The Ant and the Ferrari

Dr Kerry Spackman, Harper Collins

Dr Kerry Spackman is described as a neuroscientist, a winner of many awards, a consultant to Formula 1 teams, a “mental trainer for many world champions including the All Blacks” and an owner of a great many motorcycles.

Among other things, Dr Spackman sets out to demolish any idea of a God, life after death and to answer the question, “What caused the Big Bang and why should you care?” In fairness, there is a chapter on “Purpose and Meaning” — the two things which still concern most thoughtful individuals — and answers with a story about “illusionists” and magicians and their use of “sleight of hand”.

Despite the glossy pages and great illustrations I am not convinced by the logic, “All A is B, some C is B, therefore all C is A”.

I am left with the feeling of being deceived. After all, despite the fact that the ant walking across the bonnet of a Ferrari could not understand all the engineering involved in such a vehicle, it does not follow that there never was an Enzo Ferrari.

John Atkinson