The Hidden Face of God: Science Reveals the Ultimate Truth

Rating:
Summary: The link that ties science and religion to the bewildered.
Review: I thought Maimonides "Guide to the Perplexed" would come close to letting me understand God... but it didn't.. only opened up even more perplexing problems with my observations of the universe and the religious view of "what it all means". Schroeder's book tied together many thoughts and concepts that have bothered me for many years and suddenly made it seem, as it should, that these are indications of the work of this universal "higher order". Schroeder's insight was the key to me understanding the relationships I knew where there in thermodynamics, quantum mechanics, and classical physics in trying to understand of God. The "conciousness" of a bunch of chemicals in the biological world had to be imbued by an influence, and that influence certainly couldn't have come from within the universe! Maybe after reading this book, it makes sense to reread some Kabalist works...

Rating:
Summary: A physicist should stick to physics
Review: Let me first emphasize that I am a BIG fan of Schroeder's earlier books, "Genesis and the Big Bang" and "The Science of God". Both are mainly about physics and have successfully reconciled science and the Bible. In "The Hidden Face of God", he switches his focus to neuroscience and cellular biology, which is a logical extension of his previous books. The main thesis of the book is that the wisdom of God is hidden in the fine details of biology, and as scientists learn more about these details, the more obvious it becomes that life on Earth was intelligently designed. Unfortunately, biology is a field he doesn't know much about, and he obviously did not do adequate research prior to writing this book. As a neuroscientist specializing in the visual system, I can tell you that there are countless scientific inaccuracies in this book; however, in the grand scheme of things, these inaccuracies do not matter that much. A much more serious problem is the overall approach that the author uses: he first describes various biological phenomena in excruciating detail, showing how bewilderingly complex they are, and then conclude that there is no way that these complex biological activities could have arisen through random processes. For many years, Christians have repeatedly used this argument to "disprove" the theory of evolution based on natural selection. Unfortunately, anyone who has read and understood Richard Dawkins' "The Blind Watchmaker" or "Climbing Mount Improbable" would know that evolution is anything but random. So, the basic assumption of "The Hidden Face of God" is flawed, and the strength of Schroeder's "conclusion" is thus substantially weakened. Schroeder has made the same mistake that countless others have made, and that's the saddest thing about this book.

Rating:
Summary: Honesty not cleanliness is next to Godliness
Review: Mr Schroeder's clear and concise analysis of molecular biology, and quantum theory in relation to the internal wisdom of the universe is refreshing. His application of all the above information to a refutation of Evolution as an explanation for the existence of life on earth is nothing short of brilliant. Making the information accessible to the lay reader is a gift and a joy. Thank you Gerald Schroeder.

Rating:
Summary: Reductionism and teleology.
Review: Noted Israeli physicist Gerald Schroeder presents a compelling case that our universe is readily reducible to simply this -- an immaterial wisdom. "The solidity of iron is actually 99.9999999999999 percent startlingly vacuous space made to feel solid by ethereal fields of force having no material reality at all." And what is that tiny portion of an "atom" of matter that we describe as supposedly being "matter", that is, the quarks and electrons? They are incredibly precise (i.e., specified) packets of 'frozen' energy, highly tuned to interact with these highly tuned "ethereal fields." It seems that such objects are essentially intellectual constructs, as are all the "objects" of the so-called particle zoo. We call "something" a quark (or a photon, electron, etc) only because we can assign a certain behavior to "it". But what is "it"? Apart from saying that "it" is specified information, nobody knows. Within the quantum mechanical framework, these "objects" are essentially mathematical objects. As Einstein told us, what we call matter is merely condensed ("frozen") energy. And it turns out that energy is merely information. But what incredibly elegant information it is! (If it were not, neither people nor stars nor any "material" thing could exist). The materialist paradigm of our age is decidedly uneasy with the revelation that "matter" is but an elegant creation of a nonmaterial and extra cosmic entity. Why should we have an "Elegant Universe"? Philosophical pre-commitments seek a "blind" non-thing as an explanation, actually demanding a clumsy series of explanations other than the theist's Creator. (Interestingly, this approach is mislabeled "reductionism" and/or "positivism"!) "Consider the 'coincidences'" of nature's wisdom, asks Schroeder, and explanations other than a wise Creator "must seem a bit forced," even to the atheist.
The only detraction that I will offer is that the author subscribes to a kind of 'process theology'. Overall, this may be a minor problem. Schroeder's central thesis is itself elegant (and modestly eloquent, and yes, obvious to anyone who isn't psychologically pre-committed to rejecting it out of hand).

Rating:
Summary: Reductionism and teleology.
Review: Noted Israeli physicist Gerald Schroeder presents a compelling case that our universe is readily reducible to simply this -- an immaterial wisdom. "The solidity of iron is actually 99.9999999999999 percent startlingly vacuous space made to feel solid by ethereal fields of force having no material reality at all." And what is that tiny portion of an "atom" of matter that we describe as supposedly being "matter", that is, the quarks and electrons? They are incredibly precise (i.e., specified) packets of 'frozen' energy, highly tuned to interact with these highly tuned "ethereal fields." It seems that such objects are essentially intellectual constructs, as are all the "objects" of the so-called particle zoo. We call "something" a quark (or a photon, electron, etc) only because we can assign a certain behavior to "it". But what is "it"? Apart from saying that "it" is specified information, nobody knows. Within the quantum mechanical framework, these "objects" are essentially mathematical objects. As Einstein told us, what we call matter is merely condensed ("frozen") energy. And it turns out that energy is merely information. But what incredibly elegant information it is! (If it were not, neither people nor stars nor any "material" thing could exist). The materialist paradigm of our age is decidedly uneasy with the revelation that "matter" is but an elegant creation of a nonmaterial and extra cosmic entity. Why should we have an "Elegant Universe"? Philosophical pre-commitments seek a "blind" non-thing as an explanation, actually demanding a clumsy series of explanations other than the theist's Creator. (Interestingly, this approach is mislabeled "reductionism" and/or "positivism"!) "Consider the 'coincidences'" of nature's wisdom, asks Schroeder, and explanations other than a wise Creator "must seem a bit forced," even to the atheist.
The only detraction that I will offer is that the author subscribes to a kind of 'process theology'. Overall, this may be a minor problem. Schroeder's central thesis is itself elegant (and modestly eloquent, and yes, obvious to anyone who isn't psychologically pre-committed to rejecting it out of hand).

Rating:
Summary: A First Rate Teacher
Review: Schroeder is a wonderful teacher. He sees the sublime in science and his prose is at times beautifully poetic. He delves in both the macrocosm as well as microcosm using both to show that there is an inherent design to the universe and the life within it. This is a book that is well suited to those who would run from the usual creationist palaver yet feel that all of the wonder we see in this universe has to be more than an accident.

Rating:
Summary: A First Rate Teacher
Review: Schroeder is a wonderful teacher. He sees the sublime in science and his prose is at times beautifully poetic. He delves in both the macrocosm as well as microcosm using both to show that there is an inherent design to the universe and the life within it. This is a book that is well suited to those who would run from the usual creationist palaver yet feel that all of the wonder we see in this universe has to be more than an accident.

Rating:
Summary: Great information - Short on Religion
Review: This book basically says, life is so complex and amazing that there must be a God. That there is no way nature can just spontaneously function this way(unless designed by a creator) and have developed on its own. It goes into great detail on a cellular level and how we function, how a baby is formed. The information is in great detail and builds a strong case but reads like a medical manual. The religious or "God" tie ins are barely incorperated. I think the book "Show Me God" by Fred Hereen is a much better place to start if you are really looking for an indisputible case for God or a divine creator.

Rating:
Summary: amazing synthesis of scientific and spiritual wisdom
Review: This book is the book I have been waiting for. While drawing on mostly Western spiritual resources to complement the hardest of the physical sciences, the author pushes no specific religion and in fact seems to be in agreement with all the world's major wisdom traditions. This was a truly awe-inspiring experience, especially for someone like me who is always thirsting for reliable knowledge from science and religion.