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Is
Earth merely an insignificant speck in a vast and meaningless universe?
On the contrary: The Privileged Planet shows that this cherished
assumption of materialism is dead wrong.
In this provocative
book, Guillermo Gonzalez and Jay W. Richards present a staggering array
of evidence that exposes the hollowness of this modern dogma. They demonstrate
that our planet is exquisitely fit not only to support life, but also
to give us the best view of the universe, as if Earth were designed both
for life and for scientific discovery. Readers are taken on a scientific
odyssey from a history of tectonic plates, to the wonders of water and
solar eclipses, to our location in the Milky Way, to the laws that govern
the universe, and to the beginning of cosmic time.
The Privileged
Planet’s astounding findings should lead any individual to
reevaluate and even to reconsider our very purpose on what so many have
dismissed as nothing more than an accident of cosmic evolution.
“In a book
of magnificent sweep and daring, Guillermo Gonzalez and Jay Richards
drive home the argument that the old cliché of no place like
home is eerily true of Earth. Not only that, but if the scientific
method were to emerge anywhere, Earth is about as suitable as you
can get. Gonzalez and Richards have flung down the gauntlet. Let the
debate begin; it is a question that involves us all.” –
Simon Conway Morris – Author of Life’s Solution:
Inevitable Humans in a Lonely Universe
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“This thoughtful,
delightfully contrarian book will rile up those who believe the ‘Copernican
Principle’ is an essential philosophical component of modern science.
Is our universe designedly congenial to intelligent, observing life? Passionate
advocates of the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) will
rind much to ponder in this carefully documented analysis.” –
Owen Gingerich – Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics,
author of The Book Nobody Read: Chasing the Revolution of Nicolaus
Copernicus
“Not only
have Guillermo Gonzalez and Jay Richards written a book with a remarkable
thesis, they have constructed their argument on an abundance of evidence
and with a cautiousness of statement that make their volume even more
remarkable. In my opinion, The Privileged Planet deserves very careful
attention.” – Michael J. Crowe – Cavanaugh Professor
Emeritus at the University of Notre Dame and author of The Extraterrestrial
Life Debate, 1750-1900
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