Gleaned this from the Books and Culture podcast. This quote nicely shows the core argument of the book. It’s hard to see how much it is an argument as it is a naked assertion.
“In broad terms the law asserts (2nd law of thermodynamics) that things get worse…
That’s all there is to natural change, spreading disorder. The astonishing thing is that this spreading can result in the emergence of exquisite form. If the spreading is captured in an engine then bricks may be hoisted to build a cathedral. If the spreading occurs in a seed then molecules may be hoisted to build and orchid. If the spreading occurs in your body then random electrical and molecular currents in your brain may be organized into an opinion. The spreading of matter and energy is the root of all change…
Like it or not purposeless decay into disorder is the spring of all change even when that change is exquisite or results in seemingly purposeful action. At its heart then all actions, be they physical or cerebral are purposeless. The process of making decisions may appear to us to be purposeful because the metaphorical gears in our brains that are driven by the unwinding spring are meshed together in such a complex way, are linked into the chemical repositories of our memories, experiences and aspirations and are responsive to stimuli from our environment that the unwinding appears to have purpose. Indeed I do not deny the existence of personal purpose for our brains are such that in ways that are only slowly being unraveled by neuro-scientists they can identify pathways to pleasure, to fulfillment of various kinds, even to martyrdom, if that is their bag. But we should be aware that we, just like everything, are driven by purposeless decay, that is why we have to eat.
Now we come up against the crux. Even though at heart all change is driven by purposeless decay, our mental activity insures that our lives are full of personal purpose. The sense of purposefulness is so great that there is a natural tendency to extend the notion to cosmic entities. As a result people have reflected at length on the purpose of the universe taking the view that if anything is made and is for human activities then there is purposeful action behind it. This extrapolation from the personal to the cosmic is false.”
It’s not hard for me to see two things:
1. That the assertion of purposelessness isn’t anything more than a naked assertion. If one finds a rock in the garden it is impossible to know if that rock was placed their intentionally or unitentionally.
2. The foundational nihilism of the position. On what basis is human activity then purposeful and not simply apparent purposelessness. This seems at heart to boil down to basic determinism. Nothing matters.
Leadingchurch.com 
I like what you say here: “This extrapolation from the personal to the cosmic is false.” Many an enthusiastic evangelist has gone for a ride down the slippery slope that links ‘the divine path’ to ‘self righteousness’. It’s not hard to do -I do it all the time, and I’m not even an evangelist!
I wonder about purpose, however… purpose is tantamount to intent right? I have always believed that intent is everything. If I purposefully live in such a way that I refraining from particular habits or practices that distract me from love and a connection with God… then that purposefulness may be a good thing.
I recall a nice quote I read once in a random book (cannot recall the title/author): “if it matters, it matters”… in other words, if it matters to you, it matters/manifests.
Thanks for the interesting read.
-Chelsea