From the Bookshelf of Science and Inquiry…

The Big Picture: On the Origins of Life, Meaning, and the Universe Itself

Sean Carroll

Start date: February 1, 2017

Finish date: February 28, 2017

Discussion: Book Club 2017

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Book Club 2017

May 2017 - Hidden Life of Trees
By Betsy , co-mod · 25 posts · 173 views

last updated Nov 17, 2022 06:26AM

April 2017 - Reality is Not What It Seems
By Betsy , co-mod · 15 posts · 159 views

last updated Mar 18, 2021 04:12PM

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What Members Thought

Dec 27, 2016 David Rubenstein rated it it was amazing

Shelves: chemistry, religion, biology, philosophy, nonfiction, evolution, science, physics

This is a wonderful book about the meaning of our universe, and of life. Sean Carroll is an active theoretical physicist, and he brings some fresh new ideas to philosophy. He coins a new term, Poetic Naturalism. It stems from a quote by Muriel Rukeyser,

The universe is made of stories, not atoms.

While naturalism is the idea that only natural laws and forces (not supernatural or spiritual) operate in the world, poetic naturalism says that the way we find meaning to life does not naturally emerge ...more

98 likes · Like · see review

Jan 13, 2025 Kathy rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-science, read-non-fiction, unfinished, read-ebooks, jan-2025-thru-dec-2025

Unfinished because it was due at the library and not renewable. I found it quite fascinating if a bit difficult for my non-scientific mind. Carroll writes with a nod to such people as myself, and with humor and clairty.

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