http://www.nytimes.co...

As has been pointed out elsewhere, the reviewer clearly has no understanding that theory and fact are not increasing levels of certainty in science: theories explain bodies of facts by reference to general principles of nature. Evolution is both theory and fact: it happens (that's the fact part), and natural selection and other factors explain how, why and at what pace it happens (the theoretical part). The germ theory of disease is no different, nor is the helocentric theory of the solar system. Theories explain facts; they are not escalating categories of truthfulness.

In my opinion, the reviewer missed the whole point of the book. Dawkins told the entire story, interweaving evidence from most scientific disiplines. His point was: OK, throw out the fossil record, throw out most of the evidence, and DNA STILL makes evolution by natural selection a fact! I don't care about the semantics, they almost don't matter.

Some have critized Dawkins for being "hard" on the poor creationists, taking the chance of turning off the very people he should be trying to educate. Bull! Those who would be offended by being called a "History denier" are beyond being educated anyhow. If you think about the term "History denier," it's absolutely brilliant! It's a frame-changer, like "Holacaust denier," but even stronger, because it assumes the fact that evolution by natural selection is fully accepted as the actual history of all life on this planet, and at the same time it places anyone who would deny it somewhere out on the intellectual fringes.

Here is my review of "The Greatest Show On Earth."

Adding both GSOE & Faith Instinct to my reading list! Hope I live long enough-ha ...thanks for great insights since topic is still unplowed ground for me. Interesting quote I ran across by A. Einstein in letter to a scientist friend: "Imagination is more important than knowledge," talking about staying open-minded enough to expand theories about scientific principles or in his extraordinary case, discovering whole new theoretic worlds within our existing one through rational & inquisitive observation of commonplace things like trains & clock towers.

For those imbued with an instinct for the "almighty" & unknowable, the bounds of science itself may be infinite, with infinite ways to awe and inspire. A cautionary tale for those tempted to stop seeking truth --

In 1900, a revered physicist, mathematician, inventor of electric telegrah, & who
developed I & II Laws of Thermodynamics & concept of absolute zero is widely
reported stating in an address to the British Assn. for the Advancement of Science:
"There is nothing new to be discovered in physics now. All that remains is more
and more precise measurement." HaH! Wrong Answer.
... Keep those questions flowing!