The Blind Watchmaker
by Richard Dawkins · first published 1986
56% recommend41% neutral3% critical
Why HN recommends it
Readable explanation of how evolution works and why it needs no designer, including the case against Lamarckism. Its biomorph program and code appeal to techies; suits newcomers to evolutionary biology.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
In De blinde horlogemaker spelen zowel Paley als Darwin een belangrijke rol. De eerstgenoemde als belichaming van het geloof in een voor ede mens onbekende doelgerichtheid van de natuur. Darwin als ontdekker van het principe van de natuurlijke selectie. Uiterst boeiend schrijft Dawkins over zijn pogingen Darwins evolutieleer met behulp van computers na te bootsen. Het kunstmatige landschap van de computer verschaft meer inzicht in de ontwikkeling van de genen, de belangrijkste bouwstenen van het leven. [(bron)][1] [1]: http://www.bol.com/nl/p/de-blinde-horlogemaker/1001004005445663/?co
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…about your world, about yourself. Buddhism / Religion / ... : - Siddartha - Hermann Hesse - The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho Science: - A brief history of time - Stephen Hawking (space, time) - The Blind Watchmaker - Richard Dawkins (evolution) - Le cerveau intime - Marc Jeannerod (in french only) Science-fiction: - The Road - Cormack Mc Carthy - City - Clifford D. Simack - Time is the simplest thing - Clifford…
on “Ask HN: What are your favorite books? I'm bored” ↗The Blind Watchmaker by Richard Dawkins The book is written to convince the reader that evolution is valid. But to me, the shocking thing was to really understand the religious argument for the first time, and understand…
on “Ask HN: Mind bending books to read and never be the same as before?” ↗…(or six) good books about five different sciences: Materials Science: Gordon, Structures, or Why Things Don't Fall Down. Linguistics: Pinker, The Language Instinct Evolutionary Biology: Dawkins, The Blind Watchmaker Molecular Biology: David Clark, Molecular Biology Made Simple and Fun Physics: the canonical answer is "Feynman". I won't argue with that. His little books (QED and The Character of Physical Law) are…
on “5 Great Science Books to Expand Your Mind” ↗I recommend http://www.amazon.com/COMPLEXITY-EMERGING-SCIENCE-ORDER-CHAO... which addresses this question in fascinating detail, and of course http://www.amazon.com/Blind-Watchmaker-Evidence-Evolution-Un...
on “The Woman Who Can't Recognize Her Face” ↗…to your questions then you need to study evolutionary biology - it really is a very interesting topic :) Edit. If you want to know more then any of Richard Dawkins biology books are really good. The Blind Watchmaker would be my suggestion of where to start.
on “The mutation that famously turned moths black during Industrial Revolution” ↗The Blind Watchmaker, also by Dawkins, is the book that really undermined the necessity of a Creator to explain the complexity of life.
on “Ask HN: What books changed the way you think about almost everything?” ↗>To me it's absolutely mind-blowing to think that this entire process developed on its own, in dark, Richard Dawkins has a very good explanation for this in The Blind Watchmaker. >and is mindlessly progressing along so effectively that despite all of our technological capability we can barely contain it. There's technological capability and America's punishment fetish because…
on “Moderna Is About to Begin Trials for HIV Vaccine” ↗…(tipped my decision to study mathematics) Alice Miller - most of her books (makes me view other people in an entirely different light - maybe these books should be way on top of my list) Richard Dawkins - Blind Watchmaker (Evolution shows everywhere) Albert Camus - Myth of Sisyphus (although I only read the first couple of pages, still seems the only approach to the "meaning of life" possible. Helped me against depression)…
on “Books That Changed My Life” ↗1. The Blind Watchmaker - Richard Dawkins 2. Anxiety, Phobias, and Panic - Reneau Z. Peurifoy
on “Ask HN: Best books you read in 2012” ↗Yeah, don’t understand the downvotes. It’s an interesting question, and the whole subject of Lamarckism is far from trivially obsolete. Richard Dawkins’ The Blind Watchmaker contains a coherent and convincing argument why Lamarckism is actually wrong as an evolutionary explanation (in a nutshell, Lamarckism fundamentally cannot explain increase in complexity, as Darwinian…
on “Breakthrough DNA Editor Borne of Bacteria” ↗…works on this subject so it is a pity to see a confusing one mentioned on HN. I personally recommend Almost Like a Whale: The 'Origin of Species' Updated by Steve Jones for a popular rendering and The Blind Watchmaker and The Extended Phenotype by Richard Dawkins for those wanting a more technical explanation. A disclaimer: unlike itchyjunk I really am not an expert, just a moderately well read engineer with physics…
on “Urban Evolution: How Species Adapt, or Don't, to City Living” ↗1. Gödel, Escher, Bach - An Eternal Golden Braid 2. Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance 3. Siddhartha 4. Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind 5. The Blind Watchmaker
on “Ask HN: Which books have made you introspect?” ↗…science writing. Keeping comparisons with the giant, i.e. Darwin, aside, Dawkins is one of the most eloquent science writers. On par with the inimitable Carl Sagan, dare I say. A year or so ago I've read The Blind Watchmaker by Dawkins (which, I gather, touches the same ideas from The Selfish Gene). He writes extremely poignantly about "cumulative selection", the "immortal gene", "adaptive complexity" (the particular property…
on “Books and lectures don't work” ↗Good one. I can't believe I forgot to include that one. Definitely an important book. On a related note, I just finished The Blind Watchmaker, also by Dawkins, and it's also very good.
on “Ask HN: Which book helped you understand the world?” ↗You're probably aware of it but if not, check out the "biomorphs" from Richard Dawkins "Blind Watchmaker" book. Or the 1987 documentary version at : https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x223a3n (The whole thing's great but the biomorphs are at 26:40 )
on “Show HN: Using Genetic Algorithm to Create Fractals” ↗