CONTENTS Editor's introduction 1 Author's introduction: The literature of science 4 i TOOLS OF TWO TRADES: : WRITING SCIENCE 19 In conversation with Neil deGrasse Tyson: On science and scientists, in public and private 21 The uncommon sense of science 38 Are we all related? 44 The timeless and the topical 47 Fighting on two fronts 54 Pornophilosophy 57 Determinism and dialectics: a tale of sound and fury 62 Tutorial-driven teaching 69 Life after light 76 A scientific education and the Deep Problems 79 Rationalist, iconoclast, Renaissance man 85 Revisiting The Selfish Gene 90 II WORLDS BEYOND WORDS: CELEBRATING NATURE 103 In conversation with Adam Hart-Davis: Evolution and plain writing in science 105 Close encounters with the truth 116 Conserving communities 120 Darwin on the slab 129 Life within life 132 Pure delight in a godless universe 138 Travelling with Darwin 143 Pictures of paradise 158 III INSIDE THE SURVIVAL MACHINE:61 EXPLORING HUMANITY In conversation with Steven Pinker: Language, learning and debugging the brain 163 Old brain, new brain 176 Breaking the species barrier 183 Branching out 187 Darwinism and human purpose 192 Worlds in microcosm 199 Real genes and virtual worlds 221 Nice guys (still) finish frst 229 Art, advertisement and attraction 234 From African Eve to the Banda strandlopers 240 We are stardust 253 The descent of Edward Wilson 255 IV THE MINER'S CANARY: SUPPORTING SCEPTICISM 267 In conversation with Christopher Hitchens: Is America heading for theocracy? 269 Witness of internal delusion 279 Kicking the habit 284 The unburdening lightness of relief 287 A public and political atheist 290 The great escape 296 In His own words: a portrait of God 298 Liberation from theology 302 The God Temptation 309 The intellectual and moral courage of atheism 313 V COUNSEL FOR THE PROSECUTION: INTERROGATING FAITH 327 In conversation with Lawrence Krauss: Should science speak to faith? 329 Defending the wall of separation 338 A moral and intellectual emergency 344 Unmasking the design illusion 347 'Nothing will come of nothing': why Lear was wrong 352 The fast food thesis: religion as evolutionary by-product 357 An ambitious banana skin 361 Heavenly twins 365 A tale of horror and heroism 368 V TENDING THE FLAME: EVANGELIZING EVOLUTION 373 In conversation with Matt Ridley: From Darwin to DNA - and beyond 375 Te 'little Penguin' relaunched 386 Foxes in the snow 393 Telling truth in a dark time 401 Irresponsible publishing? 407 Inferior design 414 The only kind of truth that works 418 Epilogue: To be read at my funeral 429 Sources and acknowledgments 431 Bibliography of works cited 437 Index 441.