioms. One customer describes it as an extraordinary summary of the best information, while another notes its encyclopedic overview of current scientific theories.

"...classes as it is written in the true spirit of science: critical review of assumptions, rigorous reliance on logic and authority, and open-mindedness..." Read more

"...The font, font size, and pitch are very, very appealing. It was first published in hardcover in 2016, but has a 2015 copyright by the author...." Read more

"...In fact, I expect it. But this is the wonder and glory of science: it eventually self-corrects, but only due to the diligence of those who question..." Read more

"An in-depth and well-balanced evaluation of scientific axioms, John Hands' "Cosmosapiens" is truly a remarkable work...." Read more

9 customers mention "Writing style"9 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the writing style of the book, noting its simple yet precise language and clear definitions of terms. One customer highlights its organized structure with concise summaries.

"...scientific community but possesses a sharp, critical mind, a clear writing style and unparalleled thoroughness...." Read more

"...This was a meticulous explanation, rather repetitive in places, also rather technical, and has much to offer those who are unfamiliar with science...." Read more

"...This thought-provoking book is very well-written and organized with concise summaries at the end of each chapter; this allows the reader to decide..." Read more

"...Well done: it's a landmark book, well-written and well-thought-out...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on October 23, 2016
    In 1956, Thomas Kuhn published one of the most influential science books of all time, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions. This book introduced the concept of paradigms and how they change. In essence, when an existing scientific paradigm (or theoretical structure) begins to fail at explaining observations and those failures add up, the existing paradigm eventually collapses, and a new one rises to take its place. For a time, the advocates of the existing paradigm marshal their forces to defend and protect it; after all, the paradigm underpins the science curriculum and defines what it means to be a scientist.

    Cosmosapiens is a significant contribution to a new era in scientific writing. The shelves are filled with books that trumpet the advances of science, the wonders of cosmology, the mysteries of quantum theory, and the power of Darwinian evolution. These books make it appear as if the current theories of science, from the Big Bang to the origin of life and Darwinian evolution, are now engraved in stone, forever to form part of the Scientific Curriculum.

    But it turns out that when the power of critical thinking is used not to defend dutifully the existing scientific paradigm, but is instead used to challenge the assumptions and logical consistency of these theories, something remarkable happens: the old theories start falling apart.

    John Hands is an outsider to the orthodox scientific community but possesses a sharp, critical mind, a clear writing style and unparalleled thoroughness. Some of the most mind-opening passages in the book concern his interaction with scientists he consulted for peer review. In one section he writes about an preeminent scientist (an evolutionary biologist) who he asked to review a draft chapter on evolution. The reviewer was so put off by the first sentence of the chapter that he read no farther, thereby managing to prejudge a rigorous and original analysis of evolution filled with thought-provoking insights. Cosmosapiens, like Lee Smolin's, The Trouble with Physics and Rupert Sheldrake's, Science Set Free, (and I hope my own book, The Collapse of Materialism), clearly and unequivocally shows that many of today’s leading scientists are not practicing science, if by that term we mean the open-minded search for truth. Instead, they are defending and protecting a belief system that they call a scientific paradigm. A paradigm, riddled with flaws and deep mysteries, including the gross assumptions of the Big Bang, the wild speculations of inflationary theory and the multiverse, and the unknown forces making up most of the universe that theorists have given names  “dark matter” and “dark energy”  but cannot explain.

    When scientists stop criticizing their own theories, when they are not candid in revealing their assumptions, when they do not tell us what they don’t know, disclose the gaps in their theories, or reveal their uncertainties, they do a disservice to both science and the world at large. People depend on scientists to not only find the truth, but to tell the truth.

    Cosmosapians should form part of a new curriculum in science classes as it is written in the true spirit of science: critical review of assumptions, rigorous reliance on logic and authority, and open-mindedness. Scientific truth cannot be reached by the stubborn insistence that any new theory will only be discovered through computer modeling or by the use of a multi-billion dollar scientific instrument. Nor is the search advanced by fooling ourselves that only in a particle will we find God.

    It is time the leaders of modern science woke up and realized that the end is near for the existing paradigm. They can choose to hang on and go down with the ship, or take a few minutes and consider whether alternate viewpoints, which give mind, not matter, a predominant role in the formation of the cosmos, make more sense and do something their existing theories do not, which is to explain the world we live in. Cosmosapiens is necessary reading for anyone who doubts that the existing paradigm is nearing the point of collapse.
    31 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on May 19, 2016
    Update, posted August 27, 2016. I have read this book once full-through. I re-read most of it a second time. I am now reading portions of it for the third time. The more I read it, the better it gets. One really has to read this carefully, questioning Hands as much as he questions Richard Dawkins, et al. It's very difficult to find flaws in his arguments or observations. It turns out that much of what we learned as "dogma" in high school biology or college Biology 101 is simply not entirely accurate. As with any subject, there are a lot of "myths," and half-truths. John Hands points these out. He just points them out. He seems to be looking for answers like the rest of us, and the more he reads, the more unsure he becomes. But to enjoy this book, read it quickly through the first time, and then go back and re-read slowly the parts that interest you the most. I think you will be pleasantly surprised if you truly try to understand what Hands is saying.

    Update, posted July 19, 2016, see first comment:
    Wow! Thanks for the comment; it reminded me I needed to go back and rate the book after finishing it. It's still a 5+. I finished it and have gone back several times and re-read portions. I'm sure Richard Dawkins would love it.

    Original Post:
    Wow! The first 20 pages have me very, very intrigued. The negative reviews (one, two, and three stars at Amazon) have me perplexed with regard to my enthusiasm.

    But if you are the kind of person who loves this kind of "stuff," this is a must-read, or at least something to explore. For now, a 5-star recommendation and then come back and expand. For those who suggest this book is too long, I can't imagine it being shorter and still having the necessary "gravitas" for such a subject.

    The font, font size, and pitch are very, very appealing. It was first published in hardcover in 2016, but has a 2015 copyright by the author. Again, a British author, specifically English, which doesn't surprise. The Brits, Irish, and Scots simply do the best when it comes to this kind of writing.
    24 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on May 16, 2016
    A rather standard philosophy of science, which destroys our current paradigm but just doesn't go far enough to include cutting edge research by scholars like Rupert Shelldrake or Nassim Harrimein. Hands leaves us hanging with no possible explanations--only hints at mystical possibilities. This was a meticulous explanation, rather repetitive in places, also rather technical, and has much to offer those who are unfamiliar with science. If you are looking for advanced thinkers or cutting edge theories, keep looking.

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
  • Dainius Pivoras
    5.0 out of 5 stars A good book...
    Reviewed in Germany on January 26, 2020
    The book is awesome. I listened to the audio version, later got a print copy.
    The author really done his homework. He goes ham to separate theory and dogma from facts.
    It turns out humans don't know nearly as much as an average person would think we do.
    Customer image
    Dainius Pivoras
    5.0 out of 5 stars
    A good book...

    Reviewed in Germany on January 26, 2020
    The book is awesome. I listened to the audio version, later got a print copy.
    The author really done his homework. He goes ham to separate theory and dogma from facts.
    It turns out humans don't know nearly as much as an average person would think we do.
    Images in this review
    Customer imageCustomer image
  • Thomas De Vries
    5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Achievement
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 8, 2018
    Item Reviewed: Duckworth Overlook hardback, 2015

    OVERVIEW. The author reviews the current state of the science covering the origins of the Universe, matter, life and Homo Sapiens. He comes to the conclusion that much of the science is poorly founded. The book is surprisingly readable.

    DETAIL.

    The author, a generalist with a degree in chemistry from a long time ago, spent over ten years reviewing the science, as well as creation myths and other mythology for comparison, around cosmology, abiogenesis, and archaeology/anthropology. He evaluates their rationality, reasonableness and coherence. The book contains no maths and it does not read like a book by a scientist. This is an example of the author's style, on page 31 talking about the Big Bang theory:

    "A theory based on a mystery in which the underpinning theories break down and on simplifying assumptions, one of which cannot be tested while the others are contradicted by astronomical observations, falls somewhat short of total reliability."

    The book is divided into four parts.

    -- Part 1, The Emergence and Evolution of Matter (155 pages).

    The author concludes that the theory of creation of matter is reasonable and supported, but cosmology isn't. The conclusion about cosmology is not unreasonable - Sir Roger Penrose reviews the theory much more rigorously in his book Fashion, Faith and Fantasy, in a chapter called Fantasy.

    In fact, Hands says on page 96 that the Big Bang theory is no more reasonable than creation myths. This is hyperbolic - the Big Bang may possibly have occurred.

    -- Part 2, The Emergence and Evolution of Life (263 pages).

    The author concludes that science may never be able to explain the emergence of the first life on Earth. Biological evolution is strongly supported, but the current Neo-Darwinist paradigm is criticised for failing to engage with (inter alia) the complexification of organisms and occasional periods of stasis in development, and for ignoring advantages of collaboration over competition in social animals.

    The widespread story of the evolution of light and dark peppered moths is shown to be less well supported than is advertised. However, biologists become very defensive on this, for fear of providing ammunition to creationists.

    -- Part 3, The Emergence and Evolution of Humans (133 pages).

    After a quick review of evidence the author concludes that Homo Sapiens was the only species to develop reflective consciousness, between 10,000 and 40,000 years ago. This determines the rest of this part, with the period of reflective consciousness successively divided into Primeval (superstitious), Philosophical (non-supernatural thinking), and Scientific. The author has no time for claims that humans are no different from other animals. Also he detects, in the modern world, trends towards increasing complexification, altruism, and co-operation.

    -- Part 4, A Cosmic Process (29 pages).

    This consists of two chapters, one on the many limitations of science, and the other a summary of the other parts. The author concludes that humanity is the unfinished product of an accelerating cosmic evolutionary process, and we are the self-reflective agents of our future evolution.

    -----

    As being apparently the writing of one person, the book is impressive. Unfortunately with this kind of book, it is the number and obviousness of blunders that will help to make or break a reputation. I only found one very obvious mistake (on page 578 it says that Britain declared war on Germany in 1945, when the last time was in fact in 1939). There were a number of doubtful statements in the book, and it is tedious to investigate all. I took the trouble to investigate two such statements.

    The minor blunder was on page 512, where the author says that it is not clear whether the concept of rotation of the Earth was first proposed by Islamic astronomers or by Copernicus. In fact, it was first proposed by certain Greek philosophers. For example, Heraclitus of Pontus, who taught at Plato's Academy (see Weinberg S, "To Explain the World", Penguin 2015, page 85).

    The other blunder is a very loud clanger. The author misunderstands the physical concept of entropy on page 124 and again on pages 147-149, and thinks the Big Bang was a state of very high entropy. He goes so far as to chide Roger Penrose for getting it wrong. This makes nonsense of part of chapter 10.

    It is a good idea for the sciences to be assessed periodically, to help politicians and laypeople to see the advances, but more importantly to prevent any part of the scientific consensus from ossifying into dogma. Unfortunately it is likely that few scientists will pay overmuch attention to this book, which is a shame. They will count against it that it does not read like a book by a scientist, that there are too many mistakes, and that it appears too negative, unlike Penrose who says that fashion, faith and fantasy have their place in science.

    The book is very readable, and written in good English. The dust-jacket is handsome. There are fairly full references and a long index, although I have found some omissions as might be expected for a project of this size.
  • JOSE
    5.0 out of 5 stars Magnifico. Una obra enciclopédica de obligada lectura
    Reviewed in Spain on January 21, 2018
    Una obra exhaustiva, tanto en las fuentes bibliográficas, como en el rigor que ha puesto el autor en exponer las diversas corrientes (a veces contradictorias) que se enfrenta la ciencia a las cuestiones esenciales. El autor repasa lo que la ciencia ha aportado desde las teorías cosmológicas, físicas, geológicas, biológicas, paleontológicas,.. etc para entender como este universo ha podido crear al homo sapiens. No es una obra concluyente; es una fuente de reflexión, un ejercicio de crítica y de información: merece la pena una segunda lectura por la cantidad de datos e información que se aporta. El autor no pretende dar respuestas dogmáticas; se limita a pone delante del lector la gran odisea que es la evolución de la materia inanimada hasta llegar al ser humano. ¡Bravo! La recomiendo tanto para iniciados como eruditos en ciencias
    Un consejo: leer en inglés original
    Report
  • Frédéric
    5.0 out of 5 stars Wow! Très heureux d'avoir lu ce livre.
    Reviewed in Canada on April 22, 2024
    Plusieurs angles sont proposés; la
    race humaine, technologie, science, et même la philosophie.

    Je le recommande fortement pour quiconque aime avoir une vu globale sur plusieurs thèmes, mais plus particulièrement sur l'évolution humaine.
  • Paul P. Mealing
    4.0 out of 5 stars Author challenges scientific orthodoxies without being anti-science
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 18, 2017
    Cosmo Sapiens; Human Evolution from the Origin of the Universe is a very ambitious book, written in 3 major parts: the origin of matter and the Universe; the origin and evolution of life on Earth; and the emergence and evolution of humans. John Hands is a very critical scholar in that he continually challenges scientific orthodoxy without being anti-science and gives historical examples of where scientific orthodoxy has stymied scientific progress in the past.

    He is an advocate of Thomas Khun’s proposition that science progresses in revolutions rather than gradual steps, because evidence and advances in knowledge eventually overturns accepted scientific norms, resulting in ‘paradigm-shifts’ (a term coined by Khun).

    At all levels of his inquiry, Hands challenges long accepted orthodoxies, like the Big Bang and inflationary theory of cosmology, the current theories on the origin of life and the neo-Darwin theory of evolution by natural selection.

    Regarding the origin of life, I would recommend people read Nick Lane’s book, Life Ascending; The Ten Great Inventions of Evolution. Lane, like Hands, gives accounts of many dead-ends in the search for scientific ‘truths’, but unlike Hands, he has a better grasp and understanding of how life may have actually got started on Earth. In other words, after reading Lane, I would challenge some of Hands’ dismissive scepticism in this area. In particular, Hands consistently implies, even states, that the ‘primordial pond’ is the orthodox ‘theory’ for the origin of life, but, according to Lane, our knowledge, hypotheses and ideas have moved well beyond that ‘paradigm’.

    In discussing entropy in the evolution of the Universe, he accuses Roger Penrose of a circular argument which makes it invalid. Penrose simply assumes that the second law of thermodynamics applies to the Universe as a whole and therefore the entropy in the ‘beginning’ must have been extraordinarily, and, to date, inexplicably small. The logical conclusion to Hands calling this a circular argument is to propose that the second law of thermodynamics doesn’t apply to the Universe as a whole. Hands may be right, but it is arguably a far more radical assumption than to say that Penrose’s contrary assumption gives a circular argument, therefore is invalid. In fact, in one of his conclusions towards the end of the book, Hands effectively contends that entropy doesn’t apply to the Universe has a whole, because it’s an evolution of increasing complexity at virtually all scales.

    Hands briefly discusses the anthropic principle, both the weak and strong versions specified by Brandon Carter, plus the more elaborate discussions by John Barrow and Frank Tipler in their lengthy and comprehensive book on the subject. He rightfully points out that the weak principle (that we exist in a universe that allows intelligent entities to evolve because we are here) is a tautology – a point I’ve made myself. The strong principle, which says that the Universe specifically allowed intelligent entities to evolve, leans towards teleology and, some might argue, religious reasoning. Both the weak and strong anthropic principles are philosophical, even metaphysical considerations, not scientific principles per se, and that distinction should be noted. However, given the theme of Hands’ book, the anthropic principles (both of them) can’t be ignored. In fact, on completing the entire book, I believe Hands all but argues for the strong anthropic principle, without specifically saying so.

    The largest section of the book is devoted to evolution and this is where Hands is probably most critical. I’ve long believed that evolution is not as well understood as some proponents claim. Prime examples: evidence suggests that speciation is abrupt rather than gradual (in fact, it’s mathematically chaotic); collaboration plays as much of a role as competition within species; how genes are switched on and determine specific morphologies is little understood; and the role of environment apparently plays a greater role in gene expression than orthodox neo-Darwinism permits. Hands discusses all these issues at length and none of them surprise me. It’s important to appreciate, as Hands does, that one of the reasons that evolutionary biologists are reluctant to admit these unexplained phenomena is because it provides grist for creationists and ID proponents. The truth is, as Hands expounds more than once, that replacing an incomplete scientific theory with mythological and inconsistent stories from the Bible does not expand our knowledge or provide testable scientific explanations. The falsifiability of a theory, a la Popper, is fundamental to progressing it as scientifically valid and viable.

    Despite my criticisms, I think it’s a very erudite read, and I think Hands’ skepticism is largely justified. He gives a number of accounts where he believes researchers have been given short shrift because their findings don’t agree with orthodoxy. Also, as he rightly points out, a cosmological theory that can’t account for 90% of the Universe has a credibility problem.

    One of the major themes, if not THE major theme, is that co-operation trumps competition and conflict when it comes to both biological evolution and cultural evolution as it applies to humanity.