38 Network Review 2016/2 book reviews Books in this section can be purchased via the Network web site (www.scimednet.org) from Amazon.co.uk and the Network will receive a 10% commission. In addition, the Network receives a 5% commission on all sales if you log on through our web site! and critical. Throughout the book, he Rupert Sheldrake. The author proceeds science-philosophy of gives his own definitions of key terms to lay out the claimed characteristics book reviews science as and when they come up in the of life, arriving at a definition that narrative, and there is also a glossary rejects the reductionist argument that of terms at the end. there is no distinction between what is alive and what is not alive; for him, the The four parts examine scientific difference is qualitative and analogous explanations for the emergence to a phase change. The following and evolution of matter and energy, chapters explore the emergence of life then emergence and evolution of in terms of evidence and hypotheses, life, the emergence and evolution of as well as the development of scientific humans, and finally some systematic ideas about biological evolution, conclusions, as well as observations then the evidence for these ideas in about the limitations of science. terms of fossils, analyses of living It becomes clear in the course of species, the behaviour of the species discussing various fields that there are and the human lineage. The author patterns of thought that have ossified summarises current orthodox thinking into preconceptions that are taken for about causes of biological evolution, granted and rarely questioned by those while setting out specific elements inside the field. Beginning with a survey that it cannot explain before exploring of origin myths, the author moves on to nearly twenty complementary and the cosmology of the Big Bang before competing hypotheses with respect setting out what this orthodox theory to complexification, collaboration and fails to explain, which is then elaborated the evolution of consciousness. In in the following chapter. He discusses the course of this part, he brings in a variety of other cosmological the thinking of Prince Kropotkin on conjectures before considering cooperation and mutual aid, which more generally the problems facing forms an important element in his cosmology as an explanatory means overall conclusions. in terms of practical difficulties, data Ultimate Questions interpretation, inadequate theory and The impossibility of divorcing ideas David Lorimer intrinsic limitations of science. He from beliefs, whether in God or in then explores the reasonableness of materialism, comes up again in this COSMOSAPIENS cosmological conjectures and tests section, exacerbated by the fact that John Hands to which they can be subjected as evidence is scarce and open to different Duckworth, 2015, 704 pp., £30, h/b – well as approaches involving fine interpretations. In his conclusions to ISBN 978-0-715-649558 tuning and multiverses. Moving on, he this biological section, he reflects on looks at the evolution of matter on a reactions by specialists to drafts that large scale, then on a small-scale, he sent, which he groups into five 10 years in the making, this tour and overall patterns that apply. In his types: peremptorily dismissive, politely de force is a critical examination of detailed conclusions to this section – dismissive, ‘you don’t know the facts’, scientific theories and evidence - set out in 23 numbered paragraphs - ‘you appear to know the facts but you systematic observation or experiment - he observes that some people conflate don’t understand them’, ‘Neo-Darwinism about the origin and evolution of matter, mathematical with scientific proof and, is compatible with all the evidence life, consciousness and humankind. on the basis of his analysis, does not and all the different hypotheses.’ It As such, it could scarcely be more think that the standard Big Bang model is very clear that the author does ambitious, but the result is a triumph meets science’s test for a robust know the facts, but he also considers of detailed conceptual analysis covering theory. Indeed, the whole question of their overall context and embedded the fields of fundamental cosmology, origins may in fact be beyond science assumptions, which those in the field physics, biology and the evolution of to ascertain with any certainty due frequently fail to do. This makes for philosophical and religious ideas. The to the fact that the central claims uncomfortable reading and goes a long author states his viewpoint at the are untestable. way to explaining the reactions above. beginning of the book by saying that Again, his conclusions are set out in he was born and educated a Catholic, Part Two addresses the emergence 53 numbered paragraphs, some with became an atheist and is now an and evolution of life with the same subsections, from which he draws four agnostic with no prior beliefs in theism, thoroughgoing analysis of theories qualitative laws of biological evolution: deism or materialism; he maintains an and evidence. In considering the ‘competition and rapid environmental impartial stance even if he is accused history of biology and the development change cause the extinction of species; of not doing so. In the course of his of science’s explanation of life, he collaboration causes the evolution research, he consulted and received discusses vitalism and orthodox of species; living things evolved by detailed feedback from over 60 experts. reactions to it, including more modern progressive complexification and His writing is clear, careful, painstaking formulations involving David Bohm and centration along fusing and diverging www.scimednet.org Network Review 2016/2 39 book reviews lineages that lead to stasis in all but subjectivity, method, theory and one lineage; a rise in consciousness defective science; then limitations correlates with increasing collaboration, of the domain of science based on complexification and centration. subjective experiences, social concepts and values, untestable ideas and Part Three deals with the emergence metaphysical questions. Scientific and evolution of humans with a theories are necessarily underpinned special emphasis on the development by philosophical assumptions, which of reflective consciousness. The in turn influence the selection and author considers various models and interpretation of data. As William James explanatory hypotheses before looking and Prince de Broglie also observed, in more detail and the evolution of such assumptions should be reviewed, human thinking from primeval to modified or abandoned in the light of philosophical to scientific. He observes conflicting evidence. In particular, the that Indian sages emphasise the reductionist approach is limited in its underlying unity of reality, and he makes explanatory power for complex, open, an important distinction, illustrated interactive and emergent systems (p. in a chart (p. 505), between the 566). For orthodox readers, the author’s development of insight and reasoning, proposal that we need to postulate a corresponding broadly to the right and new form of energy - psychic energy left hemispheres of Iain McGilchrist’s associated with mind - will be a step too model, incidentally not mentioned here. far, but there is good evidence for such Under insight we have psychological, effects that are frequently discussed in ethical, mystical, mathematical, this Review. The author questions and scientific and artistic, while under indeed demonstrates the limitations the vague and variable definitions of reasoning there is natural philosophy, of current scientific thinking, but also consciousness, which most researchers metaphysics, logic, epistemology, highlights the limitation of the human feely admit is ever-elusive. Feinberg, a ethics and aesthetics. Ethical thinking mind, which can be inferred from professor of psychiatry and neurology goes beyond competition and instinct reports of mystical experience where and Mallat, a professor of biology and by insisting that we can only achieve subjects are immersed in rather than medical sciences at least tell us that by acting unselfishly: ‘at root it is separated from reality. The author’s this book is not about “higher” reflective a prescription for cooperation not final conclusions are set out in a further “self-consciousness” but rather aims competition in order to achieve progress 39 paragraphs, at the end of which he to explore “sensory” or “primary for humanity.’ arrives at his short answer to question consciousness,” or more elaborately of what and who we are: ‘the unfinished “neuroontologically subjective features The chapter on scientific thinking product of an accelerating cosmic of consciousness” (NSFC) comprising describes the scientific method and evolutionary process characterised qualia, referral, mental unity, (isometric the emergence of the three branches of by collaboration, complexity and unity), and mental causation. They physical, life and medical sciences (see convergence, and the self reflective propose to trace the origin of the hard chart on p. 516), then of psychology agents of our future evolution.’ At the problem back to the origin of sensory in the late 19th century. The rise of end of this dense and closely argued consciousness in order to resolve “the scientific specialism is accompanied treatise, one can only agree with Tim neurobiological gap between subjective by a corresponding reductionist Crane, Knightsbridge professor of