Why, in the age of Richard Dawkins's God Delusion, has one of our leading writers on genetics devoted himself to a book investigating the Bible's scientific credentials? And what explanations can science offer for people who had limbs amputated under the influence of 19th-century mesmerists?
We investigate these and other issues with Steve Jones, the geneticist and science writer, whose latest book, The Serpent's Promise looks at what the Bible has to tell us about food, ageing, and superstition today. Psychology lecturer and one-time professional magician Peter Lamont explains how the secrets of magic can be revealed through an understanding of its historical and social context. Together they describe the science of Lewis Carroll's imagination.
Reading list:
The Serpent's Promise: The Bible Retold as Science by Steve Jones (Little Brown)
Extraordinary Beliefs: A Historical Approach to a Psychological Problem by Peter Lamont (Cambridge University Press)
