Reason for Hope: A Spiritual Journey

It was worth reading if interested in her and in the question of the nature of morality.

Reason For Hope outlines Jane Goodall's life and her philosophy, and provides a summary of what she believes, why she believes it, and how she came to believe it. I was a bit skeptical when I began this book, but quickly became a convert to much of Ms Goodall's philosophy and outlook when it became rather obvious that her insights were tested by, and developed through, the many trials of her life as a scientist and a publicist. Goodall gives a charming and succinct view of how her interests in primatology developed, how she remained positive despite personal tragedy and the environmental depradations in her beloved Africa, and why we should cultivate a concern about life. I was most impressed by how Ms Goodall's insights were carefully nurtured through intense patience and keen observation. She does not come by her insights cheaply, and has made an enviable blend of rationalism and empiricism. She notes many similarities between humanity and the higher primates, such as an innate cruelty (which can be overridden, but only with difficulty), an understandable but often fiercely destructive "herd mentality," and a tendency to favor optimism and joyfulness in our acquaintances. She makes a convincing argument that an appreciation of other life forms can enhance --not degrade-- our humanity. Finally, Ms Goodall argues that each one of us can make a positive difference in how we live, for the betterment of ourselves and others. I was impressed with how this productive and innovative scientist shows how science can be ethically progressive and "spiritually" meaningful. I can't think of anyone I would not recommend it to. Her book is a wonderful gift to her readers and to life.

Of all the book's this incredible woman has written containing her inner-most thoughts and feelings, this one is by far my favourite. In "Reason for Hope" Goodall reveals her outlook on life and touches on spirituality in a deeper light than seen in her other writings. She looks at humanity, our past mistakes and our reasons for hope. So much of this book reminds me of Buddhist philosophies, and the importance of sharing our compassion with the world. This life is not our destination or reason for being; it is merely the vehicle which carries us through this part of our journey - the part where we must give all that we can of ourselves to help others. Goodall is well-known as an advocate in protecting chimpanzees but she does not stop there. She helps the reader to understand why we, as individuals, must speak up and do whatever good we can to protect all animals and to better ourselves as human beings. As a consumer, we need to do speak out against the use of animals in inhumane experiments and labratory testing. It is not enough to read of animal abuse and silently sit back and say, "Isn't that terrible." We, as humans, need to take a pro-active approach and voice our opinions, loud and clear to companies, organizations, legislators with a clear-cut message that says, "Animal abuse, like child abuse, cannot and will not be tolerated in our society." Goodall is a woman who stands firmly in her beliefs and has the courage to speak out for what she believes in. While this book reveals a darker, more serious spiritual side to Goodall, the reader will be left with a better understanding of this incredible woman and her relentless devotion to protecting, not only chimpanees, but all animals. "Reason for Hope" takes the reader on a journey into the spiritual side of this, renowned, enigmatic, decisive woman wih a passion for the chimps at Gombe.

I just returned home after seeing Jane Goodall speak at Chautauqua, NY. After her inspiring and life changing (for me) speech, I bought this book and found it to be just as wonderful and moving as her speech. This book made me rethink they way I was leading my life and resolve to change for the better. She uses the story of her fascinating life with the chimps at Gombe to argue against the 'justmeism' prevalent in today's society.(Its just me--how can I make a difference) It made me understand that there is no reason why I can't use my purchasing power to influence companies to treat animals more humanely and to care for our environment. I loved her thought of humans being in a time of 'moral evolution'. It really made me feel that we do have a higher purpose in life and should be trying to live our lives the most compassionate way we can. I've already told my friends about her book and her message and they have been inspired as well. I hope everyone picks up a copy of this book and is moved the way I was. I, too, understand her reasons for worrying about our future and her reasons to hope.

In this rich and rewarding autobiographical journey - from infant to wizened woman in her sixth decade - Jane Goodall shares her life-defining experiences including her mentorship by Louis Leakey, the observations of chimpanzees that made her famous, and her significant relationships. The reader is right there with her through learning experiences and personal struggles and may be surprised to know about the difficulties and sacrifices even the lucky, gifted and famous have to make. Jane Goodall frequently calls on her grandmother's favorite scripture for comfort in inclement times, "as thy days, so shall thy strength be." Goodall's accounts and insightful realizations give courage and perspective for dealing with the hardship and obstacles in our own lives. One of the things I value most about this book is that Goodall addresses ethical and spiritual dimensions of science and conservation. Most scientists do not publicly discuss these larger ethical dilemmas or they sometimes engage in them but lose perspective in balancing human needs with those of other living creatures. Jane Goodall is not only willing and able to discuss these complex dimensions, but the outcome is helpful and thought-provoking. If I were a professor in any of the sciences (esp. biology, genetics, and environmental studies) or ethics, I would leap at the opportunity to make this required reading. In her broad and clear way, Jane Goodall touches on many of the key issues and interrelations that scientists (budding or established) need to be aware of but will not find in a science textbook. We, as students and concerned individuals, need to know about the Jane Goodalls, Rosalind Franklins, and Einsteins in addition to the Watsons and Cricks so we can visualize the full range of options for how we live and the kind of science we do. Some people have been lucky enough to know all along that they can have both their science and their religion (in some religions, the harmony of science and religion are explicit, such as in the Baha'i Faith), their compassion and a keen desire for intellectual investigation, scientific research and problem solving. Goodall is one of these people, and it is wonderful to have a respected thinker like her showing that the two seemingly dichotomous realities can blend harmoniously and that it is not always inappropriate for a scientist to also be civically active. Of course, some level of detachment and impartiality must be maintained in scientific research, but this other element of human compassion and civic responsibility needs to be increasingly recognized, emphasized, and cultivated. While Goodall's periodic discussions of spirituality and ethics may seem unusual subject matter for many traditional science environments, scientists and students will appreciate the opportunity this book offers to broach these subjects in a planned and meaningful way. There is something unthreatening and inclusive in

Reason for Hope: A Spiritual Journey, by Jane Goodall with Phillip Berman, Warner Books, 1999, New York. by Marc Bekoff Reason for Hope is an amazing book by a most-amazing woman. Jane Goodall's autobiography is easy to read and will appeal to people of all ages. She writes about highly personal issues and reflects on science, religion, and spirituality. Goodall is clearly a "Jane of all trades and master of many." She wears many hats and she wears them well. Goodall is a naturalist at heart, can do multivariate statistics, write about God and spirituality, be a faithful and committed mother and wife, and find time tirelessly to share her experiences world-wide. There is so much between its covers that one can only offer a glimpse of the numerous topics that are considered in Reason for Hope. This very personal book touches on diverse issues ranging from practical matters we all face daily to more philosophical questions concerning the meaning of life and spirituality. We learn about the events in Goodall's development that led to her views of the world, the incredible importance of family and friends, her work with Louis Leakey (her incredulity when he chose her to begin studies of chimpanzees although, and perhaps because, she had no formal training and no degree), field studies of chimpanzee behavior, conservation biology, environmental ethics, evolution and its relationship to creationism, cultural evolution, the agonizing death of Goodall's husband, Derek, the ins and outs of how much science is done behind the scenes, science and politics, and how so many scientists shy away from confronting the ethical issues that are raised by "doing science." Goodall also learned that naming animals and describing their personalities (I think that "animalities" might have been more acceptable terms) was taboo in science, but because she had not been to university she did not know this. She "thought it was silly and paid no attention." In an interesting story, Goodall notes how fortunate she was when her mother, Vanne, found she had taken a whole handful of worms to bed at 10 months old she did not throw them out, but quietly told Jane they would die without earth, so she toddled with them back into the little garden outside their London apartment. In many ways Vanne is no less amazing than her daughter. In her mid-fifties, Vanne joined Jane on her initial journey into the wilds, leaving for five months a nice peaceful existence in England. Goodall also relates how her novel observations of tool-use in chimpanzees, which were responsible for redefining what is it to be human ("Man the toolmaker" no longer was tenable, tool use did not separate humans from other animals), were looked upon with skepticism by people who thought she was untrained to do the work she was doing, many of whom had never left their ivory tower or seen a wild animal. Photographs of tool use subsequently squelched their concerns. Goodal