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Mother Nature Is Trying to Kill You

a Lively Tour Through the Dark Side of the Natural World
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Mar 09, 2018Vilka rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
Quick and entertaining read in conversational language, arguing against the popular romantic notion that anything that is 'natural' is automatically 'good' and humans should model their lives and choices on what is 'natural', by relating some of the unpleasant, gruesome, or even self-destructive things that different species do in nature--with the enthusiasm of a scientist who appreciates how cool these things are. Chapters are divided into stories that reflect the Seven Deadly Sins to illustrate the silliness of attributing human concepts of morality to the natural world. If you are put off by the author's description of living things as 'meat puppets' whose actions are controlled by their DNA's drive to spread, stay with it until the final chapter where, after an illuminating conversation with a colleague, he makes a rousing speech about how we as humans have the ability to think and act beyond our DNA's 'agenda' to work for a greater good--however unnatural that is.