The Magic of Reality – Book Review

The Magic of Reality

by Richard Dawkins

Let me begin this review by commenting on the first phrase you read even before you crack this book open. The Magic of Reality by Richard Dawkins probably has one of the most impressive titles of all the books ever published. The subtitle is also extremely arresting: How we know what's really true. I got this sleek copy of mine on my second visit to Big Bad Wolf Book Sale Jakarta 2020, and I brought it home for an orgasmic bargain price, partly thanks to a discount voucher I had won from my first visit to the grand book fair. So, what do I have to say about the contents of this little book? Let's get rolling!

The Magic of Reality aims to clearly explain to the readers what is real (and what is not), in life, in the universe. The first chapter sets out the nature of reality and how it compares with magic, and then it is followed by 11 chapters each dealing with a question on a particular subject, several examples of which are "What are things made of?", "When and how did everything begin?", and "Why do bad things happen?". Dawkins begins most of the chapters with myths and then provides explanations for what is really true, or what really happens, through none other than science.

The Magic of Reality is the second book by the world-renowned British scientist that I've read, the first one being the religion & atheism book The God Delusion. The language in The Magic of Reality is "lighter" than in TGD, but Dawkins still writes eloquently in his delightfully conversational style, which would transport readers through his strings of ideas smoothly. It is a book that I wish I could have (and had) read 10 or 15 years ago, at a much younger age – had that really happened, I would have formed a real understanding of reality earlier. Insightful, informative and addictive, The Magic of Reality also has made me wish Prof. Dawkins had been my science teacher in school (not only of biology, but also of physics and chemistry)! In my mind, The Magic of Reality is a terrific (and, indeed, magical) book on introduction to science, quite possibly the best one available.

The book that you see in the photo above – the one that I own – is actually the minimally illustrated (and paperback) edition. To see the richly illustrated (and hardcover) edition, click here. (Even practically without illustrations, The Magic of Reality was so easy to digest; I wonder how much of smooth sailing my reading experience would have been if I had read the lavishly illustrated version!)

I would like to finish this review by making a more general compliment to the author: I believe Richard Dawkins is one of the greatest science communicators out there.

Note: I would be more than happy to discuss my review of this book with you in more detail. Feel free to contact me through one of my social media channels.

Have you read The Magic of Reality? What is your opinion on this book? Share what you think in the comment section below!

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The God Delusion – Book Review

The God Delusion

by Richard Dawkins

I don't usually read books centering on non-dinosaurian and non-English topics or subjects. Nevertheless, this book is one of the few which have managed to pass my bookish filter. I was in the midst of immersing myself in a great work by a Canadian dinosaur paleontologist whose initials are S.D.S. when this bestselling book on religion finally landed in my hands – after a couple of weeks of typical pesky waiting for an imported book. At first, I hesitated as to whether to finish the then-being-read book, or grab and devour the newly arrived one. The latter turned out to be the champion of this little battle of thoughts (now that I have completed reading the British author's, I am delightfully back from my short hiatus to the interrupted dinosaurian adventure). Please pardon my inexorably burning fanaticism about the iconic creatures of the past, and here is my take on The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins:

First of all, it is pretty obvious, from the title alone, that this book is concerned with atheism, i.e. the absence/lack of belief in God or deities. What you will encounter is the author's arguments for the godless outlook on life and thoughts that thoroughly explain his stance on religion. One might expect that the pages of this book are peppered with vulgar or foul language such as "fuck religion!" but, on the contrary, you will be surprised by the cordiality (and eloquence) of his writings. It is strongly recommended, especially if you are religious, to get rid of any prejudice towards the contents before you start reading; or otherwise you will fail to grasp what the writer genuinely intends to convey to the reader. As an evolutionary biologist, Dawkins possesses a very scientific framework of thinking: consequently, he examines and discusses the subject on the basis of his expertise. Through reading this book, which is made up of 10 chapters and richly loaded with information (including quotations) from a great many sources, I find it extremely easy to see that Dawkins is indeed a hardcore rationalist. Personally, I think The God Delusion is well worth reading for people of all sorts of (un)belief, who comprise, but are not limited to, theists, agnostics, and even atheists themselves, if they want to gain useful insights into this particular worldview.

Note: Due to some geographical reason, I cannot fully write my review and I'd be very glad to share more of my thoughts on the book when the circumstances make it possible to do so.

Have you read The God Delusion? What is your opinion of this book? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!
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Quote #35

"Bigotry, in all its forms, is to be condemned and uprooted to its very essence." - Klinsman Hinjaya

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Are We a Perfect Being?

The statement that we, humans (I believe no other organisms are capable of reading and understand this line), are a sort of creation that is impeccable, flawless, and the most majestic of all is ubiquitous. But do we really live up to the grandeur reputation that is passionately voiced in many, or even all, corners of the world?

The answer is "unfortunately" no. Let's probe into why this is the case.

Humans are living beings, just like other animals (I say "other" because we are animals), such as fish, iguanas, cats, dogs, and dinosaurs (birds included), as well as plants, which comprise those flowery stuctures making up your beautiful garden, if you do have one. All living things, including our little friends and foes bacteria, undergo a morphing process called evolution, that is gradual change in response to their environment for the sake of survival. In this harsh world, as we know and realize, sh*t happens, so not all individuals make it. Those who do not manage to continue their odysseys in this world are extinct, leaving the others with their "successful", selected traits. This phenomenon is known as natural selection, which, along with the theory of evolution, was proposed by British naturalist Charles Darwin in his 1859 seminal book On the Origin of Species.

Intermezzo: It is a real shame that the theory of evolution is still denied by many people, claiming that it is "just a theory." One must comprehend that scientists use the term differently from the hoi polloi, and we do have such an abundant amount of evidence pointing to the truth of evolution that it is unarguably, in everyday language, a fact.

Evolution has been going on ever since the first organisms appeared on Earth and the unfathomably deep passage of time that has passed by has resulted in the wondrous world we inhabit today, with the evolution-shaped, extraordinarily rich diversity of life spread all around it. It can be said that we are hyperlucky since we are some of the last remnants of life (shouldn't we be grateful?), those that represent the leaves on the tree of life or, in scientific terminology, phylogenetic tree.

All the individuals of the current life on this planet are "champions" in that we are the last bits of myriad unbroken chains that lead to the first ancestors of all living beings that have ever existed in the world, implying survival of mind-bogglingly immense magnitude. And all of us come with features that were left by our predecessors as a legacy. Modern humans have super complex brains and definitely are the most intelligent species on the globe. However, if you carefully examine the human body, many of the organs are not as "perfect" as people generally might think. Take the eye as an example. While it is true that our eyes are magnificent, they are not as remarkable as those of eagles, which can see four or five times farther than humans. Nevertheless, it doesn't mean eagles' eyes are "better" or "more perfect" than humans'; eagles' eyes evolved in that way because they are required for hunting prey, while humans do not need such visual acuity for their survival. Returning to the fabulosity of the human brain, our intelligence hallmark exists merely as a result of adaptation to our surroundings. This is also to say that we, including our brains, are still constantly evolving towards new trends as necessary – there is no such word or expression as "peak" or "end point" in the dictionary of evolution. In his best-selling book The God Delusion, British evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins also enlighteningly points out that humans do possess infirmities caused by things such as lower back pain and prolapsed uteruses, owing to our upright stance after being in the quadrupedal mode for a vast swath of time.

Nevertheless, it must be admitted that Homo sapiens is a very successful species, and with our brain and, especially, I think, our social bonds and skills (among all the "strengths" we possess), we can make up for our "weaknesses". It would have been difficult for a single human to kill a mammoth alone, so he or she worked together to take it down. We couldn't swim like fish, so we came up with ships, scuba-diving apparatus, and the like. We couldn't fly as birds do, so we invented the airplane and similar things intended for navigating through the air. We even remain the only group of living beings capable of exploring the space. Humans, in a sense, are definitely a barrier-breaking species.

To add another argument against our "perfectness", it is useful to think that a number of members of our own species are born with diseases or abnormalities. Think of those cancer-suffering or limbless newborns, for example. Clearly, pathologies can occur at any point in our lives and this is, in fact, natural, as we ourselves are part of the natural world. Additionally, needless to say, we all eventually will come to a point called death.

So are we a perfect being? Well, as they say, nobody's perfect. ;)

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Why Dinosaurs Matter – Book Review

Why Dinosaurs Matter

by Kenneth Lacovara

This is it. This is just the book the world needs. This is more or less what was in my mind before I purchased this book. Now that I finished it, all I can say is it really is.

Gazing at the intriguing title – and after reading the previous paragraph – you might be frowning with several shadows of a doubt: Do they really matter? Aren't they just long-gone creatures intended merely for children's entertainment? Grab this book and let Kenneth Lacovara obliterate any reservations of yours and convert you into an ardent dinosaur defender.

Why Dinosaurs Matter is definitely "a dinosaur book with a difference," as Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE puts it in her review. You won't find numerous dinosaur illustrations accompanied with a great deal of information on the diet, behavior, and other aspects of hosts of dinosaur genera. No, you won't. Instead, this book will take you into deep contemplation of your very existence on this planet. It will take you into a clearer understanding of the world through the medium of dinosaurology. It will take you into a period of reflection that will eventually lead you to genuine humility. The small size of this book shouldn't delude you into thinking that it is nothing. Why Dinosaurs Matter is made up of 12 chapters, each of which is filled with Ken's sublime scientific writing, which shows that he is a remarkable science communicator. I found that Ken's poetical prose, which was composed with his linguistic prowess, is a supreme point of this book, and with its content of scientific nature, Why Dinosaur Matters is a treasure of (dinosaurian) paleontology. You might be asking: Are there any particular dinosaurs covered in this book? The answer is yes! These include the world's most famous dinosaur: Tyrannosaurus rex, and the mighty Late Cretaceous sauropod Dreadnoughtus schrani, which was discovered by Kenneth Lacovara himself in southern Patagonia over a decade ago. In a nutshell, Why Dinosaurs Matter is a brilliantly & beauteously enlightening book.

As you may have noticed, Why Dinosaurs Matter is a TED Book, which means that it expands on a related TED Talk. Be amazed at Kenneth Lacovara's 2016 marvelous speech: Hunting for dinosaurs showed me our place in the universe (to access it on YouTube, click here). You might also want to have a glimpse into the book by navigating through these useful links:

• Here's Why Dinosaurs Matter (TED)
• In Defense Of Dinosaurs (Science Friday)
• Q&A with Paleontologist Kenneth Lacovara (Natural History Museum of Utah)
• Why T. Rex's Puny Arms Are a Sign of Strength (National Geographic)
• Why Dinosaurs Matter... (Live Science)
• How a Boy Who Was Obsessed with Dinosaurs Discovered Dreadnoughtus (Live Science)
• Kenneth Lacovara Tells Us ‘Why Dinosaurs Matter’ (GeekDad)
• We are all walking natural history museums (INKtalks) (to watch it on YouTube, click here)
• Why Dinosaurs Matter - Kenneth Lacovara, at USI (Unexpected Sources of Inspiration)

Beware! Reading Why Dinosaurs Matter has a side effect: it will astronomically enlarge your vocabulary, owing to the innumerable expressions Ken poured into it. You might want to get a reliable English dictionary ready before you start reading this eye-opening book.

Have you read Why Dinosaurs Matter? What do you think of this book? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!

P.S. I love how Ken addresses young Earth creationism in this book. ;)

Related article by me: Why Dinosaurs?

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Money

About a week ago I was sitting on the front seat of my eldest brother's car. I was with him, who was beside me, driving through Jakarta, a city with a slew of problems but a host of addictive foods. En route to some place that I already forget, we talked about a topic that I'm sure has always been in the 'heart' of anyone, anytime, anywhere—since the system was adopted worldwide.

We discussed our parents, which were (and are) sick. We had (and have) to spend sums of money coming from our bread and butter. To be honest, it had been as if I was an obese sauropod when I went to the cashier in a hospital in Sunter, North Jakarta, and swipe my bank card to pay for my father's treatment. It had been quite difficult for me to visit my bank website, do some Internet banking, and let those rupiahs 'fly' from my bank account to pay for my mother's. But the fruit that came from that not very long conversation kind of 'widened my eyes'.

Money. This five-letter word is enough to be the source of most problems in the world. I'm not a statistics expert but I believe there are a great number of spouses that have gotten divorced and/or had affairs because of money, not to mention high crime rates brought about by this static thing. Have you read a newspaper today? If yes, I'm pretty sure that at least some of the bad news articles you've read have money as the culprit.

But the problem is not money itself. As the Bible says in 1 Timothy 6:10, it is our desire that is to blame. In Matthew 6:33, God 'slaps' us so that we don't focus on other things; we have to free ourselves from angst and lead our lives to only one thing: His reign.

Here are some points to end this article:

• Be wise with your money since God lends it to you for His glory. Remember: You are chosen. If it is for good, why don't you let it go?
• Destroy your feeling of insecurity. Rely on God; He is the True Protector.
• People who are winners are those who know that money is only a medium and strive to put as much effort as they can for the good of the world.

Credit: David Hinjaya

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Little Love

Why do you often—or always?—buy things only for yourself? Because you have little love.

Why are you so furious that someone pokes you by accident on a bus? Because you have little love.

Why do you eat anything you want and not take care of your body? Because you have little love.

Why do you cheat when doing tests and say that it is okay because you are still a student? Because you have little love.

Why do you arrive late at the office and do your job frivolously? Because you have little love.

Why do you say bad things about your boss or your colleagues? Because you have little love.

Why do you spend five hours playing DotA but become angry when your mother interrupts and asks you to buy something for her? Because you have little love.

Why do you flirt with another girl while your girlfriend is in the restroom of a mall? Because you have little love.

Why are you so excited about going to Plaza Indonesia to buy branded bags and shoes but mad at your boyfriend when he says he can't take you home? Because you have little love.

Why do you cheat on your wife, who you married several years ago and who thought you were her Mr. Right—and thinks you are? Because you have little love.

Why do you frown when you see your husband coming home but smile when you watch Lee Min-ho acting in a Korean drama? Because you have little love.

Why did you abort your baby and say that it was your choice? Because you have little love.

Why do you prefer hanging out all day with your friends to accompanying and talking with your lonely grandparents for a short period of time? Because you have little love.

Why do you bully your juniors and say that it is a way to educate them? Because you have little love.

Why do you run a red light and not feel guilty? Because you have little love.

Why do you prefer to spend your money on five bottles of beer rather than using it to buy forty bottles of water for the poor? Because you have little love.

Why do you not say sorry if you hurt your friend's heart but slap your brother for messing up your room? Because you have little love.

Why do you not say thanks when you are helped out but grumble when your friend doesn't offer cookies to you? Because you have little love.

Why is it easy to read a comic book in half an hour but so hard to read a few Bible pericopes in an hour? Because you have little love.

Why is it very hard to go to church and spend one hour praying but so easy to go to the disco and spend seven hours dancing? Because you have little love.

Why do you not pray every day although each day is given free by God? Because you have little love.

Why do you not want to do good things and become a better person after reading this article? Because you have little love. Continue reading

Sons of Reasons

Sometimes I feel we, humans, are too "imaginative". When asked by a person, probably a friend or our mother or father, to do this or to do that, we often say, "I'm sorry I can't because bla bla bla." 1,000 reasons come out of our mouth. The problem is those reasons are often exaggerated and, sometimes, implausible.

Let's see this example.

One morning
Mother: Claire, could you buy me tissues in Carrefour?
Claire: I am sorry, mom. I'm busy doing my homework. (the homework is to be submitted one month later)
Mother: It's okay. You can do it later in the afternoon.
Claire: Oh, I'll be tired, mom. This homework is hard. (write two paragraphs about something that the student likes. Is it exhausting?)
Mother: Oh, okay. How about the evening?
Claire: Mom, you know I have an appointment with Dr. Phil Currie at 5 p.m.  It will last probably for about three hours. (three hours? To have an interview consisting of five questions with him? Note: He is a professor. Don't you think he is super busy?)
Mother: You can do it after that, right, darling?
Claire: Mom, please. I have to rest earlier. I'm going to Vietnam tomorrow morning. I won't be fit if I don't get enough sleep. (she always slept late and woke up early to go to school and she never complained about this but now?)
Mother: Okay, I'll buy it myself.

It's just a simple case but can make one of the most important persons in our life feel burden (She has to walk. She has to make effort she doesn't need to make.) and—if she knows—cry.

Stop making up ridiculous reasons. Pulverize all unworthy words. Don't put your head in the clouds. We are not "sons of reasons". We are sons of God, who is directed to live our life to the fullest, to make the most of our life for his glory.

Anything wrong? Yes. it seems as if I were an anti-feminist but I think, having looked at the example given, you already realize that this article is for women too! Daughters of God are not "daughters of twitters", are they? :) Continue reading

Principles - Prince's Disciples

The world is changing so fast and we are to decide where to go and what to do. Many offers, many options, and, therefore, many possible results.

Christians need to remember that they are "Christians". They are the disciples of Christ, the Son of the Father, the Prince. Christians are to live a life that's according to His plan, His good plan. However, being a Christian is not easy, as stated in Matthew 10:16.

There are many "wolves". Temptations, challenges, and problems are all around us. We cannot evade those. We have free will and our commitment to God is always asked every time we meet the "wolves".

A Christian should remember that they are capable of being a good Christian, by God's grace. They must stick to the principles, the teachings of Jesus Christ, every word that comes out of His mouth.

Following Christ needs bravery and resoluteness. It should be consistent, not temporary. You might be hurt; you might be left. You might be alone in this world but in fact you are not. (Mark 3:35)

Everyone can leave you but God will remain beside you if you do His will, do what He wants, which is exactly the purpose of us being here.

To end this article, let this Kent M. Keith's quote touch our heart. Continue reading

You Are (Part of) The World

"I'm not worthy."
"My life has no meaning."
"It's better for me to die, to vanish, to disappear."
"Everybody does not need me."

Those poor statements lie in the soul of some people on Earth. And, poor is poor.

Firstly, we have to realize that we live because of God's grace. It's a FREE gift. So, is there any reason not to be grateful for our life?

You might say, "I have many problems," or, "Everything goes bad," or "No happiness in my life."

Life is full of challenges, full of troubles, full of obstacles. Life is always full of something that we must overcome. And, yep, we can't deny that! (Who can?) We face them continually.

God wants us to "conquer" the world. He wants us, His children, to make the world a more convenient place to live in. We are here to spread God's love. We are here to bring peace to humankind. To make it a better place. It is our job. A noble job. This God's task for us is the next thing we should realize.

I AM here. You ARE there. We ARE on the EARTH. We ARE in the WORLD. We EXIST. We DO EXIST.

Yeah, and in accordance with the six sentences above, we DO have influence. This is what I want to emphasize through this article. We are a "piece" of the world. We make up a "tiny part" of this world. Although we are that small, we DO have influence and, depending on what you do, what you make, what you create, that influence can be big or small, and good or bad.

Whether you are a couch potato or a bad apple, you have influence. Whether you are a peasant or a president, you have influence. Whether you are a paleontologist or a priest, you have influence. Whether you always smile or frown, you have influence. Whether you are a do-gooder or as crooked as a dog's hind leg, you have influence. And that influence determines the destiny of our world. It draws the next scene of our life.

To end this article, here is a very good excerpt from George Eliot. Continue reading

Quote #7

"True love can be found only in God. Be with Him; that is the fullness of life." - Thomas à Kempis

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I Am Number One

We live in a world with "one trillion" surroundings. Our family, our school friends, our boss, our daily chores, our iPhone, our riches, our beloved dogs, our cute dinosaurs (birds), and so on. It is our fate and in this "chock-a-block" place we are called to live our life to the fullest, according to God's will.

These things, which are good and can be used to glorify God, sometimes can be very dangerous to us. I mean when we neglect Him, when we make Him the ...th in our life, when He is not Number One.

Let's see what the Lord says to us in the Bible: Luke 10:27.

Look at the first thing he expressly states. It is HIM. HE is the foremost in our life. We are to love HIM above all. All are from HIM and all are for HIM. Nobody, nobody but HIM. (remember something? ;p) Loving God is the requirement for loving our neighbors, which He mentions later.

Do I pray every day? Do I refuse to go to the church for any insufficient reason? Do I build an intimate relationship with God day by day?

God is the source of all. We are His. We are not our own. Let us be humble and dedicate ourselves to Him. Let us serve Him with all of what we have.


I Am Number Four

Who is Number One? Continue reading

Quote #4

"He who has God has everything." - Klinsman Hinjaya

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