The Flight from Science and Reason

Rating:
Summary: Necessary work, but overly academic
Review: As a history major, and someone who is fed up with post-modernist nonesense at the university, this book was a must-read for me.

I only have two concerns with this otherwise solid title.

1) The text is too academic -- how about a short, readable book for the masses? I propose a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) format that would enable students and others to confront unargued post-modern dogma.

2) I would have loved an examination of the historical roots of post-modernism and other forms of irrationalism. For those who are interested, Wendy Kaminer's book 'Sleeping with Extra-Terrestrials' is a good examination of American irrationalism.

Finally, if anyone else reading this review is a student (or teacher) at a university who is concerned with the stifling of free inquiry in education, please e-mail me and initiate a discussion. Thank you.

Rating:
Summary: Invaluable
Review: I purchased "The Flight From Science And Reason" to seek further support for the notion that understanding is decaying in my community, and I was not disappointed. Evidence of the decline of the ability to reason was supplied by every article, but not just by their exposure of the absurdity of some populist notions, but by the absence of plain English from the whole work. The arguments put forward lack clarity and simplicity, while employing unduly long words mixed with made up words. Though some articles are just ponderous others are incomprehensible ravings.

Rating:
Summary: Necessary work, but overly academic
Review: Those looking for some more (well deserved) bashing of the postmodernist academic left, such as that found in Gross and Levitt's previous book "Higher Superstition" may be disappointed. This book is a collection of papers delivered at a conference held under the auspices of the New York Academy of Sciences, organized by the authors. The papers vary both in quality and in thrust depending on the author.

The book is divided into 11 sections, each containing three to five papers that fit into the general category. Categories include "The Public Image of Science", "The Foundations of Physics", "Health", "Environment", "Feminism", "Humanities", "Religion" and "Education", among others.

It being proceedings from a conference, few papers actually delve into particular examples of bad science. Notable exceptions are "Building bridges to Afrocentrism" by Ann Macy Roth and "Whatever happened to historical evidence?" by Mary Lefkowitz, both of which contain criticisms of many afrocentrist claims regarding the egyptians, among a handful of others. Other papers talk about the philosophical underpinnings of the postmodernist movement, or survey some of the literature, or encourage scientist to speak up in defense of science against the attacks by those championing the irrational. Many authors try not to get into discussions of validity in order to not be seen as "preaching to the choir", which can leave the lay reader looking for more postmodernist howlers feeling ill-served.

On the other hand, the articles contain a wealth of information in the form of references, and mark trends both of the anti-science academic left and her critics. Not recommended to non-scientist (read Gross and Levitt's other book instead), but those with a keen interest in the debates what what science "is" will find it an interesting and thought provoking read.

Rating:
Summary: The style of this book
Review: To the critics of this book's style rather than content: This is a collection of conference proceedings. This means that the articles are basically transcribed lectures. The slightly awkward style of writing stems from the origins of the articles as speech, not text.

As for the content: superb.

Rating:
Summary: A Critique of UnReason
Review: To write a review of this book is actually to exercise the very constructivist principles which the Enlightenment bestowed on the humanities. Most of what passes for criticism these days is so de-constructivist that one wonders exactly what qualitative judgement is being passed, and exactly on what subject. These are writings by academics, and so what? They remind me of the early-Christian monks in Ireland, transcribing the surviving wisdom of the ancients and periodically fleeing from barbarian hordes farther and farther West. Well, this is as far West as we can go, folks. It's time to turn and face the barbarians. Unless you're one of those bored citizens who're looking forward to them, like the ones in Cavafy's "Waiting for the Barbarians."

Rating:
Summary: A Critique of UnReason
Review: To write a review of this book is actually to exercise the very constructivist principles which the Enlightenment bestowed on the humanities. Most of what passes for criticism these days is so de-constructivist that one wonders exactly what qualitative judgement is being passed, and exactly on what subject. These are writings by academics, and so what? They remind me of the early-Christian monks in Ireland, transcribing the surviving wisdom of the ancients and periodically fleeing from barbarian hordes farther and farther West. Well, this is as far West as we can go, folks. It's time to turn and face the barbarians. Unless you're one of those bored citizens who're looking forward to them, like the ones in Cavafy's "Waiting for the Barbarians."