Product Description
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 contains astounding findings that 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.

CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 4.0 based on 74 reviews)

Loved this book... by didntvoteforhillary (New York)

5 Stars
February 23, 2010
This is a must read for anyone interested in a new perspective on Earth and our place in the universe. It is fairly easy to read for anyone with only a basic understanding of physics (I would recommend brushing up on general theory of relativity to make some points easier to follow). There are a lot of fascinating facts about geology and astronomy that alone make this work a pleasure to read. As with any scientific book, I always check the credentials of the author(s)before I bother reading it. You will notice that neither the incredibly biased and ill-informed Publishers Weekly 'review' or the 1,2 and 3 star reader reviews offer any issues with the scientific data presented or the credibility of the authors. Guillermo Gonzalez is a professor of physics and astronomy and has many other qualifications in this field. I find the authors' conclusion about the correlation between habitability and measurability to be sensible, logical and certainly refreshing in a world that increasingly insists on mediocrity and purposelessness as the key tenets of life.

Exactly what I ordered... by Steven A. Pimentel (Rosemead, Ca United States)

5 Stars
December 03, 2009
The book came in exceptional condition, on time, and was exactly what I had ordered.

A Concise Review: This Video Will Change Your Mind by CSUF BA; HIU MEd (RSM, CA)

5 Stars
November 29, 2009
This is one of the most thought provoking documentaries I have EVER watched. I have had 2 major careers so far in life. First I worked in the Information Technology field for about 20 years and now I have worked in education for about 13 years. Beyond my college education, these fields have taught me many additional things. I have wrestled with life questions since college in the 70s and I will continue to revisit my perspectives and beliefs all of my life, but of all the documentaries I have viewed and books I have read this is one of the most seminal. Whether you agree with it or not it will impact the thinking of any open-minded person and I suspect even of those with a closed mind. In one sense we are all closed minded based upon our to-date experiences. This documentary is one of those pivotal encounters that can be zeitgeist changing or reinforcing. I highly recommend it.

Some science, some philosophy by Wüstenfuchs (Illinois)

4 Stars
November 16, 2009
The two halves of this book are markedly different. In the first half, the authors recount many facts and figures from the sciences, mostly astronomy. This half is readable, but the details require close attention. Some reviewers have complained that the book contains factual errors but have not said what they are. Considering the huge amount of material covered, it would be surprising if there were not a few errors. Not being an expert, I can only assume that most of the facts are correctly stated. The second half is philosophical, treating things like the "Copernican principle" and the implications of the scientific findings. Naturally, this half is not restricted to hard data, but includes the authors' views of what the data imply. Many philosophically illiterate writers stumble on this ground, but G&R show considerable savvy. Many outspoken scientists say that scientific findings imply that God does not exist, or that human beings are merely the last freakish product of the hurrying of matter; these authors disagree. If your mind is made up that only the former philosophy is legitimate, there is no use reading this book. If you would like to read a well-informed and reasonable defense of the latter position, this book is a good start.

The Privileged Planet by Paul Stecoza (Bucharest, Romania)

5 Stars
November 15, 2009
A very well-documented and reliable information source regarding the development of crucial aspects of our planet. Benefitting from a broad perspective and highly knowledgeable approach, it manages to provide an eloquent hypothesis to a wide range of global issues explored for the past centuries. A collection of high-quality scientific data, this book provides an excellent challenge for the experimented, passionate scientist. Also, I was pleased by the quality of the shipping procedure - the book arrived in half the time predicted. However, in the case of some products, the shipping costs tend to be too high if related to the product's actual cost. The Privileged Planet: How Our Place in the Cosmos is Designed for Discovery

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