Unweaving the rainbow : science, delusion and the appetite for wonder

Did Sir Isaac Newton "unweave the rainbow" by reducing it to its prismatic colors, as John Keats contended? Did he, in other words, diminish beauty? Far from it, says acclaimed scientist Richard Dawkins; Newton's unweaving is the key too much of modern astronomy and to the breathtaking poetry of modern cosmology. Mysteries don't lose their poetry because they are solved: the solution often is more beautiful than the puzzle, uncovering deeper mysteries. With the wit, insight, and spellbinding prose that have made him a bestselling author, Dawkins takes up the most important and compelling topics in modern science, from astronomy and genetics to language and virtual reality, combining them in a landmark statement of the human appetite for wonder.This is the book Dawkins... A Dazzling, Passionate Polemic Against Anti-science Movements Of All Kinds. Keats Accused Newton Of Destroying The Poetry Of The Rainbow By Explaining The Origin Of Its Colours. In This Illuminating And Provocative Book, Richard Dawkins Argues That Keats Could Not Have Been More Mistaken, And Shows How An Understanding Of Science Enhances Our Wonder Of The World. He Argues That Mysteries Do Not Lose Their Poetry Because They Are Solved: The Solution Is Often More Beautiful Than The Puzzle, Uncovering Even Deeper Mysteries. Dawkins Takes Up The Most Important And Compelling Topics In Modern Science, From Astronomy And Genetics To Language And Virtual Reality, Combining Them In A Landmark Statement On The Human Appetite For Wonder. Did Newton "unweave the rainbow" by reducing it to its prismatic colors, as Keats contended? Did he, in other words, diminish beauty? Far from it, says Dawkins - Newton's unweaving is the key to much of modern astronomy and to the breathtaking poetry of modern cosmology. Mysteries don't lose their poetry because they are solved; the solution is often more beautiful than the puzzle, uncovering deeper mystery. Dawkins takes up the most important and compelling topics in modern science, from astronomy and genetics to language and virtual reality, and combines them in a landmark statement of the human appetite for wonder. We are going to die, and that makes us the lucky ones.