The Blind Watchmaker
Richard Dawkins
13 people recommended it in 10 threads, 2007–2024.
1 commenter pushed back on it — worth reading the threads.
What people on Hacker News said
Reading the book gave me a detailed understanding of that religious line of reasoning, and what it might feel like to lose it.
Profoundly impacted and reinforced my thinking about God and religion.
The Blind Watchmaker, also by Dawkins, is the book that really undermined the necessity of a Creator to explain the complexity of life.
Evolution is the reason we exist! Understanding how it happens and why it can lead to counterintuitive outcomes is very important.
TSG and the other two books (The Extended Phenotype & The Blind Watchmaker) in the series are the most influential books I've yet read on evolution.
Where it comes up
- Ask HN: What books changed the way you think about almost everything? 2019 · 4 recommendations
- Ask HN: What's the "best" book you've ever read? 2024 · 1 recommendation
- Ask HN: Do you recall any book or course that made a topic finally click? 2022 · 1 recommendation
- Ask HN: Mind bending books to read and never be the same as before? 2020 · 1 recommendation
- Ask HN: Which books have made you introspect? 2018 · 1 recommendation
- Ask HN: Which non-technology book has influenced you the most and why? 2017 · 1 recommendation
- Ask HN: What are your favorite books? I'm bored 2014 · 1 recommendation
- Ask HN: Best books you read in 2012 2012 · 1 recommendation
- Books That Changed My Life 2008 · 1 recommendation
- Ask YC: favorite books 2007 · 1 recommendation