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God’s Debris: The Complete Works
Created by provocative bestselling author Scott Adams, this book features the internationally influential God’s Debris (2001) and its sequel, The Religion War (2004), plus a short story entitled Lucky House that is set in 2120 after the AI War.
Nothing about this book is normal.
The author is a trained hypnotist, and the book is written to create an experience you don’t normally get from words on a page. You will feel the effect most profoundly before the end of the first novel, God’s Debris, and in the short story Lucky House.
The middle piece, The Religion War, has a more traditional story structure and serves as a vehicle for Adams’ predictions. That novel is set in 2040, but you might see some of its predictions taking form already. When judging the predictions, consider that it was published in 2004.
Years after writing the original novels, Adams became nationally recognized for controversial yet accurate predictions in the domains of politics and technology.
If you know anyone who has read God’s Debris, they probably had a hard time describing it. Some say it is the best book they have ever read, which is a big claim. That won’t be true for everyone. But you will probably find this adventure thoroughly original; God’s The Complete Works is guaranteed to make your brain spin around in your skull.
You will never forget how it made you feel.
Nothing about this book is normal.
The author is a trained hypnotist, and the book is written to create an experience you don’t normally get from words on a page. You will feel the effect most profoundly before the end of the first novel, God’s Debris, and in the short story Lucky House.
The middle piece, The Religion War, has a more traditional story structure and serves as a vehicle for Adams’ predictions. That novel is set in 2040, but you might see some of its predictions taking form already. When judging the predictions, consider that it was published in 2004.
Years after writing the original novels, Adams became nationally recognized for controversial yet accurate predictions in the domains of politics and technology.
If you know anyone who has read God’s Debris, they probably had a hard time describing it. Some say it is the best book they have ever read, which is a big claim. That won’t be true for everyone. But you will probably find this adventure thoroughly original; God’s The Complete Works is guaranteed to make your brain spin around in your skull.
You will never forget how it made you feel.
- GenresPhilosophy
272 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 6, 2024
95 people are currently reading
43 people want to read
About the author
Scott Adams
285 books1,271 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Adams was born in Windham, New York in 1957 and received his Bachelor's degree in Economics from Hartwick College in 1979.
He also studied economics and management for his 1986 MBA from the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley.
In recent years, Adams has been hurt with a series of debilitating health problems. Since late 2004, he has suffered from a reemergence of his focal dystonia which has affected his drawing. He can fool his brain by drawing using a graphics tablet. On December 12, 2005, Adams announced on his blog that he also suffers from spasmodic dysphonia, a condition that causes the vocal cords to behave in an abnormal manner. However, on October 24, 2006, he again blogged stating that he had recovered from this condition, although he is unsure if the recovery is permanent. He claims to have developed a method to work around the disorder and has been able to speak normally since. Also, on January 21, 2007, he posted a blog entry detailing his experiences with treatment by Dr. Morton Cooper.
Adams is also a trained hypnotist, as well as a vegetarian. (Mentioned in, "Dilbert: A Treasury of Sunday Strips 00).
He married Shelly Miles on July 22, 2006.
Adams was born in Windham, New York in 1957 and received his Bachelor's degree in Economics from Hartwick College in 1979.
He also studied economics and management for his 1986 MBA from the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley.
In recent years, Adams has been hurt with a series of debilitating health problems. Since late 2004, he has suffered from a reemergence of his focal dystonia which has affected his drawing. He can fool his brain by drawing using a graphics tablet. On December 12, 2005, Adams announced on his blog that he also suffers from spasmodic dysphonia, a condition that causes the vocal cords to behave in an abnormal manner. However, on October 24, 2006, he again blogged stating that he had recovered from this condition, although he is unsure if the recovery is permanent. He claims to have developed a method to work around the disorder and has been able to speak normally since. Also, on January 21, 2007, he posted a blog entry detailing his experiences with treatment by Dr. Morton Cooper.
Adams is also a trained hypnotist, as well as a vegetarian. (Mentioned in, "Dilbert: A Treasury of Sunday Strips 00).
He married Shelly Miles on July 22, 2006.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
July 3, 2024
First I have to say I thought more than once that there are clear similarities between Scott Adams and his name brother Douglas Adams, the late author of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. They are both funny and they are both good at presenting common knowledge or science (which can be the same thing) in an unusual and interesting way.
GOD’S DEBRIS
Mr. Scott sets the bar pretty high when he calls this book a ”thought experiment” that may give the reader an ”experience” through the author’s hypnotic powers. He may be referring to any religious person who gets undeluded by this book. If that is the case, I praise him just for trying. God knows it’s needed.
He claims the book contains no humor, but I have to disagree. Some may be unintentional. I think some of the thoughts are interesting and some of them are partially original, to me at least. But they are very disjointed, sometimes contradictory and lack any depth or analysis. For good reason since they don’t hold up to scrutiny. And several are just mumbo jumbo.
I wish Mr. Scott would have taken some (more?) inspiration from Mr. Douglas and put more humor into this. Then ridiculous, but sometimes original ideas would be more entertaining, and still make you stop and think from time to time. And I wouldn’t so much mind the flaws in them.
To me, the part about evolution was close to this; looking at something in a new way to present a ridiculous and funny idea: how aliens might think kitchenware has evolved from simple clay pots to steel pans, and spoons to forks. How ”The teacup family would look like it was closely related to the beer mug and the water glass.” And how they have manipulated humans to produce/reproduce them. This got me thinking of how viruses also makes use of humans to reproduce. Then jumping from this to thought viruses, might have made for some deeper and/or funnier speculations. But then he goes on to display a shocking lack of knowledge of how actual evolution by natural selection works. ”Does it strike you as odd that there isn’t more evidence today of the mutations that drive evolution?” ”Where are the two-headed humans that will become overlords of the oneheaded people, the fish with unidentified organs that will evolve into something useful over the next million years, the cats who are developing gills. We see some evidence … but not the sort that became the precursors of brains, eyes, wings …” There are tons of evidence. And the best presenter of this is Richard Dawkins. He has many great books and youtube videos. This one might be of interest:
https://youtu.be/2X1iwLqM2t0
I think Mr. Scott’s ideas could have been more thought provoking and/or funnier if he knew the science better.
And the whole deal about probability being the essence of ”god” just doesn’t make sense. Probability is elevated to some powerful universal force, when it can simply be reduced to educated guesses based on either limited knowledge or experience. If you want to make guesses about a large number of outcomes as a whole, experience (statistics) may be the simplest way to predict the future, while if you’re betting everything on a single outcome, you would want to combine this with as much knowledge as possible as to all the factors that will affect this single outcome, because no experiment is done in a real vacuum. All the thoughts about probability, gravity, free will, morality, good and evil, determinism and omniscence would be more interesting and coherent if it included Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle. Btw, reading all this nonsense about probability, again got me thinking about Mr. Douglas:
https://hitchhikers.fandom.com/wiki/I...
THE RELIGION WAR
It’s a nice little story that reads easily and have some interesting characters. I like the point made about the importance of communication (dialog) and the free flow of information. The way the Avatar is talking people into doing his bidding by changing their whole view on reality isn’t very convincing. Much like how Mr. Scott failed to do anything remotely close to that to me, with GOD’S DEBRIS. And it gets a bit repetetive how the Avatar convinces one after the other. And a bit boring since all his ”convincing” arguments are repeats from GOD’S DEBRIS. I can see this working better as a comedy movie.
LUCKY HOUSE
Simply a short rewrite/continuation of GOD’S DEBRIS. It doesn’t add anything new or interesting to the ”thought experiment”, for me at least. Only a slightly novel way of how the line of avatars continue in the future. Which is just part of the rather simple setup in GOD’S DEBRIS to have some sort of framework in which to try and hold many disjointed thoughts.
GOD’S DEBRIS
Mr. Scott sets the bar pretty high when he calls this book a ”thought experiment” that may give the reader an ”experience” through the author’s hypnotic powers. He may be referring to any religious person who gets undeluded by this book. If that is the case, I praise him just for trying. God knows it’s needed.
He claims the book contains no humor, but I have to disagree. Some may be unintentional. I think some of the thoughts are interesting and some of them are partially original, to me at least. But they are very disjointed, sometimes contradictory and lack any depth or analysis. For good reason since they don’t hold up to scrutiny. And several are just mumbo jumbo.
I wish Mr. Scott would have taken some (more?) inspiration from Mr. Douglas and put more humor into this. Then ridiculous, but sometimes original ideas would be more entertaining, and still make you stop and think from time to time. And I wouldn’t so much mind the flaws in them.
To me, the part about evolution was close to this; looking at something in a new way to present a ridiculous and funny idea: how aliens might think kitchenware has evolved from simple clay pots to steel pans, and spoons to forks. How ”The teacup family would look like it was closely related to the beer mug and the water glass.” And how they have manipulated humans to produce/reproduce them. This got me thinking of how viruses also makes use of humans to reproduce. Then jumping from this to thought viruses, might have made for some deeper and/or funnier speculations. But then he goes on to display a shocking lack of knowledge of how actual evolution by natural selection works. ”Does it strike you as odd that there isn’t more evidence today of the mutations that drive evolution?” ”Where are the two-headed humans that will become overlords of the oneheaded people, the fish with unidentified organs that will evolve into something useful over the next million years, the cats who are developing gills. We see some evidence … but not the sort that became the precursors of brains, eyes, wings …” There are tons of evidence. And the best presenter of this is Richard Dawkins. He has many great books and youtube videos. This one might be of interest:
https://youtu.be/2X1iwLqM2t0
I think Mr. Scott’s ideas could have been more thought provoking and/or funnier if he knew the science better.
And the whole deal about probability being the essence of ”god” just doesn’t make sense. Probability is elevated to some powerful universal force, when it can simply be reduced to educated guesses based on either limited knowledge or experience. If you want to make guesses about a large number of outcomes as a whole, experience (statistics) may be the simplest way to predict the future, while if you’re betting everything on a single outcome, you would want to combine this with as much knowledge as possible as to all the factors that will affect this single outcome, because no experiment is done in a real vacuum. All the thoughts about probability, gravity, free will, morality, good and evil, determinism and omniscence would be more interesting and coherent if it included Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle. Btw, reading all this nonsense about probability, again got me thinking about Mr. Douglas:
https://hitchhikers.fandom.com/wiki/I...
THE RELIGION WAR
It’s a nice little story that reads easily and have some interesting characters. I like the point made about the importance of communication (dialog) and the free flow of information. The way the Avatar is talking people into doing his bidding by changing their whole view on reality isn’t very convincing. Much like how Mr. Scott failed to do anything remotely close to that to me, with GOD’S DEBRIS. And it gets a bit repetetive how the Avatar convinces one after the other. And a bit boring since all his ”convincing” arguments are repeats from GOD’S DEBRIS. I can see this working better as a comedy movie.
LUCKY HOUSE
Simply a short rewrite/continuation of GOD’S DEBRIS. It doesn’t add anything new or interesting to the ”thought experiment”, for me at least. Only a slightly novel way of how the line of avatars continue in the future. Which is just part of the rather simple setup in GOD’S DEBRIS to have some sort of framework in which to try and hold many disjointed thoughts.
June 24, 2024
This is the type of book that I can't call good or bad except in the context of making you think. In this case, thinking about the nature of our reality and God and it certainly achieves that.
This edition is the compilation of two previously published stories and a new short story.
A real positive for this book is that it approaches some big questions from the perspective of uniting rather than dividing. As an example, the author includes questions to ponder at the end of The Religion War story one of which is "Could atheists and believers accept the same definition of God?"
After reading this you might disagree with the presentation and logic but it will make you ponder some big questions and why you might disagree. I suspect that is the point and, by definition, it is a success.
This edition is the compilation of two previously published stories and a new short story.
A real positive for this book is that it approaches some big questions from the perspective of uniting rather than dividing. As an example, the author includes questions to ponder at the end of The Religion War story one of which is "Could atheists and believers accept the same definition of God?"
After reading this you might disagree with the presentation and logic but it will make you ponder some big questions and why you might disagree. I suspect that is the point and, by definition, it is a success.
June 9, 2024
required reading for those who question everything
It will frustrate and inform you. It will confuse you and hypnotize you. It will expand and contract your world. You’ll probably never be the same as you were before. It is important and it is trivial - it is a conundrum and a revelation at the same time. The three days it took to read the whole trilogy however to fully understand or misunderstand it would take much longer and more rereads. A triumph or a disaster, it will be up to the reader to make his own simulation and decide which reality is theirs. Mind blowing or mind f*ck it may be - totally up to you. Good luck and remember the most important thing- your time is short. Enjoy the journey.
It will frustrate and inform you. It will confuse you and hypnotize you. It will expand and contract your world. You’ll probably never be the same as you were before. It is important and it is trivial - it is a conundrum and a revelation at the same time. The three days it took to read the whole trilogy however to fully understand or misunderstand it would take much longer and more rereads. A triumph or a disaster, it will be up to the reader to make his own simulation and decide which reality is theirs. Mind blowing or mind f*ck it may be - totally up to you. Good luck and remember the most important thing- your time is short. Enjoy the journey.
July 7, 2025
Different. But quite compelling. Very philosophical—deep questions put into a fictional setting. I quite liked it!
January 14, 2025
Title: Thought-Provoking but Uneven Journey
Review:
God’s Debris is a fascinating read, but its uneven pacing and shifts in focus make it hard to fully embrace.
The first story is a clear 5-star experience. It grabs you immediately, presenting bold philosophical ideas with a razor-sharp simplicity that feels both accessible and profound. The conversations about the nature of reality, God, and free will are engaging and thought-provoking, setting up high expectations for the rest of the book.
Unfortunately, the middle section falters, coming across as more meandering than meaningful. What initially felt like a thrilling intellectual exploration starts to feel repetitive and self-indulgent. The ideas lose some of their clarity, and the dialogue drags. I’d give this part 2 stars for failing to maintain the energy and focus of the opening.
The final section redeems the book, earning 4 stars. It returns to form with some compelling insights and satisfying conclusions, though it doesn’t quite recapture the magic of the first part. Still, it ties together many of the earlier threads in a way that makes the journey feel worthwhile.
Overall, God’s Debris is a mixed bag—brilliant in parts, frustrating in others. If you enjoy philosophical thought experiments, it’s worth reading, but temper your expectations.
Review:
God’s Debris is a fascinating read, but its uneven pacing and shifts in focus make it hard to fully embrace.
The first story is a clear 5-star experience. It grabs you immediately, presenting bold philosophical ideas with a razor-sharp simplicity that feels both accessible and profound. The conversations about the nature of reality, God, and free will are engaging and thought-provoking, setting up high expectations for the rest of the book.
Unfortunately, the middle section falters, coming across as more meandering than meaningful. What initially felt like a thrilling intellectual exploration starts to feel repetitive and self-indulgent. The ideas lose some of their clarity, and the dialogue drags. I’d give this part 2 stars for failing to maintain the energy and focus of the opening.
The final section redeems the book, earning 4 stars. It returns to form with some compelling insights and satisfying conclusions, though it doesn’t quite recapture the magic of the first part. Still, it ties together many of the earlier threads in a way that makes the journey feel worthwhile.
Overall, God’s Debris is a mixed bag—brilliant in parts, frustrating in others. If you enjoy philosophical thought experiments, it’s worth reading, but temper your expectations.
August 7, 2024
I had previously read God's Debris and it remains one of my favorite thought experiments. The Religion War is less abstract and wasn't quite as appealing to me; still entertaining and thought-provoking though. Lucky House is a quick and simple introduction to Simulation Theory and was super fun and easy to read. I'd still recommend God's Debris to everyone and this collection is a nice addition to the ideas presented there.
September 16, 2025
Great book with ideas on the nature of God, reality, consciousness, probability, persuasion, awareness, the nature of truth, and more. The warning at the beginning of the book is fair, that it is meant for adults, not teens or younger. The ideas may cause one to question how they view the world and their place in it, even though it is a work of fiction.
I would read it again.
I would read it again.
July 12, 2024
The book is a more focused version of a theme Adams talks about frequently on “Coffee with Scott Adams”. The benefit is there are no distractions and you can immediately go back reread as opposed to listening in and thinking WTF did he just say. However, this isn’t really lite reading.
September 7, 2024
Funny and thought-provoking read that explores warious subjects from unique perspectives. The logic can feel repetitve at times, but still offers an engaging mental exercise. I recommend it, but it's best approached with an open mind.
July 11, 2025
What if Zeno wrote a book? It would kind of look like this. Thoughtful and funny, Adams certainly makes you think. The ending is surprisingly good and concludes a fun and engaging first thought experiment. Looking forward to reading the second book.
June 12, 2024
Good Read
an excellent read dealing with what could be reality or a relationship with God or whatever. It was fun. Buy the book, read it.
an excellent read dealing with what could be reality or a relationship with God or whatever. It was fun. Buy the book, read it.
June 16, 2024
oh well
Dilbert was great. I actually liked all three stories but… they are very naive and the delivery is very repetitive. Worth reading though.
Dilbert was great. I actually liked all three stories but… they are very naive and the delivery is very repetitive. Worth reading though.
July 23, 2024
wow
This is simply the deepest book I’ve ever read. I have a degree in religious philosophy and this is among the most profound things I’ve encountered. WOW
This is simply the deepest book I’ve ever read. I have a degree in religious philosophy and this is among the most profound things I’ve encountered. WOW
July 21, 2024
makes me think
A wild ride that questions everything. Maybe even why I should write this.
Is it my sense of reality at this moment?
What is my reality?
A wild ride that questions everything. Maybe even why I should write this.
Is it my sense of reality at this moment?
What is my reality?
September 8, 2024
Fascinating storytelling and concise writing. My mind was stretched. Enjoyed all three stories.
December 16, 2024
If this book doesn’t make you think, nothing will. P
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews