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Anarchy Evolution: Faith, Science, and Bad Religion in a World Without God
A provocative look at the collision between religion and science-by the founding member of the cult punk band Bad Religion who is also a professor.
“I’ve always had a problem with authority.” —Greg Graffin
The world knows Greg Graffin as the lead singer of the cult punk band Bad Religion which he founded in the 80s— what they may not know is he also also a Ph.D. and a Professor of Life Sciences at UCLA who is immersed in the debate on religion. In Anarchy Evolution, Graffin puts forth his bold ideas about “naturalism” and the connection between science religion and art. In this provocative and timely book, Graffin tackles head on the “intellectual dishonestly” of creationism; he also shares compelling stories about his childhood and how science saved him when he ran into trouble as a teenager. Anarchy Evolution will appeal to the fans of Bad Religion (which as sold over 2.8 million albums) as well as readers of Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens. The book coincides with a major national Bad Religion reunion tour that will start in October of 2010.
“I’ve always had a problem with authority.” —Greg Graffin
The world knows Greg Graffin as the lead singer of the cult punk band Bad Religion which he founded in the 80s— what they may not know is he also also a Ph.D. and a Professor of Life Sciences at UCLA who is immersed in the debate on religion. In Anarchy Evolution, Graffin puts forth his bold ideas about “naturalism” and the connection between science religion and art. In this provocative and timely book, Graffin tackles head on the “intellectual dishonestly” of creationism; he also shares compelling stories about his childhood and how science saved him when he ran into trouble as a teenager. Anarchy Evolution will appeal to the fans of Bad Religion (which as sold over 2.8 million albums) as well as readers of Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens. The book coincides with a major national Bad Religion reunion tour that will start in October of 2010.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2010
255 people are currently reading
2063 people want to read
About the author
Greg Graffin
10 books305 followersGregory Walter Graffin is an American punk rock musician and college professor. He is most recognized as the lead vocalist and songwriter of the noted Los Angeles band Bad Religion, which he co-founded in 1980 and has been its only continual member. Graffin obtained his Ph.D. at Cornell University and has lectured courses in life sciences and paleontology at the University of California, Los Angeles.
Graffin attended El Camino Real High School, then double-majored in anthropology and geology as an undergraduate at the University of California, Los Angeles. He went on to earn a master's degree in geology from UCLA and received his Ph.D. from Cornell University. The Ph.D. dissertation was officially a zoology Ph.D., supervised by William B. Provine at Cornell. The dissertation was entitled "Monism, Atheism and the Naturalist Worldview: Perspectives from Evolutionary Biology." It is described as being essentially an evolutionary biology Ph.D. but having also relevance to history and philosophy of science.
Greg Graffin spends most of his time in Upstate New York, and teaches Life Science 1 and Earth & Space Sciences 116 (paleontology) at UCLA during the winter or fall quarters of each school year. According to a June 2008 interview with Bad Religion bassist Jay Bentley, Graffin will be teaching there from January to March 2009.
Greg Graffin received the Harvard Secular Society's "Outstanding Lifetime Achievement Award in Cultural Humanism" on April 26, 2008. During the award ceremony he played some acoustic versions of Bad Religion songs as well as songs from his solo career.
Preston Jones, a historian at the Christian John Brown University in Arkansas, sent Graffin an e-mail asking about one of his songs, and Graffin replied. Their resulting year-long e-mail exchange was published as a book in 2006, entitled "Is Belief in God Good, Bad or Irrelevant? A Professor and Punk Rocker Discuss Science, Religion, Naturalism & Christianity."
In 2009 Graffin announced that he had written a book entitled "Anarchy Evolution," and that it will be published by Harper Collins with a tentative release date of April 14, 2010.
Courtesy of Wikipedia
Graffin attended El Camino Real High School, then double-majored in anthropology and geology as an undergraduate at the University of California, Los Angeles. He went on to earn a master's degree in geology from UCLA and received his Ph.D. from Cornell University. The Ph.D. dissertation was officially a zoology Ph.D., supervised by William B. Provine at Cornell. The dissertation was entitled "Monism, Atheism and the Naturalist Worldview: Perspectives from Evolutionary Biology." It is described as being essentially an evolutionary biology Ph.D. but having also relevance to history and philosophy of science.
Greg Graffin spends most of his time in Upstate New York, and teaches Life Science 1 and Earth & Space Sciences 116 (paleontology) at UCLA during the winter or fall quarters of each school year. According to a June 2008 interview with Bad Religion bassist Jay Bentley, Graffin will be teaching there from January to March 2009.
Greg Graffin received the Harvard Secular Society's "Outstanding Lifetime Achievement Award in Cultural Humanism" on April 26, 2008. During the award ceremony he played some acoustic versions of Bad Religion songs as well as songs from his solo career.
Preston Jones, a historian at the Christian John Brown University in Arkansas, sent Graffin an e-mail asking about one of his songs, and Graffin replied. Their resulting year-long e-mail exchange was published as a book in 2006, entitled "Is Belief in God Good, Bad or Irrelevant? A Professor and Punk Rocker Discuss Science, Religion, Naturalism & Christianity."
In 2009 Graffin announced that he had written a book entitled "Anarchy Evolution," and that it will be published by Harper Collins with a tentative release date of April 14, 2010.
Courtesy of Wikipedia
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 168 reviews
December 19, 2010
Greg Graffin, through his music, has been one of my most profound personal influences. I've been a fan of Bad Religion for going on two decades, and Graffin's lyrics have always struck me as personally and socially relevant.
It was with this level of admiration that I picked up his book. Sadly, I've found his prose to be far less inspirational or insightful than his poetry. One is left with the feeling that Graffin actually does have a valuable perspective to share in regard to his world-view, but it was inexpertly articulated in this first book.
The craft of writing was missing here, feeling more like a stream-of-consciousness style essay than a well considered thesis or biography. It rather felt like Graffin just had some stuff he wanted to get off of his chest, and now that he's done it, I sincerely hope that he returns to popular science writing with some better crafted examples of his positions and experiences. I know he's capable, and I'll be happy to buy his next book when he gets around to it.
Additionally, I don't think I was the target audience for this book. It felt geared toward high school aged youths that might be in search of meaning and community. Perhaps within that demographic this book will be more meaningful.
It was with this level of admiration that I picked up his book. Sadly, I've found his prose to be far less inspirational or insightful than his poetry. One is left with the feeling that Graffin actually does have a valuable perspective to share in regard to his world-view, but it was inexpertly articulated in this first book.
The craft of writing was missing here, feeling more like a stream-of-consciousness style essay than a well considered thesis or biography. It rather felt like Graffin just had some stuff he wanted to get off of his chest, and now that he's done it, I sincerely hope that he returns to popular science writing with some better crafted examples of his positions and experiences. I know he's capable, and I'll be happy to buy his next book when he gets around to it.
Additionally, I don't think I was the target audience for this book. It felt geared toward high school aged youths that might be in search of meaning and community. Perhaps within that demographic this book will be more meaningful.
December 19, 2022
Anarchy Evolution resides at the intersection of science, religion and punk rock. It’s Greg Graffin’s philosophy, autobiography and discography; an odd but interesting presentation of his world view.
I wasn’t at all sure I wanted to venture inside the mind of Bad Religion’s front-man and lead singer. Outside of The Clash (I still have a CD of London Calling) and maybe Green Day, I’m not much of a punk rock aficionado. In my mind, this had all the makings of a literary catastrophe. I imagined Sid Vicious or Johnny Rotten hosting an episode of Nova, or maybe Carl Sagan with a pink & green mohawk...
What I found was an intelligent, articulate musician with a PhD in zoology and a penchant for reason. Color me pleasantly surprised.
I wasn’t at all sure I wanted to venture inside the mind of Bad Religion’s front-man and lead singer. Outside of The Clash (I still have a CD of London Calling) and maybe Green Day, I’m not much of a punk rock aficionado. In my mind, this had all the makings of a literary catastrophe. I imagined Sid Vicious or Johnny Rotten hosting an episode of Nova, or maybe Carl Sagan with a pink & green mohawk...
What I found was an intelligent, articulate musician with a PhD in zoology and a penchant for reason. Color me pleasantly surprised.
September 10, 2012
I'm a huge fan of Bad Religion and an evolutionary biologist. So this looked like the perfect book for me. Unfortunately it's not, although I've tried hard. Graffin tries to mix anecdotes about his biography in Science & with Bad Religion along basic biology while criticising faith in a "Dawkins-light" way.
Which sounds like an awesome mix of topics comes short as Graffin doesn't succeed in weaving all those topics together. The jumps between biography/science/beliefs are abrupt and often don't seem to make much sense.
About each topic on it's own:
I enjoyed the bits about his biography & Bad Religion, they are good to read, give some interesting insights into Graffins live and his career in Science & Music (the parts about visiting the Amazonian rainforest is great).
His science descriptions are pretty basic and his usage of vocabulary is often quite sloppy. If you've read any other book about evolution you probably won't learn something new. One point that really bugged me: Graffin depicts most evol. biologists, especially those working with molecular data, as firm adaptionists in a way probably not even Dawkins is.
Maybe it's because he grew up during a time where the neutralist-selectionist-debate (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neutral_...) was up and running, but nowadays his description feels like an uncanny remix of a true straw scotsman of "All real Mol. biologists believe in adaption".
I don't have too much to say about his criticism of belief as it's pretty much the gospel which you'll find in any book of modern-day skeptics/atheists/naturalists.
As said: Each topic could give an interesting book but this one comes short of delivering an interesting mix. If you're interested in Bad Religion & Greg Graffin you should give it a read, otherwise you can easily turn to other (i.e. better) books about evolution and atheism.
Which sounds like an awesome mix of topics comes short as Graffin doesn't succeed in weaving all those topics together. The jumps between biography/science/beliefs are abrupt and often don't seem to make much sense.
About each topic on it's own:
I enjoyed the bits about his biography & Bad Religion, they are good to read, give some interesting insights into Graffins live and his career in Science & Music (the parts about visiting the Amazonian rainforest is great).
His science descriptions are pretty basic and his usage of vocabulary is often quite sloppy. If you've read any other book about evolution you probably won't learn something new. One point that really bugged me: Graffin depicts most evol. biologists, especially those working with molecular data, as firm adaptionists in a way probably not even Dawkins is.
Maybe it's because he grew up during a time where the neutralist-selectionist-debate (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neutral_...) was up and running, but nowadays his description feels like an uncanny remix of a true straw scotsman of "All real Mol. biologists believe in adaption".
I don't have too much to say about his criticism of belief as it's pretty much the gospel which you'll find in any book of modern-day skeptics/atheists/naturalists.
As said: Each topic could give an interesting book but this one comes short of delivering an interesting mix. If you're interested in Bad Religion & Greg Graffin you should give it a read, otherwise you can easily turn to other (i.e. better) books about evolution and atheism.
February 3, 2019
Unlike others, I fail to see the point of this book. I'm analysing it now that I've read it and the only conclusion I come to is that it's Graffin's way of jotting stuff down and/or therapy. By writing, I think he is processing some stuff, it just feels to me he published it just 'cause other singers from other bands have also published books.
The mentioning of Dawkins in the beginning was mean, I was hopeful to find a similar style of analysis on religion as Dawkins has in his books but Graffin's part about religion was short and honestly, not very informative or enlightening.
I wasn't the target audience here.
It's an autobiographical look into punk music; Graffin tells about how he started his band, about the 80's, there's alot on punk music in the specific area where he comes from and very little on a larger scale. He has a few very specific incidents that he mentions in reference to the punk scene in Hollywood in the 80's and that's it. There's short notes later on about 90s and such but by this time it's become tedious to read.
He explains how he began his studies, his expedition in the rain forest and how music and his profession are his passion. There's surprisingly much on his work which was like an eye-opener for me: "Oh, it's not about religion it's about biology."
He briefly mentions his first wife and how he wasn't paying any attention to her and how he loves his second wife. These short notes are too short for an autobiography and that annoyed me.
And then there are the long passages about evolutionary biology; how some species are formed, what foliage grows where and why, what is an atom, what animals roamed New York during the pleistocene era etc. On top of the longevity of these lectures, he fails to establish a solid connection with what he was writing about before he starts telling me how Americans use pesticide on their lawns. Sure, fine, but what has this got to do with the riots at a punk gig?
Maybe he did explain how these things entwine, what they have to do with anything and what the connections are but I didn't see it.
To me the book wasn't coherent, didn't make sense as a book and there was no clear structure. The ending of the book gave a little light, oh yeah, creativity, but really, it should have been a recurring theme throughout or at least a kind of a red string to hold the unrelated tales together.
It wasn't.
The mentioning of Dawkins in the beginning was mean, I was hopeful to find a similar style of analysis on religion as Dawkins has in his books but Graffin's part about religion was short and honestly, not very informative or enlightening.
I wasn't the target audience here.
It's an autobiographical look into punk music; Graffin tells about how he started his band, about the 80's, there's alot on punk music in the specific area where he comes from and very little on a larger scale. He has a few very specific incidents that he mentions in reference to the punk scene in Hollywood in the 80's and that's it. There's short notes later on about 90s and such but by this time it's become tedious to read.
He explains how he began his studies, his expedition in the rain forest and how music and his profession are his passion. There's surprisingly much on his work which was like an eye-opener for me: "Oh, it's not about religion it's about biology."
He briefly mentions his first wife and how he wasn't paying any attention to her and how he loves his second wife. These short notes are too short for an autobiography and that annoyed me.
And then there are the long passages about evolutionary biology; how some species are formed, what foliage grows where and why, what is an atom, what animals roamed New York during the pleistocene era etc. On top of the longevity of these lectures, he fails to establish a solid connection with what he was writing about before he starts telling me how Americans use pesticide on their lawns. Sure, fine, but what has this got to do with the riots at a punk gig?
Maybe he did explain how these things entwine, what they have to do with anything and what the connections are but I didn't see it.
To me the book wasn't coherent, didn't make sense as a book and there was no clear structure. The ending of the book gave a little light, oh yeah, creativity, but really, it should have been a recurring theme throughout or at least a kind of a red string to hold the unrelated tales together.
It wasn't.
October 1, 2011
From the lead singer of Bad Religion, a book about science and religion and music and other stuff. I'm not totally sure what this book was about, but I liked it anyway. Sometimes I don't need to get the "point" to enjoy something.
I thought the book worked best when Gaffin spoke of his personal life. I enjoyed his tales about his childhood, about how he founded Bad Religion, and of how he became obsessed with evolution, which led him to eventually receive a PhD (he is a college professor as well as a punk rock singer). His chapter about the first big field expedition he did in the Amazon was fantastic. I also really enjoyed reading his personal opinions about science and religion. Of particular interest to me was his piece on our national obsession with the theory of natural selection, which has colored the debate on evolution for far too long. As I read it, I kept thinking to myself, "Thank you!" because it was nice to see a man of science voice this particular opinion.
Where I thought this book didn't work as well was when he was explaining scientific stuff. It's not because he's bad at it. It's just that I knew all of that stuff already. It was all pretty basic, and for most people with a general grasp of science, it wouldn't be anything new. However, I do realize that he was writing for a broad audience, so he had to keep it simple. It was just a little boring for me.
Overall, a really solid piece of work.
I thought the book worked best when Gaffin spoke of his personal life. I enjoyed his tales about his childhood, about how he founded Bad Religion, and of how he became obsessed with evolution, which led him to eventually receive a PhD (he is a college professor as well as a punk rock singer). His chapter about the first big field expedition he did in the Amazon was fantastic. I also really enjoyed reading his personal opinions about science and religion. Of particular interest to me was his piece on our national obsession with the theory of natural selection, which has colored the debate on evolution for far too long. As I read it, I kept thinking to myself, "Thank you!" because it was nice to see a man of science voice this particular opinion.
Where I thought this book didn't work as well was when he was explaining scientific stuff. It's not because he's bad at it. It's just that I knew all of that stuff already. It was all pretty basic, and for most people with a general grasp of science, it wouldn't be anything new. However, I do realize that he was writing for a broad audience, so he had to keep it simple. It was just a little boring for me.
Overall, a really solid piece of work.
October 31, 2025
I am eternally grateful that carrying a copy of this book with me during grad school initiated a conversation, which blossomed into a meaningful friendship. Graffin is brilliant and an awesome front man. Bad Religion shows are like archaic lectures.
My favorite quotes include:
"I have never forgotten that engaging in scientific data collection can be a great way of resisting authority." (33)
"The narratives of religion can grow richer, but they can never be falsified." (44)
"I was never attracted to the illegal and dangerous aspects of punk. For me, the thrill was always in the intellectual challenge to authority inherent in the music that I and others were writing." (86)
Graffin never participated in using marijuana and I'm curious if he had, whether or not his opinions would be altered.
https://letterboxd.com/jtb143/list/fi...
My favorite quotes include:
"I have never forgotten that engaging in scientific data collection can be a great way of resisting authority." (33)
"The narratives of religion can grow richer, but they can never be falsified." (44)
"I was never attracted to the illegal and dangerous aspects of punk. For me, the thrill was always in the intellectual challenge to authority inherent in the music that I and others were writing." (86)
Graffin never participated in using marijuana and I'm curious if he had, whether or not his opinions would be altered.
https://letterboxd.com/jtb143/list/fi...
April 15, 2011
Greg Graffin, singer for punk heroes Bad Religion and Professor of evolution, writes an interesting book that weaves, evolutionary science, music history and personal narrative. While at times the writing can be very dry especially when Graffin gets explicitly scientific, the narrative of the process of his life pushes the reader forward. And basically that might be the overall goal of "Anarchy Evolution": it's not about the particular subjects by themselves but how to understand Graffin's evolution as a musician and a writer and maybe this how method or logic to looking at nature. This might not be totally apparent to many readers and hopefully they will get.
At times the book is an exciting read because he can take you from a sold-out show in Los Angeles where a riot breaks out to a jungle wilderness of the Amazon to research plant and animal life.
Graffin's strength is in his argument to win others to a "naturalist" understanding of the world over a religious understanding of the world. He doesn't mince words. Religions are beliefs that people can have but they are not science or a way to understand how the world developed or is still changing. We have science to prove that. He's never bullheaded or mean, just stern and direct in his language.
Highly recommended for those who want an introduction to scientific understanding of the world without all weight of science lingo or metaphor. And of course this highly recommended to fans of one of the most influential California punk bands ever, Bad Religion.
At times the book is an exciting read because he can take you from a sold-out show in Los Angeles where a riot breaks out to a jungle wilderness of the Amazon to research plant and animal life.
Graffin's strength is in his argument to win others to a "naturalist" understanding of the world over a religious understanding of the world. He doesn't mince words. Religions are beliefs that people can have but they are not science or a way to understand how the world developed or is still changing. We have science to prove that. He's never bullheaded or mean, just stern and direct in his language.
Highly recommended for those who want an introduction to scientific understanding of the world without all weight of science lingo or metaphor. And of course this highly recommended to fans of one of the most influential California punk bands ever, Bad Religion.
November 10, 2010
While Bad Religion is one of my favorite bands and I admire Dr. Graffin, this book left me wanting more meat and less fluff.
I did enjoy stories about the early days of Bad Religion, and Graffin's thoughts on epigenetics and 'immortality', I don't think this book is meant for my demographic. Ironically, I'm a scientist and a musician.
This book, I believe, is better meant for High School students or Undergrads.
One last critism: Graffin shouldn't have used "Anarchy" in the title. I understand the point he's trying to convey but he fails to adequetly approach the concept of anarchy - whether Philosophical or otherwise.
I did enjoy stories about the early days of Bad Religion, and Graffin's thoughts on epigenetics and 'immortality', I don't think this book is meant for my demographic. Ironically, I'm a scientist and a musician.
This book, I believe, is better meant for High School students or Undergrads.
One last critism: Graffin shouldn't have used "Anarchy" in the title. I understand the point he's trying to convey but he fails to adequetly approach the concept of anarchy - whether Philosophical or otherwise.
December 14, 2010
Entertaining, yet satisfies my scientific curiosity. Recommended read especially when faced with evolution deniers :)
December 8, 2016
Outstanding! This book was so informational and engaging that I couldn't put it down. It kept me interested in every page and made me respect Greg and Bad Religion so much more than I already did.
May 14, 2017
one of those eye openers. makes you question things as they are
May 17, 2018
Now this was a fun challenge. Especially since I generally (I mean ALWAYS) mock Atheistic macro-evolutionary claims, bad Punk Music, and all things that poorly attempt to attack my beloved Bible. But that's no reason we can't have a blast.
Here's a game I play with all Evolutionary Propaganda: (what else would Harper/Collins bother to put out?)
Underline every evolutionary Fact that is met with a "Maybe, possibly, might have, we assume, are led to believe, appears, or plays loosely with billions of years... then after over a 100 - Just roll on the ground laughing, and then mumble something incoherent about finches and peer review having a 100% factual rate of perfection (or even 50% at this point). Science indeed.
Here's an enlightened sample: Page 35
"Evolutionary reconstructions, like all historical accounts, almost ALWAYS have an element of SPECULATION, but a plausible account goes like this. Sometime before 375 million years ago, a species of fish MUST HAVE lived in the vegetation-choked...some of the members of this ancestral species MUST HAVE had longer, more articulated front fins...These fins MAY HAVE given those individuals...SUGGESTING that it used it fins...PERHAPS an individual with longer and stronger was better able...if so, individuals with longer limbs COULD HAVE had more offspring... (Offspring ROCKS! Great Cali Punk band).
So you get the idea. That's a LOT of maybe's. But i'm no scientist. But I do like FACTS.
Anyway,
I enjoyed all the bits about Bad Religion and Graffin boasting about how insightful he always was. YES, it's not hard to prove you are smarter than all the other punks who got arrested, abused, dropped out, or just died from stupidity - sorry, the bar was low buddy. (That's why I'm a big OFFSPRING fan and generally ignore all things Bad Religion.) Which reminds me:
My son and I went to Vegas last summer to see Offspring, Bad Religion, Pennywise, Stiff Little Fingers. My goodness that was the dumbest bit of inbred music fans I've seen EVER. At least Offspring knows exactly what their fans are made of (They even insulted them on occasion..."shhhhh!" don't tell anyone - all the fans were too drunk, pierced, tattooed and emotionally needy to comprehend it.) But I still hate Bad Religion and couldn't make out more than two or three words Greg babbled. Maybe Jesus won't condemn you for the bits he couldn't make out. Here's hoping.
So the funny part is how Greg Gaffin keeps insisting that punk music and his desperate blind faith in evolution has some similarities...actually, when worded THAT WAY they indeed do. I could quote the book - since most readers have probably forgotten all of it by now - but remember all those parts about punk music meaning something??? Of course Greg seems to fail to mention all the DEAD celebrities of punk culture (remember the SEX PISTOLS anyone? And the general retardedness of the Ramones? Those were still fun songs though.) But not something I would boast about.
But Greg seems to consider all of his fans enlightened citizens of a possible Utopian culture...if only...
Greggy, next time you do a gig: look around at all the people puking, flopping, swearing, snearing, piercing. The term "Enlightened" or "Brights" (as Dawkins like to think) just never comes to mind.
Here's a quote about Punk fans: "Sometimes the rules of the pit are violated by jerks, drunks, and assholes. But almost everyone is aware of the rules." Punks indeed.
_________________________________________________________________
Now what really got me interested in this book was the end of the title ...IN A WORLD WITHOUT GOD by Greg & Steve.
So how exactly does Greg prove to us we are in a world without God? ...? Ummmh? Well, he didn't. Just more assumptions from an enlightened Evolutionary forest dweller who teaches other enlightened students (hopefully?) at the University of California. How often he teaches? Don't care.
Intermission: sings "We've got the American Jesus
Bolstering national faith
We've got the American Jesus
Overwhelming millions every day..."
Fair enough. It's best not to get your religious understandings from television or people who look like used car salesmen - or especially politicians (actually ESPECIALLY Punk musicians.) But I also don't recommend learning much from Country or Blues singers.
Here's a horrible thought: Page 102
"...and learning every word and every note of Jesus Christ Superstar...That album taught me...also the basic story of the New Testament. What a bonus! I didn't have to read the Bible to get the gist of Jesus' life."
Now that's funny. Greggy you really should have carefully read the Bible. Here's another fun and significant quote: "And certainly the lack of religion in my upbringing affected my worldview."
And boy did it - You assumed Punk music was noble and the God of all existence was bad.
Greg even attempted some deep biblical theology: "...and religion erases any desire to be skeptical. As Romans 14:23 states: He who has doubts is condemned."
Really Greggy? Is that what the Bible says? And you call yourself an honest thorough scientist and scholar? Hilarious.
Here's what the Bible fully says:
" It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble. The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves. But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.
Ummmm, yeah, I think you failed big time there. Like I said - It's best not to get your theological understandings from celebrities or Punk Musicians. Their ignorance and general laziness may be your undoing.
Here's another example of Greg not thinking something through:
"With all of these influences on our religious outlook, it's amazing that anybody ever changes their mind."
Hmmmm? And yet we apparently have over 10,000 different denominations of Christianity. It seems a LOT of people are not sticking with tradition or fear inflicted historical religious propaganda - as Greggy seems to insist. And most wannabe church goers are disgustingly liberal nowadays.
One final quote by Greg: "This guidance emerges spontaneously from the interactions of human beings living in societies and thinking together about how best to get along. It doesn't require a god or a sacred text."
Thankfully most societies on earth have a historical foundation of Religion. But often we get barbarians and free-thinkers fully embracing the lusts of atheism on the masses. AS I often say: "One man's prostitute is another man's sister/mother/daughter. One persons abortion is another persons DEAD baby. One persons liberal pot smoking is another persons entrepreneurial grade school drug dealing gang potential."
It appears it DOES require a God and sacred text to keep people from destroying any moral hopes of an ethical future for communities. Atheism offers nothing but changing opinions.
Okay, maybe one last religious tidbit from the theological giant of Bad Religion: "My goal is to learn about life by living it, not by trying to figure out a cryptic plan that the Creator had in store for me."
Greggy you failed to read the Bible and clearly comprehend this very simple plan the Creator laid out. And you call yourself an investigating scientist? You missed the obvious. We exist simply as a gift from the Heavenly Father to the Kingly Son. It appears you are going to miss out on heaven Greg. But you aren't dead yet - there's still hope. Maybe you should have learned something from your Great Grandfather E.M. Zerr and his commentaries - instead of pop theological crap by Jesus Christ Superstar.
I did enjoy Greg's chapter on Natural Selection. Seems all isn't in agreement in the faultless institute of Evolutionary agreement and FACT. How interesting. I can see Darwin rolling in his grave and putting some OFFSPRING into his Ipod.
But Darwin was just as emotional about his hatred of a World with God. So it all makes sense - His science just blindly fed that passion.
To end: Greg posted a very relevant quote from Richard C. Lewontin
" ...Because the worldview that we WANT, what I WANT, is a materialistic worldview...blah blah blah and that's desirable."
Science should never be about what we WANT. Our hearts and minds can lie to us.
Here's a game I play with all Evolutionary Propaganda: (what else would Harper/Collins bother to put out?)
Underline every evolutionary Fact that is met with a "Maybe, possibly, might have, we assume, are led to believe, appears, or plays loosely with billions of years... then after over a 100 - Just roll on the ground laughing, and then mumble something incoherent about finches and peer review having a 100% factual rate of perfection (or even 50% at this point). Science indeed.
Here's an enlightened sample: Page 35
"Evolutionary reconstructions, like all historical accounts, almost ALWAYS have an element of SPECULATION, but a plausible account goes like this. Sometime before 375 million years ago, a species of fish MUST HAVE lived in the vegetation-choked...some of the members of this ancestral species MUST HAVE had longer, more articulated front fins...These fins MAY HAVE given those individuals...SUGGESTING that it used it fins...PERHAPS an individual with longer and stronger was better able...if so, individuals with longer limbs COULD HAVE had more offspring... (Offspring ROCKS! Great Cali Punk band).
So you get the idea. That's a LOT of maybe's. But i'm no scientist. But I do like FACTS.
Anyway,
I enjoyed all the bits about Bad Religion and Graffin boasting about how insightful he always was. YES, it's not hard to prove you are smarter than all the other punks who got arrested, abused, dropped out, or just died from stupidity - sorry, the bar was low buddy. (That's why I'm a big OFFSPRING fan and generally ignore all things Bad Religion.) Which reminds me:
My son and I went to Vegas last summer to see Offspring, Bad Religion, Pennywise, Stiff Little Fingers. My goodness that was the dumbest bit of inbred music fans I've seen EVER. At least Offspring knows exactly what their fans are made of (They even insulted them on occasion..."shhhhh!" don't tell anyone - all the fans were too drunk, pierced, tattooed and emotionally needy to comprehend it.) But I still hate Bad Religion and couldn't make out more than two or three words Greg babbled. Maybe Jesus won't condemn you for the bits he couldn't make out. Here's hoping.
So the funny part is how Greg Gaffin keeps insisting that punk music and his desperate blind faith in evolution has some similarities...actually, when worded THAT WAY they indeed do. I could quote the book - since most readers have probably forgotten all of it by now - but remember all those parts about punk music meaning something??? Of course Greg seems to fail to mention all the DEAD celebrities of punk culture (remember the SEX PISTOLS anyone? And the general retardedness of the Ramones? Those were still fun songs though.) But not something I would boast about.
But Greg seems to consider all of his fans enlightened citizens of a possible Utopian culture...if only...
Greggy, next time you do a gig: look around at all the people puking, flopping, swearing, snearing, piercing. The term "Enlightened" or "Brights" (as Dawkins like to think) just never comes to mind.
Here's a quote about Punk fans: "Sometimes the rules of the pit are violated by jerks, drunks, and assholes. But almost everyone is aware of the rules." Punks indeed.
_________________________________________________________________
Now what really got me interested in this book was the end of the title ...IN A WORLD WITHOUT GOD by Greg & Steve.
So how exactly does Greg prove to us we are in a world without God? ...? Ummmh? Well, he didn't. Just more assumptions from an enlightened Evolutionary forest dweller who teaches other enlightened students (hopefully?) at the University of California. How often he teaches? Don't care.
Intermission: sings "We've got the American Jesus
Bolstering national faith
We've got the American Jesus
Overwhelming millions every day..."
Fair enough. It's best not to get your religious understandings from television or people who look like used car salesmen - or especially politicians (actually ESPECIALLY Punk musicians.) But I also don't recommend learning much from Country or Blues singers.
Here's a horrible thought: Page 102
"...and learning every word and every note of Jesus Christ Superstar...That album taught me...also the basic story of the New Testament. What a bonus! I didn't have to read the Bible to get the gist of Jesus' life."
Now that's funny. Greggy you really should have carefully read the Bible. Here's another fun and significant quote: "And certainly the lack of religion in my upbringing affected my worldview."
And boy did it - You assumed Punk music was noble and the God of all existence was bad.
Greg even attempted some deep biblical theology: "...and religion erases any desire to be skeptical. As Romans 14:23 states: He who has doubts is condemned."
Really Greggy? Is that what the Bible says? And you call yourself an honest thorough scientist and scholar? Hilarious.
Here's what the Bible fully says:
" It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble. The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves. But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.
Ummmm, yeah, I think you failed big time there. Like I said - It's best not to get your theological understandings from celebrities or Punk Musicians. Their ignorance and general laziness may be your undoing.
Here's another example of Greg not thinking something through:
"With all of these influences on our religious outlook, it's amazing that anybody ever changes their mind."
Hmmmm? And yet we apparently have over 10,000 different denominations of Christianity. It seems a LOT of people are not sticking with tradition or fear inflicted historical religious propaganda - as Greggy seems to insist. And most wannabe church goers are disgustingly liberal nowadays.
One final quote by Greg: "This guidance emerges spontaneously from the interactions of human beings living in societies and thinking together about how best to get along. It doesn't require a god or a sacred text."
Thankfully most societies on earth have a historical foundation of Religion. But often we get barbarians and free-thinkers fully embracing the lusts of atheism on the masses. AS I often say: "One man's prostitute is another man's sister/mother/daughter. One persons abortion is another persons DEAD baby. One persons liberal pot smoking is another persons entrepreneurial grade school drug dealing gang potential."
It appears it DOES require a God and sacred text to keep people from destroying any moral hopes of an ethical future for communities. Atheism offers nothing but changing opinions.
Okay, maybe one last religious tidbit from the theological giant of Bad Religion: "My goal is to learn about life by living it, not by trying to figure out a cryptic plan that the Creator had in store for me."
Greggy you failed to read the Bible and clearly comprehend this very simple plan the Creator laid out. And you call yourself an investigating scientist? You missed the obvious. We exist simply as a gift from the Heavenly Father to the Kingly Son. It appears you are going to miss out on heaven Greg. But you aren't dead yet - there's still hope. Maybe you should have learned something from your Great Grandfather E.M. Zerr and his commentaries - instead of pop theological crap by Jesus Christ Superstar.
I did enjoy Greg's chapter on Natural Selection. Seems all isn't in agreement in the faultless institute of Evolutionary agreement and FACT. How interesting. I can see Darwin rolling in his grave and putting some OFFSPRING into his Ipod.
But Darwin was just as emotional about his hatred of a World with God. So it all makes sense - His science just blindly fed that passion.
To end: Greg posted a very relevant quote from Richard C. Lewontin
" ...Because the worldview that we WANT, what I WANT, is a materialistic worldview...blah blah blah and that's desirable."
Science should never be about what we WANT. Our hearts and minds can lie to us.
January 24, 2022
I had been postponing reading this book for years. The reason was that as the absolute lifelong fan of Bad Religion I know too good Greg's "extended" vocabulary, so I had decided to read as much (less-difficult) books in English as possible before I get to this one. And when the time has come I knew right away that I was right :)
I have so many thoughts in my head after I finished it. I will start with more factual stuff. Firstly, I was expecting much more talk about Anarchy and its evolution, but book is more about how evolution is anarchical. Altogether, this book is a mix of various topic - it is partly Greg's biography connected with band's bio (that was very pleased surprise), then scientific explanations of various aspects of evolution and finally lot of philosophical opinions.
Now to the important thing - what I'm taking from this book. I understand that the prevailing part of the book was to little bit persuade the reader about God's non-existency based on scientific facts. I'm not saying, that this supposed to be "the only purpose" of the book, but definitely I could have felt it somewhere in the background all the time.
I think Greg won't be very happy about what I'm up to write in the following lines. But the fact is that this book hardened me even more in my worldview, that something like "creator" must eventually exist. I have never done before such a deep thinking about all the evolution process and by reading this book I realized much more how brutally long, complex and coincidental event it is. Maybe I'm more on that deist side - means I would admit that somebody designed it at the beginning, but does not interfere in "day-to-day" events since then. And I can admit as well the fact that my my brain is just not developed enough to understand such a complex thing.
Even though I'm 100% much more scientifically than spiritually oriented person, my mind just cannot accept that all of our consciousness is just a result of some one big coincidence ...
Anyway, this does not contradicts with my agreement to the basically all philosophical aspects mentioned in the book, related to the religion / "atheist" comparisons about morality and general behavior in daily life. I'm sure that religion can be more dangerous than helpful very often, mainly when it is taken too "literally" or when it's being followed too blindly.
Yes, this is the kind of a book which opens more questions than gives answers, similarly as all the great songs being produced by this guy more than 40 years. So if you don't want to think, don't read it (and don't listen). Otherwise very recommended.
I have so many thoughts in my head after I finished it. I will start with more factual stuff. Firstly, I was expecting much more talk about Anarchy and its evolution, but book is more about how evolution is anarchical. Altogether, this book is a mix of various topic - it is partly Greg's biography connected with band's bio (that was very pleased surprise), then scientific explanations of various aspects of evolution and finally lot of philosophical opinions.
Now to the important thing - what I'm taking from this book. I understand that the prevailing part of the book was to little bit persuade the reader about God's non-existency based on scientific facts. I'm not saying, that this supposed to be "the only purpose" of the book, but definitely I could have felt it somewhere in the background all the time.
I think Greg won't be very happy about what I'm up to write in the following lines. But the fact is that this book hardened me even more in my worldview, that something like "creator" must eventually exist. I have never done before such a deep thinking about all the evolution process and by reading this book I realized much more how brutally long, complex and coincidental event it is. Maybe I'm more on that deist side - means I would admit that somebody designed it at the beginning, but does not interfere in "day-to-day" events since then. And I can admit as well the fact that my my brain is just not developed enough to understand such a complex thing.
Even though I'm 100% much more scientifically than spiritually oriented person, my mind just cannot accept that all of our consciousness is just a result of some one big coincidence ...
Anyway, this does not contradicts with my agreement to the basically all philosophical aspects mentioned in the book, related to the religion / "atheist" comparisons about morality and general behavior in daily life. I'm sure that religion can be more dangerous than helpful very often, mainly when it is taken too "literally" or when it's being followed too blindly.
Yes, this is the kind of a book which opens more questions than gives answers, similarly as all the great songs being produced by this guy more than 40 years. So if you don't want to think, don't read it (and don't listen). Otherwise very recommended.
February 2, 2012
There are a lot of different ways to look at the world and at life, and we each have our own opinions and thoughts on these matters, but it's still nice to find someone who shares the same worldview because in a way it sort of validates how you think about things. Greg Graffin and I look at life in very much the same way.
In Anarchy Evolution, Graffin explores his worldview while taking the reader on the journey of his life and along the way the reader learns a lot about nature, science and especially evolution. Graffin is the lead singer of punk band Bad Religion, which has been performing and recording together for more than 30 years. During those 30 years, he also managed to earn three college degrees including a PhD in zoology from Cornell University and when he's not performing with Bad Religion he teaches evolutionary biology at UCLA. Talk about a Renaissance man!
The book weaves together stories of his childhood in the Midwest and Southern California with tales of the band...and along the way he explores his worldview as a naturalist and evolutionary scientist. The book is not a diatribe against religion, but rather it's a thoughtful explanation of why he is an atheist. It's also a great introduction to evolution and natural selection for those who do not know much about these subjects. It's really refreshing to hear from someone who knows how to explain the world of science in simple to understand ways and can connect those explanations to how naturalism (atheism) differs from theism. He also has a knack for taking long-held theist beliefs about atheists and turning them around and redefining the discussion to make sense of things from a non-theist perspective. I am sure I will take many nuggets from this book and use them when discussing my beliefs with my religious friends.
I highly recommend the book for anyone who is an atheist or wondering about how atheists think. It's also a great book for religious people to read if they'd like to get a scientific and non-threatening explanation of the naturalist or humanist worldview. Buy a copy for your curious religious friends!
As an added benefit, I definitely plan to listen to some Bad Religion over the next few weeks. I've only scratched the surface of their music and now I am really interested in listening to a wider array of their music from across their 30 years together.
In Anarchy Evolution, Graffin explores his worldview while taking the reader on the journey of his life and along the way the reader learns a lot about nature, science and especially evolution. Graffin is the lead singer of punk band Bad Religion, which has been performing and recording together for more than 30 years. During those 30 years, he also managed to earn three college degrees including a PhD in zoology from Cornell University and when he's not performing with Bad Religion he teaches evolutionary biology at UCLA. Talk about a Renaissance man!
The book weaves together stories of his childhood in the Midwest and Southern California with tales of the band...and along the way he explores his worldview as a naturalist and evolutionary scientist. The book is not a diatribe against religion, but rather it's a thoughtful explanation of why he is an atheist. It's also a great introduction to evolution and natural selection for those who do not know much about these subjects. It's really refreshing to hear from someone who knows how to explain the world of science in simple to understand ways and can connect those explanations to how naturalism (atheism) differs from theism. He also has a knack for taking long-held theist beliefs about atheists and turning them around and redefining the discussion to make sense of things from a non-theist perspective. I am sure I will take many nuggets from this book and use them when discussing my beliefs with my religious friends.
I highly recommend the book for anyone who is an atheist or wondering about how atheists think. It's also a great book for religious people to read if they'd like to get a scientific and non-threatening explanation of the naturalist or humanist worldview. Buy a copy for your curious religious friends!
As an added benefit, I definitely plan to listen to some Bad Religion over the next few weeks. I've only scratched the surface of their music and now I am really interested in listening to a wider array of their music from across their 30 years together.
March 3, 2011
I eagerly bought this book as I've been a long time admirer of Graffin's music, which is based around intellectual lyrics and thought provoking social commentary. Therefore, I was sure his musings on Atheism would reflect the same quality. I was sorely disappointed.
Now, I feel the need to qualify my criticism because I'm not sure my views would represent those of the average person reading the book. I spent my entire adult life living with a scientist and have spent even more time listening to Graffin's music and going to countless Bad Religion concerts. So, I'm not sure whether the book itself bothered me, or if it bothered me to spend so much time reading things I already knew. For example, the first five chapters provide what I felt was a grade school education on evolution, his life, coupled with some decent musing on religion. Unfortunately, all of it lacks the vocabulary and insight shown in his music, a fact that disappointed me more than anything else.
The only reason the book even gets 3 stars from me is that it does improve after the first five chapters. At this point his arguments, structured around the parallels he sees in the scientific process and the order of the natural world, the creative process, and the process of developing a life philosophy minus God, finally begin to mesh. Still, many times I found the details added in the notes in the back more intriguing than the text itself to the point I wished the whole book was written like the notes, and the back had notes for those requiring more information to understand Graffin's message.
The last chapters were the best of all. In these chapters he presents a compelling argument about ethics and Atheism in which he proposes a myriad of reasons and ways atheists are actually more motivated than religious people to live a good life and take care of the natural world (i.e. environment). This part was totally worth reading. I only wish it didn't take 150 pages for the book to get there.
Now, I feel the need to qualify my criticism because I'm not sure my views would represent those of the average person reading the book. I spent my entire adult life living with a scientist and have spent even more time listening to Graffin's music and going to countless Bad Religion concerts. So, I'm not sure whether the book itself bothered me, or if it bothered me to spend so much time reading things I already knew. For example, the first five chapters provide what I felt was a grade school education on evolution, his life, coupled with some decent musing on religion. Unfortunately, all of it lacks the vocabulary and insight shown in his music, a fact that disappointed me more than anything else.
The only reason the book even gets 3 stars from me is that it does improve after the first five chapters. At this point his arguments, structured around the parallels he sees in the scientific process and the order of the natural world, the creative process, and the process of developing a life philosophy minus God, finally begin to mesh. Still, many times I found the details added in the notes in the back more intriguing than the text itself to the point I wished the whole book was written like the notes, and the back had notes for those requiring more information to understand Graffin's message.
The last chapters were the best of all. In these chapters he presents a compelling argument about ethics and Atheism in which he proposes a myriad of reasons and ways atheists are actually more motivated than religious people to live a good life and take care of the natural world (i.e. environment). This part was totally worth reading. I only wish it didn't take 150 pages for the book to get there.
November 18, 2012
Since 15 I've listened to Bad Religion. My ruthless inquisitiveness didn't give me an alternative. I had to get to known the lead vocalist. Soon I found out, to my surprise, that he is a biologist! Moreover, he has a family, one divorce which by the way remarks on his book as tragedy and such a punk life I've always wanted to have.
Not only is Graffin a brilliant songwriter but he is an awe-inspiring author as well. In his book Anarchy evolution he talks a lot about personal adventures, thoughts back when he was a teenager and intellectual punk-rock. Unfortunately, I live in Greece where ,as in recession, finding such a great book printed is hard to impossible. Nevertheless, I typed the book's title on Scribd.com, which I also advise you to do.
Back to the book, Greg describes some of his most thought-provoking statements. He explains from where he got the inspiration to write lyrics. For instance, he wrote an awesome song ("We're only gonna die from our own arrogance") when he read a book about evolution with the following ending lines :
"To have arrived on this earth as the product of a biological accident, only to depart it through arrogance would be the ultimate irony"
Henceforth, having read this book I support individuals to express their worldview which Greg does well. If I could find a single reason not to rate 100 out of 100 for this book it would be that Graffin doesn't talk at all about free will (which is a scientific dilemma) as I expected and criticizes some of my favorite lyrics he wrote.
However, I ensure you that you'll enjoy his lively descriptions, laugh with his nerd jokes and learn a lot about his life, how to observe nature closely and come to conclusion rationally thinking and, if nothing else, you will learn to express your worldview.
Not only is Graffin a brilliant songwriter but he is an awe-inspiring author as well. In his book Anarchy evolution he talks a lot about personal adventures, thoughts back when he was a teenager and intellectual punk-rock. Unfortunately, I live in Greece where ,as in recession, finding such a great book printed is hard to impossible. Nevertheless, I typed the book's title on Scribd.com, which I also advise you to do.
Back to the book, Greg describes some of his most thought-provoking statements. He explains from where he got the inspiration to write lyrics. For instance, he wrote an awesome song ("We're only gonna die from our own arrogance") when he read a book about evolution with the following ending lines :
"To have arrived on this earth as the product of a biological accident, only to depart it through arrogance would be the ultimate irony"
Henceforth, having read this book I support individuals to express their worldview which Greg does well. If I could find a single reason not to rate 100 out of 100 for this book it would be that Graffin doesn't talk at all about free will (which is a scientific dilemma) as I expected and criticizes some of my favorite lyrics he wrote.
However, I ensure you that you'll enjoy his lively descriptions, laugh with his nerd jokes and learn a lot about his life, how to observe nature closely and come to conclusion rationally thinking and, if nothing else, you will learn to express your worldview.
February 29, 2012
It’s not often that you think of punk rock and PhD’s mixing, but they meld perfectly in Anarchy Evolution: Faith, Science, and Bad Religion in a World Without God. Co-author Greg Graffin has a PhD in Zoology, teaches Evolution at UCLA, and is the lead singer of punk band Bad Religion.
Anarchy Evolution is my February book from the backlog read for the Bookish Resolutions challenge. I’ve been reading this one on and off for a year. It’s part memoir, part celebration of the punk scene, and part approachable science text. I wouldn’t call this one a page turner, but if like me, you have an interest in music and science, I think you’ll understand the appeal.
Graffin explores his own evolution into punk rocker and scientist, while also exploring the disconnect between faith and scientific evidence. Unlike Dawkins, Graffin comes across less antagonistic to believers, but explains how a blind faith in a literal creation story is at odds with science. He delves into the debate between a guiding creator and the evidence of the impartiality (and sometimes the illogic) of nature and evolution.
This book wasn’t what I expected it would be when I bought it, but I am glad that I finished it. I learned about some nuances of evolutionary theory that I was unaware of. And I’ve added some Bad Religion to my Spotify account- Graffin actually sings about some of his scientific experience, and there’s an intellectualism to some of his lyrics that is missing from a lot of other songs.
I recommend this one for people with an interest in science and a fascination with how that can mix with something as creative as music.
Anarchy Evolution is my February book from the backlog read for the Bookish Resolutions challenge. I’ve been reading this one on and off for a year. It’s part memoir, part celebration of the punk scene, and part approachable science text. I wouldn’t call this one a page turner, but if like me, you have an interest in music and science, I think you’ll understand the appeal.
Graffin explores his own evolution into punk rocker and scientist, while also exploring the disconnect between faith and scientific evidence. Unlike Dawkins, Graffin comes across less antagonistic to believers, but explains how a blind faith in a literal creation story is at odds with science. He delves into the debate between a guiding creator and the evidence of the impartiality (and sometimes the illogic) of nature and evolution.
This book wasn’t what I expected it would be when I bought it, but I am glad that I finished it. I learned about some nuances of evolutionary theory that I was unaware of. And I’ve added some Bad Religion to my Spotify account- Graffin actually sings about some of his scientific experience, and there’s an intellectualism to some of his lyrics that is missing from a lot of other songs.
I recommend this one for people with an interest in science and a fascination with how that can mix with something as creative as music.
December 8, 2021
Growing up I loved punk rock. I wasn’t involved in any counterculture, didn’t adorn myself with any of its trappings, but The Dead Milkman or Bad Religion would often be blaring from my in-dash cassette player to and fro wherever. (Yeah…I’m aware I’ve just dated myself 😵💫).
I’m also a science nerd with degrees in Biology and have done some field work involving natural selection.
So…imagine my delight when I saw this book: a treatise of natural selection and it’s intersectionality with religion. Spoil alert: there is no intersection.
The first few sections of this book lay out—conversationally, I might add—what evolution is and what it isn’t. It defines natural selection and goes through some problems with the established theory. Spoiler alert: not everything we observe in nature is due to competition or fitness.
More sections are related to atheism. Simply defined: having no belief in a god or gods —or— not being convinced there is sufficient evidence to warrant a belief in god or gods.
The final few sections talk broadly about “atheist” worldview. Or rather, Dr. Graffin’s worldview (as atheism is not monolithic).
Overall, pretty standard stuff delivered in an easy to digest form.
Who is this book written for? Probably only those who need an introduction to natural selection, atheism and secular worldviews.
Anyone familiar with the above may only find benefit in the personal anecdotes of a punk rock legend.
I’m also a science nerd with degrees in Biology and have done some field work involving natural selection.
So…imagine my delight when I saw this book: a treatise of natural selection and it’s intersectionality with religion. Spoil alert: there is no intersection.
The first few sections of this book lay out—conversationally, I might add—what evolution is and what it isn’t. It defines natural selection and goes through some problems with the established theory. Spoiler alert: not everything we observe in nature is due to competition or fitness.
More sections are related to atheism. Simply defined: having no belief in a god or gods —or— not being convinced there is sufficient evidence to warrant a belief in god or gods.
The final few sections talk broadly about “atheist” worldview. Or rather, Dr. Graffin’s worldview (as atheism is not monolithic).
Overall, pretty standard stuff delivered in an easy to digest form.
Who is this book written for? Probably only those who need an introduction to natural selection, atheism and secular worldviews.
Anyone familiar with the above may only find benefit in the personal anecdotes of a punk rock legend.
October 21, 2014
Graffin isn't a particularly good prose writer, but his insistence on a worldview based on naturalism and biology--and, contrary to popular belief, the inherent beauty and goodness that arises from such a worldview--is a significant statement. The intertwining of his own life story and artistic contributions with evolutionary theory is also of note. I've been reading this alongside Richard Holmes' "Age of Wonder" (which outlines the connections between various scientific explorations in late-18th and early-19th century England and the Romantic movement), and it dawns on me that, while I firmly believe that evolution is the single greatest explanatory theory ever proposed and that scientific knowledge undeniably advances exponentially, "correctness" has little to do with anything. For anyone particularly interested in culture, as most book-readers are, a basic scientific literacy is required. The sciences increasingly supply the paradigms by which we conceptualize the world, and the arts will not stay independent of them. It is becoming very natural to see connections between the arts and sciences, and the trend will continue.
February 11, 2011
As a huge Bad Religion fan and a long time admirer of Greg Graffin's lyrics and the strength with which he holds and refines and defends his views, I loved this book.
But know that it's not a science textbook - don't read it if you want a definitive study of the theories of evolution, although it will point out avenues where you could learn more. Don't read it if you're looking for a history of punk, or a philosophical study of anarchy.
That's not what this is. This book is about Greg Graffin, his experiences, his beliefs and why those beliefs are logical to him. Nothing more, nothing less.
What's great about punk is the emphasis on proactivity - if you don't like something, get up and change it. If you don't understand something, go and learn about it. Just as Graffin is not going to answer all your questions for you, or tell you what to believe, this book cannot hope to fulfill the expectations of everyone who reads it. But it just might give you a place to start if you're curious about a whole bunch of things.
But know that it's not a science textbook - don't read it if you want a definitive study of the theories of evolution, although it will point out avenues where you could learn more. Don't read it if you're looking for a history of punk, or a philosophical study of anarchy.
That's not what this is. This book is about Greg Graffin, his experiences, his beliefs and why those beliefs are logical to him. Nothing more, nothing less.
What's great about punk is the emphasis on proactivity - if you don't like something, get up and change it. If you don't understand something, go and learn about it. Just as Graffin is not going to answer all your questions for you, or tell you what to believe, this book cannot hope to fulfill the expectations of everyone who reads it. But it just might give you a place to start if you're curious about a whole bunch of things.
January 7, 2011
Greg Graffin is the lead singer for Bad Religion. He is also a professor of life sciences and biology at UCLA. If anybody has ever heard Bad Religion or seen their logo, they will immediately know that they are anything but religious. Graffin is a staunch "naturalist" (he hates the word atheist because it only represents something you're against). It's obvious that he doesn't believe in God, and there are parts where he strongly argues his position, but I didn't feel like that was the focus of the book, which I found refreshing. His book is part scientific, part biographical. To be honest, I'm not much of a scientist, so those parts weren't as interesting to me as the parts about playing in a punk rock band. It was entertaining and very insightful as to what constitutes the belief system of one of the punk world's most influential bands.
June 3, 2018
If you're a fan of Bad Religion (I am) and love science and nature (I do) you'll probably enjoy this book, although both topics are interleaved under a very subtle common theme. It reads more as a collection of essays put together, but as book you get to know more about Graffin's life and philosophy, the history of Bad Religion and a lot about natural history and biology evolution which are the big interests of the author aside of punk music. Can't rate it higher because it lacks structure as a book, but I enjoyed reading through it anyway. If you're not into Bad Religion and/or natural history, you may not really care about it at all.
August 19, 2011
My Review: Who knew that punk rock and evolution had so much in common? I never would have guessed I’d be reading about Darwin and Bad Religion on alternating pages of the same book. But, yet again in this life, I’ve been proven wrong. And pleasantly so! Greg Graffin’s complex experiences in the field of evolutionary biology; combined with his equally complex experiences on stage as the lead singer of the punk rock band Bad Religion highlight the inevitable- yet beautiful- anarchy of existence itself. Part biology lesson, part social narrative, Graffin’s worldview is refreshingly unique.
November 20, 2010
I didn't expect to like this book as much as I did. I got it for P. Fisher and started reading the first few pages. Though it took me a while, I looked forward to reading a little bit every day. Quite prolific in expressing opinions (some that I share myself) in a way that I've always found difficult to put to words. Very good read of somewhat complex and thought provoking topics.
October 18, 2010
Very interesting take on a subject that is usually presented as dry and uninterestingly as possible by other authors. Graffin, as the singer and co-founder of the punk rock band Bad Religion as well as a evolution professor at UCLA, uses his unique experiences as references in explaining his thoughts on the subjects of evolution and God.
July 11, 2012
A great relation of one mans personal philosophy and cosmology. Graffin weaves scientific fact and autobiographical experiences into chapters that, though meandering, never fail to return to their original point. His conclusions are well thought out and often backed up with experiential evidence which only serves to make the message more personal.
July 3, 2018
Examines issues surrounding religion, science, evolution, and punk rock in an interesting mix of philosophy and reminiscences by the lead singer of Bad Religion, who happens to have a PhD in biological sciences (or something like that). It’s uneven, even boring in places, but brilliant in others and overall well worth reading.
March 19, 2019
Kind of hard to review as it's right up my lane. I enjoyed it. Bad Religion is one of my all time favorites so I'm hardly impartial here. Would recommend for non-religious people who want to learn something new about evolution and humankind and/or people who want to muse on the Big Questions. If you're offended or annoyed by Atheism, this is not for you.
April 19, 2012
I bought this book mainly because I'm a Bad Religion fan. That being said I am not a student of the teachings of evolution. The book is interesting enough even if it did loose me a few times but I can't say that it's a book I will want to read a second time either.
February 15, 2015
Saying that Greg Graffin is an interesting guy is an understatement. He's an Ivy League-educated evolutionary biologist and cofounder/frontman for one of the most famous bands of all time. Worth a read for the cogent narrative, the sciency bits, and the punk history.
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