Join Amazon Prime and get unlimited Free One-Day Delivery. Already a member? Sign in.

 

or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
 
   
More Buying Choices
28 used & new from £5.88
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
   
Evolution as a Religion (Routledge Classics)
 
 
Share your own customer images
Search inside this book

Evolution as a Religion (Routledge Classics) (Paperback)

by Mary Midgley (Author) "The theory of evolution is not just an inert piece of theoretical science ..." (more)
4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
Price: £10.99 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
In stock.
Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk. Gift-wrap available.

Only 4 left in stock--order soon (more on the way).

Want guaranteed delivery by Tuesday, July 7? Choose Express delivery at checkout. See Details
17 new from £5.92 11 used from £5.88
Other Editions: RRP: Our Price: Other Offers:
Hardcover (1) £60.00 £57.00 17 used & new from £39.90
Paperback 16 used & new from £3.85

Frequently Bought Together

Evolution as a Religion (Routledge Classics) + The Myths We Live By + Beast and Man: The Roots of Human Nature (Routledge Classics)
Price For All Three: £35.67

Show availability and shipping details

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

The Myths We Live By

The Myths We Live By

by Mary Midgley
4.0 out of 5 stars (1)  £14.24
Beast and Man: The Roots of Human Nature (Routledge Classics)

Beast and Man: The Roots of Human Nature (Routledge Classics)

by Mary Midgley
5.0 out of 5 stars (1)  £10.44
Science and Poetry (Routledge Classics)

Science and Poetry (Routledge Classics)

by Mary Midgley
3.5 out of 5 stars (2)  £10.44
Wickedness (Routledge Classics): A Philosophical Essay

Wickedness (Routledge Classics): A Philosophical Essay

by Dr Mary Midgley
5.0 out of 5 stars (1)  £8.54
Science as Salvation: A Modern Myth and Its Meaning

Science as Salvation: A Modern Myth and Its Meaning

by Mary Midgley
5.0 out of 5 stars (1)  £18.04
› Explore similar items

Product details

  • Paperback: 224 pages
  • Publisher: Routledge; 2 edition (21 Feb 2002)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0415278333
  • ISBN-13: 978-0415278331
  • Product Dimensions: 19.6 x 12.4 x 1.8 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 199,218 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    •  Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

Customers Viewing This Page May Be Interested in These Sponsored Links

  (What is this?)
A Level History
   www.OxfordCollege.ac/History    A, AS & A2 Home Study Unlimited Support From Specialist Tutors! 
  
 

Product Description

Review
'A graceful, refreshing and enlightening book, applied philosophy that is relevant, timely and metaphysical in the best sense.' - New York Times Book Review; 'Midgley is one of the most acute and penetrating voices in current moral philosophy. Her great gift is clarity, both of thought and, especially, of expression. To follow her reasoning is like watching a ballet dancer walking in the street: there is a litheness, a gracefulness, an ease of articulation, which attest to years of learning lightly worn.' - John Banville, Irish Times

Product Description
Midgley exposes the illogical logic of poor doctrines that shelter themselves behind the prestige of science. Always at home when taking on the high priests of evolutionary theory - Dawkins, Wilson and their acolytes - she has described evolution as "the creation-myth of our age". In "Evolution As A Religion" she examines how science comes to be used as a substitute for religion and points out how badly that role distorts it. Her argument is insightful - a lively indictment of these misuses of science.

See all Product Description
Inside This Book (Learn More)
First Sentence
The theory of evolution is not just an inert piece of theoretical science. Read the first page
Explore More
Concordance
Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index
Search inside this book:

Tags Customers Associate with This Product

 (What's this?)
Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
Check the boxes next to the tags you consider relevant or enter your own tags in the field below
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)
See all 7 tags...

Your tags: Add your first tag
 
See most popular tags

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

Evolution as a Religion (Routledge Classics)
79% buy the item featured on this page:
Evolution as a Religion (Routledge Classics) 4.0 out of 5 stars (4)
£10.99
The Myths We Live By
17% buy
The Myths We Live By 4.0 out of 5 stars (1)
£14.24
Beast and Man: The Roots of Human Nature (Routledge Classics)
4% buy
Beast and Man: The Roots of Human Nature (Routledge Classics) 5.0 out of 5 stars (1)
£10.44
Explore similar items
 

Customer Reviews

4 Reviews
5 star:
 (3)
4 star:    (0)
3 star:    (0)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:
 (1)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.0 out of 5 stars (4 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
33 of 40 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Account of the Power of Stories of Progress, 15 Feb 2004
By A Customer
This book is an interesting, intelligent read. It explains why it is so easy to confuse evolution with teleological stories of progress. It also traverses the boundaries between religion and science, and shows why science is not always as objective as it might seem. At the same time, Midgley is definitely not in the creationist camp. The last reviewer has clearly not read any recent philsophy of science, and has not understood the simple principle that science is not created or interpreted in a social vacuum, but is socially, culturally and historically situated knowledge. Midgely explains this clearly and with interesting examples. I would advise you read the book for yourself and be inspired!
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
18 of 27 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A Brilliant Analysis, 17 Oct 2004
By M. Asher "FRSL" (Kenya) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
In this book, Mary Midgley tells us that the theory of evolution is not only a scientific theory, but also a political one. The new middle-class plutocrats of the Enlightenment needed a 'creation myth' that would explain why they deserved to rule. The answer was Darwin's theory: the survival of the fittest. They were there because they were the best. This new myth was needed to replace the old one of the aristocracy - the myth of Divine Grace - that is, that they were there because it had been ordained by God.
This does not, as Midgley points out, mean that evolution is not 'true'(we are perfectly aware now that there are no 'objective' ideas anyway) or that Darwin was consciously motivated by a need to provide a new political ideology. Evolution is an explanation of natural development that provides many functions. Midgeley is saying that its mythological function is at least as important as its scientific one.
This is a timely and important book. We are, unfortunately, still locked within the 'survival of the fittest' myth. There are modern political ideologists such as Richard Dawkins, masquerading as 'socio-biologists', who are trying to persuade us that we are naturally selfish. Midgley dismisses this view with a disdainful flourish by pointing out that the word 'selfish' has negative connotations in every known language: the idea that we might have evolved to value a negative quality simply does not make sense. ('He is a good man - he's so selfish.')
Writers like Dawkins are dangerous - they use mythology and try to persuade us it is science. They try to convince us that if we behave selfishly it is all right - we can't help it - it is 'in our genes.' They try to convince us that life in Western society is a race in which we all start equal, and those who are the best, win. What we are not told that those who win generally start way in front of the rest.
Midgely, with her 'Ockham's Razor' mind, is showing us that while myths provide a useful function for a time, they eventually wear out. The 'evolution myth' was useful in providing the middle-class with a rational explanation for their dominance, but it is now past its sell-by date.
Midgeley's arguments are sharp and need some concentration, but it is well worth the exercise. I found this book an absolutely thrilling read.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
26 of 45 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A Brilliant Analysis, 17 Oct 2004
By M. Asher "FRSL" (Kenya) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
In this book, Mary Midgley tells us that the theory of evolution is not only a scientific theory, but also a political one. The new middle-class plutocrats of the Enlightenment needed a 'creation myth' that would explain why they deserved to rule. The answer was Darwin's theory: the survival of the fittest. They were there because they were the best. This new myth was needed to replace the old one of the aristocracy - the myth of Divine Grace - that is, that they were there because it had been ordained by God.
This does not, as Midgley points out, mean that evolution is not 'true'(we are perfectly aware now that there are no 'objective' ideas anyway) or that Darwin was consciously motivated by a need to provide a new political ideology. Evolution is an explanation of natural development that provides many functions. Midgeley is saying that its mythological function is at least as important as its scientific one.
This is a timely and important book. We are, unfortunately, still locked within the 'survival of the fittest' myth. There are modern political ideologists such as Richard Dawkins, masquerading as 'socio-biologists', who are trying to persuade us that we are naturally selfish. Midgeley dismisses this view with a disdainful flourish by pointing out that the word 'selfish' has negative connotations in every known language: the idea that we might have evolved to value a negative quality simply does not make sense. ('He is a good man - he's so selfish.')
Writers like Dawkins are dangerous - they use mythology and try to persuade us it is science. They try to convince us that if we behave selfishly it is all right - we can't help it - it is 'in our genes.' They try to convince us that life in Western society is a race in which we all start equal, and those who are the best, win. What we are not told that those who win generally start way in front of the rest. Well what does it matter? It's all in the genes.
Midgely, with her 'Ockham's Razor' mind, is showing us that while myths provide a useful function for a time, they eventually wear out. The 'evolution myth' was useful in providing the middle-class with a rational explanation for their dominance, but it is now past its sell-by date.
Midgley's arguments are sharp and need some concentration, but it is well worth the exercise. I found this book an absolutely thrilling read.
Comment Comment (1) | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)


Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews

1.0 out of 5 stars As religion?
It beats me why Prof Midgley needed a whole book.

I could easily do "Why Evolution is Science" in 200 words.
Published 3 months ago by Mr. Paul Pickering

Only search this product's reviews


Customer Discussions

 Beta (What's this?)
This product's forum (0 discussions)
  Discussion Replies Latest Post
  No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
  [Cancel]


Active discussions in related forums
   
Related forums

Listmania!

Create a Listmania! list

Look for similar items by category

Look for similar items by subject












i.e., each product must be in subject 1 AND subject 2 AND ...

Feedback

The Body Shop

The Body Shop - Vitamin C Skin Boost
Protect and boost your glow with The Body Shop Vitamin C Skin Boost.

›Shop The Body Shop

  

More From Mary Midgley

The Myths We...

The Myths We Live By by Mary Midgley

"An elegant and sane little book. Unusually for a philosopher, Midgley... Read more
£14.24

 

Train Hard...Play Hard

Nike, Gola, Converse, and more
Gear up with up to 60% off athletic and outdoor shoes.

›Shop now

  

Treat Someone

Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificates--available in any amount from £5 to £500 With an Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificate, you can get them what they want (even if you don't know what that is).

›Learn more about Gift Certificates

  
Ad

Where's My Stuff?

Delivery and Returns

Need Help?

Your Recent History

  (What's this?)
You have no recently viewed items or searches.

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.

Look to the right column to find helpful suggestions for your shopping session.
Continue Shopping: Top Sellers

amazon.co.uk Amazon Home
International Sites:  United States  |  Germany  |  France  |  Japan  |  Canada  |  China
Business Programs: Sell on Amazon  |  Fulfilment by Amazon  |  Join Associates  |  Join Advantage
Customer Service  |  Help  |  View Basket  |  Your Account
About Amazon.co.uk  |  Careers at Amazon
Conditions of Use & Sale |  Privacy Notice  © 1996-2009, Amazon.com, Inc. and its affiliates