In this book you will see how commonly performed operations can be found to be useless or even harmful when properly evaluated. That these claims come from an experienced, practicing orthopedic surgeon who performs many of these operations himself, makes the unsettling argument particularly compelling. Of course no surgeon is recommending invasive surgery in bad faith, but Ian Harris argues that the evidence for the success for many common operations, including knee arthroscopies, back fusion or cardiac stenting, become current accepted practice without full examination of the evidence.

    This special five-year anniversary edition includes the powerful prequel novella, The New Hunger, which sheds light on the saga’s past while setting the stage for its epic conclusion.In the “highly original” (Seattle Times) Warm Bodies, “R” is a man with an existential crisis: he is dead. He shuffles through an America destroyed by war, social collapse, and the mindless hunger of his fellow zombies, but he craves something more than brains and the memories he gains when he eats them. He wants a life of his own.After absorbing the poignant life of a troubled young man, R makes a choice that begins the unlikeliest of relationships—with his victim’s ex-girlfriend. Julie is angry and scared but fiercely alive, a blast of color in R’s grey existence, and as they struggle to protect each other from the grim society around them, they begin to set off dangerous sparks—the kind that could revive their lifeless world, or start a war that destroys it.But their story doesn’t end—or begin—there. The New Hunger takes us back seven years to a crucial crossroads in three young lives. Julie and her parents drive across the wastelands of America in search of a new home. Her future friend Nora struggles to protect her brother, a boy with a secret that might one day change the world. And in the darkness of a forest, a dead man opens his eyes. Who is he? What is he? As R unravels these grim mysteries and Julie and Nora scour the world for hope, each step brings them closer to an encounter of beauty and tragedy that will change the course of their lives.Together, Warm Bodies and The New Hunger form a richly layered tale of love and hope in the darkest of times, while also opening the doors to an epic saga that continues with The Burning World, an excerpt of which is included in this edition for current fans and newcomers alike.

    Almost as depressing are the invariable reassurances by Western political leaders and media elites that these acts of violence had “nothing to do with Islam”. Yet, niggling doubts remain. Why, if Islam is indeed a “religion of peace”, do these attacks keep coming? Why are the vast majority of acts of terror in our world today carried out by people steeped in the teachings of the Qur’an? With his new book, “Nothing to do with Islam”? - Investigating the West’s Most Dangerous Blind Spot, Peter Townsend (author of the highly acclaimed Questioning Islam - Tough Questions and Honest Answers about the Muslim Religion) examines the evidence as far as the possible link between Islam and violence is concerned. He does this by carefully analyzing the foundational texts of Islam (most notably the Qur’an and traditions), as well as the canonical set of stock responses whenever such a link is asserted. The question whether Islam promotes violence could very well be one of the most important questions ever faced by Western civilization. It deserves more attention and analysis than a few glib sound bites. Nothing to do with Islam? provides you with the opportunity to examine this question from all angles and come to your own conclusions.

    An inspired holy book that turns out to be full of archaic nonsense, moral failures, and contradictions. A world of disagreement not just between Christians and other religions, but within Christianity itself. Blood sacrifice and a tale of the walking dead as the very foundation of faith. These are just a few aspects of Ten very Tough Problems that David Madison describes in this wonderfully deep yet humorous dismantling of his former faith. Combining rigorous scholarship with engaging personal reflections and refreshing wit, he offers understanding and even some laughs while walking with readers past the gravestones of Christian thought and belief.

    Those with a sympathetic ear often fail to critically examine these creationist claims, leading to an ill-informed public and, perhaps more troubling, ill-advised public policy. As Aron Ra makes clear, however, every single argument deployed by creationists in their attacks on evolution is founded on fundamental scientific, religious, and historical falsehoods–all of them. Among their most popular claims is that evolution is a religion, that there are no transitional species, that there are no beneficial mutations, and that supposedly sacred scripture is the infallible word of God. Yet, as the evidence and data plainly show, each of these claims is demonstrably and unequivocally false. There is simply no truth to creationism whatsoever, and the entire enterprise rests on a foundation of falsehoods. This book explains and exposes the worst of these lies, and should be read by all who honestly care about following the evidence no matter where it might lead in pursuit of the truth.

    This book brings together in one easy-to-read work the principal issues facing humanity. It is written for the two next generations who will have to deal with the compounding risks they inherit, and which flow from overpopulation, resource pressures and human nature.The author examines ten intersecting areas of activity (mass extinction, resource depletion, WMD, climate change, universal toxicity, food crises, population and urban expansion, pandemic disease, dangerous new technologies and self-delusion) which pose manifest risks to civilization and, potentially, to our species long-term future. This isn t a book just about problems. It is also about solutions. Every chapter concludes with clear conclusions and consensus advice on what needs to be done at global level but it also empowers individuals with what they can do for themselves to make a difference. Unlike other books, it offers integrated solutions across the areas of greatest risk. It explains why Homo sapiens is no longer an appropriate name for our species, and what should be done about it. "

    But when considering the ongoing fight over reproductive rights and equal pay—and the prevalence of sexual violence and domestic abuse—it is clear that a significant gap still exists. With scripture often cited as justification for the marginalization of women, it is time to acknowledge that one of the final barriers to full equality for women is religion. Much has been written about the great strides humankind has made in knocking down many long-held religious beliefs, whether related to the age of the earth or the origin of the species. But religion’s negative impact on women has been less studied and discussed. This book is a step toward changing that. Twenty-two women from a variety of backgrounds and Judeo-Christian traditions share their personal stories about how they came to abandon organized religion, and how they discovered life after moving away from religious and supernatural beliefs. Their words serve both as a celebration of all who have taken similar steps under the weight of thousands of years of religious history—and as a source of inspiration for those individuals, especially women, who have deep doubts about their own belief traditions but who don’t yet know how to embrace life without falling back on religion.

    Roaming the earth were spectacular beasts such as saber-toothed cats, giant mastodonts, immense ground sloths, and gigantic giraffe-like rhinoceroses. Here is the ultimate illustrated field guide to the lost world of these weird and wonderful prehistoric creatures.A woolly mammoth probably won't come thundering through your vegetable garden any time soon. But if one did, this would be the book to keep on your windowsill next to the binoculars. It covers all the main groups of fossil mammals, discussing taxonomy and evolutionary history, and providing concise accounts of the better-known genera and species as well as an up-to-date family tree for each group. No other book presents such a wealth of new information about these animals--what they looked like, how they behaved, and how they were interrelated. In addition, this unique guide is stunningly illustrated throughout with full-color reconstructions of these beasts--many never before depicted--along with photographs of amazing fossils from around the world.Provides an up-to-date guidebook to hundreds of extinct species, from saber-toothed cats to giant mammothsFeatures a wealth of color illustrations, including new reconstructions of many animals never before depictedDemonstrates evolution in action--such as how whales evolved from hoofed mammals and how giraffes evolved from creatures with short necksExplains how mass extinctions and climate change affected mammals, including why some mammals grew so huge

    50 Great Myths of Human Evolution uses common misconceptions to explore basic theory and research in human evolution and strengthen critical thinking skills for lay readers and students.Examines intriguing--yet widely misunderstood--topics, from general ideas about evolution and human origins to the evolution of modern humans and recent trends in the field Describes what fossils, archaeology, and genetics can tell us about human origins Demonstrates the ways in which science adapts and changes over time to incorporate new evidence and better explanations Includes myths such as "Humans lived at the same time as dinosaurs;" "Lucy was so small because she was a child;" "Our ancestors have always made fire;" and "There is a strong relationship between brain size and intelligence" Comprised of stand-alone essays that are perfect for casual reading, as well as footnotes and references that allow readers to delve more deeply into topics

    Moving far beyond I forgot to study and the finals are today and other common scenarios, such dreams can include vivid imagery, intense emotions, fantasticcharacters, and an uncanny sense of being connected to forces beyond one's ordinary dreaming mind. In Big Dreams, Kelly Bulkeley provides the first full-scale cognitive scientific analysis of such dreams, putting forth an original theory about their formation, function, and meaning.Big dreams have played significant roles in religious and cultural history, but because of their infrequent occurrence and fantastical features, they have rarely been studied in light of modern science. We know a great deal about the religious manifestations of big dreams throughout history andaround the world, but until now that cross-cultural knowledge has never been integrated with scientific research on their psychological roots in the brain-mind system. In Big Dreams, Bulkeley puts a classic psychological thesis to the scientific test by clarifying and improving it with better data, sharper analysis, and a broader evolutionary framework. He brings evidence from multiple sources, shows patterns of similarity and difference, questions prior assumptions, and provides predictive models that can be applied to new sets of data. The notion of a connection between dreaming and religionhas always been intuitively compelling; Big Dreams transforms it into a solid premise of religious studies and brain-mind science.Combining evidence from religious studies, psychology, anthropology, evolutionary biology, and neuroscience, Big Dreams makes a compelling argument that big dreams are a primal wellspring of religious experience. They represent an innate, neurologically hard-wired capacity of our species thatregularly provokes greater self-awareness, creativity, and insight into the existential challenges and spiritual potentials of human life.

    Where science specifically touches upon the claims of Christianity the authors seek to show those claims lack the required evidence. The result is that Christianity is not a sufficiently evidenced religion. In his New York Times bestseller, God: The Failed Hypothesis, physicist Victor Stenger argued that claims of religion should be subject to the same standards of scientific rigor as any other truth claim. Taking this approach, the contributors argue that Christianity fails every known scientific test for truth. Stenger himself wrote a chapter for this volume before he died. In it he presents a brief history of ideas about cosmology, showing that Christianity’s premodern understanding of the cosmos is incompatible with current scientific evidence regarding the origin and structure of the cosmos. Other contributors examine a wide variety of topics, including biblical archaeology, Intelligent Design, the Shroud of Turin, free will, the existence of the soul, the efficacy of petitionary prayer, and more.     This challenging work is indispensable reading for both skeptical readers and open-minded people of faith.From the Trade Paperback edition.

    According to Aristotle, the capacity for reason sets us apart from other animals, yet today it has ceased to be a universally admired faculty. Rationality and reason have become political, disputed concepts, subject to easy dismissal.   Julian Baggini argues eloquently that we must recover our reason and reassess its proper place, neither too highly exalted nor completely maligned. Rationality does not require a sterile, scientistic worldview, it simply involves the application of critical thinking wherever thinking is needed. Addressing such major areas of debate as religion, science, politics, psychology, and economics, the author calls for commitment to the notion of a “community of reason,” where disagreements are settled by debate and discussion, not brute force or political power. Baggini's insightful book celebrates the power of reason, our best hope—indeed our only hope—for dealing with the intractable quagmires of our time.

    Abby Hafer argues that the human body has many faulty design features that would never have been the choice of an intelligent creator.She also points out that there are other animals that got better body parts, which makes the Designer look a bit strange; discusses the history and politics of Intelligent Design and creationism; reveals animals that shouldn't exist according to Intelligent Design; and disposes of the idea of irreducible complexity.Her points are illustrated with pictures, wit, and erudition."Where has this book been all my life? This work by Dr. Hafer systematically overturns the arguments of the intelligent design movement with wit and plain language. As a pastor, I appreciate Hafer's contribution to clarity in our public discourse, both scientific and political. Her intention may be to restore science to its rightful place, but she has also done the faith community a favor, liberating it from a silly and unnecessary controversy."--Julia Tipton Rendon, Crossroads United Church of Christ, Indianola, IA"For an adequate account of the world, we must take a sober look at life as it really is. Hafer shows that things are a whole lot messier and makeshift than what some intelligent design theories would incline us to believe. This book has the potential not only to alter the political terrain in wars over evolution and creationism but also to prompt believers like me to rethink how we should talk about God as Creator."--Thomas Jay Oord, author of Divine Grace and Emerging Creation"I've been dreaming of a politically edgy treatment of intelligent design and here it is at last. Abby Hafer is acutely intelligent and wonderfully witty. Read this book and laugh your way to clarity and wisdom."--Wesley J. Wildman, Boston University, Boston, MA"Three cheers for Abby Hafer! She did it and no one thought it could be done! She wrote a devastating critique of intelligent design that is clear, funny, scientifically accurate, and charming. Her book is a marvel of how popular science should be written. Oh, were there more scientific writers like Abby . . . "--Michael Martin, Boston University, Boston, MA"A delightful exploration of the quirks of our bodies that make biology so much fun, evolution so fascinating, life so explicable, and intelligent design creationism so preposterous."--Steven Pinker, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA"The Not-So-Intelligent Designer is a much-needed work in an America where anti-intellectualism is rampant and, shockingly, even candidates for high office frequently reject evolution. Abby Hafer has that rare ability to communicate complex scientific ideas in understandable terms for non-scientists, and this book is sure to enlighten many."--David Niose, author of Fighting Back the Right"Hafer's book is a valuable contribution to debunking the claims of intelligent design and the notion of one or more gods intervening in the physics and biology of the real world. She writes in an engaging style that entertains as well as informs. I enthusiastically recommend it."--Ellery Schempp, Brown University, Providence, RIDr. Abby Hafer has a doctorate in zoology from Oxford University. She is a Senior Lecturer who teaches human anatomy and physiology at Curry College.

    Others are certain that exorcisms occur, ghosts haunt attics, and the blessed can cure the terminally ill. Though extraordinarily improbable, people have embraced miracles and myths for millennia, seeing in them proof of the extraordinary potential of our world--and ourselves.Helping us think more critically about our belief in the improbable, "The Miracle Myth" breaks down our mythmaking strategies to better understand how attempts to justify belief in the supernatural fall short. Through arguments and accessible analysis, Larry Shapiro sharpens our critical faculties so we become less susceptible to tales of myths and miracles and learn how, ultimately, our belief in them is counterproductive. Shapiro acknowledges that myths have value. They may even provide insight into our place in nature. Even so, if our understanding of reality is formed through the fallacy of myth, our ties to the world fray. Shapiro's investigation reminds us of the importance of evidence and rational thinking as we explore the unknown.