Anarchy Evolution: Faith, Science, and Bad Religion in a World Without God
Anarchy Evolution is a provocative look at the collision between religion and science, by an author with unique authority: UCLA lecturer in Paleontology, and founding member of Bad Religion, Greg Graffin. Alongside science writer Steve Olson (whose Mapping Human History was a National Book Award finalist) Graffin delivers a powerful discussion sure to strike a chord with readers of Richard Dawkins’ The God Delusion or Christopher Hitchens God Is Not Great. Bad Religion die-hards, newer fans won over during the band’s 30th Anniversary Tour, and anyone interested in this increasingly important debate should check out this treatise on science from the god of punk rock.
Reviews (129)
Buy this book, read it forever.
After purchasing this book based on title and author alone over 5 years ago, I finally opened it up several weeks ago and steadily plowed through it, piece by piece, any free opportunity I had. I have never been so appreciative of an author's efforts as I am with Greg Graffin and Anarchy Evolution. Growing up a punk rock kid in high school, Bad Religion was and remains one of my favorite musical groups. The depth and intelligence of their lyrics, their hauntingly beautiful harmonies, and their stalwart dedication to improvement of their craft and society is a combination rarely found in any musical genre, and I credit their songs with advancing my views of social and environmental justice. The beauty of what Graffin does in this book is difficult to put into words. It offers something for everyone who is a fan of his work, and plenty for those who have never listened to a measure of "Suffer," let alone suffered a broken nose in the pit while stomping around to "Generator." Knowledge of Bad Religion and their songs is not a prerequisite for appreciating this book, but it certainly enhances the experience. I expected this to be a critique of static institutions and the status quo, but it is far more. Graffin seamlessly weaves between autobiographical anecdotes, evolutionary biology, contemporary philosplophy, and creates a manifesto of his naturalist worldview. He is confident in his opinions, yet leaves debate open in those areas where reasoned and rational views could differ. He does not shy away, however, from shutting down those perpectives based on fallacies, fairy tales, or misinformation. Rarely does one come across a book which offers so much in such a small volume. After reading it, I not only know much more about the foundation of one of the greatest bands ever created (had no idea Graffin went to middle school blocks away from where my parents did), but I also gained knowledge and insight on the origins of humans, the rainforests, and the universe itself. His strongest passages, in my mind, relate to how a naturalist perspective can enhance social institutions which are suffering from the negative consequences of religious faith-based reasoning. The concluding paragraphs of his chapter 5 on Tragedy as the Construction of a Worldview are emotional, heart-breaking and heart-mending, while presenting an irrefutable argument for dramatic and revolutionary changes to our justice system and how we apply and develop empathy. To present such cogent viewpoints alongside tales of punk rock mayhem, biological diversity, and ancient pre-history is a remarkable achievement. If you are looking at this page, Buy this book. You will not be disappointed.
Great book for a specific audience
I want to give it 5 stars since I found it enthralling and couldn't put it down... BUT... it's definitely not going to be that appealing to everyone. If you happen to love science and thinking about the philosophies that it impacts, as well as being a fan of this generation of punk music... you will probably LOVE this book. Greg is a very concise writer and has a very interesting, though sometimes jarring, way of linking in punk and cultural evolution with biological evolution. The autobiographical bits were fascinating as I grew up listening to these guys and reading their history was interesting, especially due to the way that Greg intertwined how his love of science and curiosity led to Bad Religion being what they are. As another review stated... it feels like reading two books in one: A review and critique of evolutionary science meshed with a biography of a punk band focused on it's singer. Well done and highly recommended if you like Bad Religion and take interest in science and the cultural impacts of both.
entertaining and thought-provoking
I've been a fan of Bad Religion since the early 90's. I have purchased all their albums. So when Greg Graffin wrote a book, I decided to order it and see what he had to say and how he was saying it. I enjoyed reading the book. I found the biographical information was the most interesting. His writings on his life's little twist and turn and how things turned out had me contemplating on events in my life. I found the information on Evolutionary Biology thought provoking. Although I am myself a scientist and am quite familiar with the scientific method, the studying I did on evolution was limited to what was presented in High School Biology. Evolution made sense to me back then, but I was thankful to read a different and updated point of view on it along with a refresher in thoughts on the subject from someone to whom this is their main field of study. I don't think the presentation of Evolutionary Biology was oversimplified in this book. I didn't agree with some of the presentation of Physical and Chemical ideas, but that is because those are fields I deal with and I'm a bit picky on how those fields are presented. I found the book had a nice balance of biographical, philosophical, and scientific ideas. In summary, an entertaining and thought-provoking book that I'm glad I purchased and read.
Great read, but obviously for the lay person
I enjoyed reading this book as both a scientist and a huge fan of Bad Religion. I found both portions of the book (memoir) and scientific ideas to be enjoyable, though the science side was very basic. Overall a quick read and an enjoyable perspective from the author.
Great book.
Written by the singer of punk rocks most influential band, Bad Religion. If you are a fan of Bad Religion, interested in learning their back history and Greg Graffins educational background and thoughts on evolution, pick up this book. Looking fwd to reading Population Wars.
A thoughtful examination of how the world works
Where is a confluence between punk rock and evolution? It is in the person of Greg Graffin, the leader of the legendary punk band Bad Religion who also has a Ph.D. in zoology and teaches evolution to college students. "Anarchy Evolution" is an enjoyable, engaging and thoughtful essay on science and religion, exploring them through the lens of Graffin's personal experiences and development both as a musician and as a scientist. Underlying it all -- both Graffin's music whose lyrics question deeply held and fundamental beliefs and whose scientists' skepticism informs all of his work -- is what Graffin calls a "congenital distaste for authority." The clear and evocative writing by Graffin and co-author Steve Olson (author of the National Book Award-nominated
Great book about punk movement, atheism and science
I must confess that i am fan of Bad Religion, but this dont change my critical opinion about the book. First the book it's really well written and easy to read, even though English is not my native language I don't agree with his opinion about the importance of evolution on the development of a specie. I prefer the classical position, as such Richard Dawkins wrote in on of his latest books. But this is how we make science, isn't ? If you liked this book, you will certainly love the " Your Inner Fish: A Journey into the 3.5-Billion-Year History of the Human Body (Vintage) " Thanks Greg for this wonderful group of "memes", I wish everyone shared the same way to look for the natural world ps: Kindle dictionary helped me a lot
Great mind=Great band & great book
I am a rather recent fan of Bad Religion (4 years now) not only because of their sound, but mostly because of the lyrics in their songs. This book has made me an even bigger fan because I've learned where many of these great songs originate, Mr. Greg Graffin. His writing of this book is just as addictive as his songs are. He has a way of making evolution easier to understand & ties in everyday life and how it affects all of us personally. Perspective is one of the most important things in life (in my humble opinion) & Greg is a master at this. I was sad when I finished it because I didn't want it to end. :)
Really great read, especially for BR fans
This is a really great book. For me, it gave me validation for enjoying Bad Religion for so many years and it clarified why I liked the music and the lyrics so much. It was also really enjoyable to read about evolution from Greg's perspective (one that continuously challenges current perspectives). The book gave me a chance to understand Bad Religion in a way that I hadn't before, a chance to ask questions about faith, atheism, and beliefs, and a chance to learn some new things about the process of natural selection, fossils, nature, and life. I really recommend reading this one. I'm looking forward to more from Graffin.
Inspiration, bad religion history and naturalism insight.
Greg is an inspiring human. One of the special people who truly have contributed to the world in unique ways. This book is a great viewport into his thoughts and experiences.
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