Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon

For all the thousands of books that have been written about religion, few until this one have attempted to examine it scientifically: to ask why?and how?it has shaped so many lives so strongly. Is religion a product of blind evolutionary instinct or rational choice? Is it truly the best way to live a moral life? Ranging through biology, history, and psychology, Daniel C. Dennett charts religion?s evolution from "wild" folk belief to "domesticated" dogma. Not an antireligious screed but an unblinking look beneath the veil of orthodoxy, Breaking the Spell will be read and debated by believers and skeptics alike. more

Price Range:$9.01 to $12.24 | 3 stores
Product Rating:

100 Reviews
Info:
Set Price Alert Save to Wish List
Tags:
Paperback, Daniel C. Dennett, Amazon, Buy.com, Barnes & Noble

ComparePrices

title,desc	merchant	price	seeit
Smarter Choice Paperback, Breaking the Spell:... An innovative thinker tackles the controversial question of why people believe in God and how religion shapes lives...	23,489 reviews *smarter certified	$9.01	See it
Breaking the Spell: Religion as a... Philosophy Religion - For all the thousands of books that have been written about religion, few until this one have...	Barnes & Noble	$17 $12.24 Coupon 1 coupon available Code:No Code Required Detail: Free Shipping on orders of $25 at Barnes & Noble Expires:Jun-30-2010 Restriction:see site for more details	See it
Breaking the Spell: Religion as a... Pages: 464, Paperback, Penguin (Non-Classics)	Amazon 11,393 reviews	$11.56 Coupon 1 coupon available Code:No Code Required Detail: FREE Shipping on orders over $25 at Amazon. Expires:Dec-31-2010 Restriction:Some restrictions apply. See site for details.	See it

*Shipping costs are based on an estimate of the lowest shipping rate available within the contiguous US, excluding Alaska and Hawaii. Only merchants with this product in stock are listed (Merchants with this product back ordered have been removed from this list).

Do you see a pricing error? Please let us know by filling out a simple form: Click here

MoreStores

Write a review

ProductReviews72/100 (100 Reviews)

Recent Reviews

4/5: From: Amazon; Posted: Sep-14-2009; A Good Read; I enjoyed this book. It's more philosophical than scientific. I usually prefer the more scientific approach but nevertheless a good read. Daniel C. Dennett makes a good case that believers have their place in our current society, even...; read full review | report as inappropriate

2/5: From: Amazon; Posted: Aug-15-2009; Not his best work, not by a mile; Dennett has moved from astounding philosophy of science to antagonism for those who disagree that the reflective person must dismiss religion as a belief system.The pretense, and first chapters of the book pull you in immediately,...; read full review | report as inappropriate

2/5: From: Amazon; Posted: Jul-29-2009; Not much of substance; For those interested in debunking the claims of believers, "Breaking the Spell" may hold some interest. But the ideas Daniel Dennett presents here are hardly original, and his lack of expertise on the topic is obvious. I was astonished...; read full review | report as inappropriate

5/5: From: Amazon; Posted: Jul-09-2009; Excellent, thoughtful book; I have read Breaking the Spell, The God Delusion, god is not Great, and The End of Faith. This is by far the most thoughtful and insightful book of the bunch. It makes a real effort to understand why we as human beings cling to...; read full review | report as inappropriate

Selected Reviews

4/5: From: Amazon; Posted: Sep-14-2009; A Good Read; I enjoyed this book. It's more philosophical than scientific. I usually prefer the more scientific approach but nevertheless a good read. Daniel C. Dennett makes a good case that believers have their place in our current society, even...; read full review | report as inappropriate

3/5: From: Amazon; Posted: Nov-26-2008; The Underlying Theme is Policy and Politics; This is the first book that I have read by Mr. Dennett and let me say at the outset that I am thankful that there are authors like him that are willing to take the time to "circle" a subject and view it from several different scientific,...; read full review | report as inappropriate

2/5: From: Amazon; Posted: Aug-15-2009; Not his best work, not by a mile; Dennett has moved from astounding philosophy of science to antagonism for those who disagree that the reflective person must dismiss religion as a belief system.The pretense, and first chapters of the book pull you in immediately,...; read full review | report as inappropriate