The Purpose of Life: Science's Surprising Answer to Religion's Most Profound Question

What is the purpose of life? Some say it's to reproduce, others to glorify God, but behind these and other proposed purposes lies a scientific purpose. In The Purpose of Life , science writer Dorion Sagan and biophysicist Eric D. Schneider lay out the fascinating evidence for life's natural purpose -its function in an energy-driven cosmos. New evidence shows that the evolution of life on Earth over the past three-and-a-half billion years has not been random but has a clear direction, and its direction is related to life's function as a natural system. Indeed, life shares its function -its purpose -with that of certain other complex natural systems. Although the answer is simple and not exclusive -life may have other purposes -its profound implications may change the way we see ourselves, our relationships to other living beings, and our future on this shared, energy-driven planet.Sagan and Schneider provide a striking alternative to both scientific and religious views of this age-old question. Engaging recent bestsellers such as Rick Warren's The Purpose-Driven Life and Eckhart Tolle's A New Finding Your Life's Purpose, The Purpose of Life goes beyond popular science, weaving literature, philosophy, and spirituality into a highly readable narrative.