science

Science in the Soul

Science in the Soul is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Science in the Soul rather than just read about it. In short: Science in the Soul: Selected Writings of a Passionate Rationalist is a book of selected essays and other writings by Richard Dawkins published in 2017. Published after two volumes of autobiography, it is his second essay collection, together with A Devil's Chaplain (2003).

Key takeaways

Science in the Soul belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Science in the Soul to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Science in the Soul from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Science in the Soul: Selected Writings of a Passionate Rationalist is a book of selected essays and other writings by Richard Dawkins published in 2017. Published after two volumes of autobiography, it is his second essay collection, together with A Devil's Chaplain (2003).

Description The book was edited by Gillian Somerscales and dedicated to Christopher Hitchens (1949-2011). It contains more than forty essays, journalism, lectures and letters (organised in eight chapters) about the importance of science.

Reviews Michael Shermer, editor-in-chief of Skeptic, wrote that "No living scientist is more deserving of such recognition than Richard Dawkins, whose every book reflects his literary genius and scientific substance. Science in the Soul is the perfect embodiment of Nobel-quality literature." James Randi, author of The Faith Healers, wrote that "Science in the Soul is packed with Dr Dawkins's philosophy, humor, anger, and quiet wisdom, leading the reader gently but firmly to inevitable conclusions that edify and educate, while dropping in periodic bons mots that seize attention rather firmly."

References

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Science in the Soul

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Science in the Soul claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Science in the Soul before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Science in the Soul ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Science in the Soul

In research: Science in the Soul appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Science in the Soul in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Science in the Soul is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 2017 English-language non-fiction books, 2017 non-fiction books, Bantam Press books, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Science in the Soul outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Science in the Soul in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Science in the Soul means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Science in the Soul out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Science in the Soul in simple terms?

Why does Science in the Soul matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Science in the Soul?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Science in the Soul.