Showing posts with label Darwinism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Darwinism. Show all posts

Tuesday, May 8, 2007

Defeating Darwinism

On my quest to unravel the mysteries, questions and controversies behind the evolution-creation battles, I have chosen to start my research and review by reading Phillip E. Johnson's easy to understand guide for DEFEATING DARWINISM by Opening Minds. It is through the help of a family friend, Lorenz Lasco, who has not a single clue of hesitation to lend me his pile of books concerning the defense from as well as the attacks against the seemingly philosophical side of Darwinism (in this case, I adopt the term Darwinism to indicate it being a philosophy or inclination to philosophy), that I was able to get hold of a copy of this very interesting book.



Basically, this book aims to advise parents, teachers and students alike how to debate against evolution. To continue with, here's an editorial review from Amazon.com by Ray Olson:

"Johnson feels his successful antievolution books, Darwin on Trial (1991) and Reason in the Balance (1995), are more complicated than parents and teachers need to prepare students to take on the evolutionists. Hence, this shorter version of his overall thesis that also advises how to debate evolution. Johnson first makes clear what he perceives the real adversary to be: a dogma that insists life arose solely by chance and that denies contrary evidence a hearing. He then counsels believers to avoid such common mistakes as retreating from theism to deism (and so transforming a continuously creative God into an uninvolved First Cause), to learn to spot faulty analogies and other forms of poor logic, to know the soundest scientific data casting doubt on classical evolution, and to persist--for, he says, the days of Darwinian hegemony are numbered. He firmly believes and seeks to persuade readers that his ultimate causes, aside from religious faith, are freedom of inquiry and the opening of now closed minds."

In my next entries, I will be posting my own review of this book by citing examples, arguments and strategies exposed and proposed by the author in which I agree. In the meantime, let me just lead you to a link in Amazon.com for a quick tour/browse of the book itself. So if you want, you can simply click here.

Thursday, April 26, 2007

Science and Creationism



Science and Creationism

This book is authored by the Steering Committee on Science and Creationism, National Academy of Sciences

Book description:

"While the mechanisms of evolution are still under investigation, scientists universally accept that the cosmos, our planet, and life evolved and continue to evolve. Yet the teaching of evolution to schoolchildren is still contentious.
In Science and Creationism, The National Academy of Sciences states unequivocally that creationism has no place in any science curriculum at any level.

Briefly and clearly, this booklet explores the nature of science, reviews the evidence for the origin of the universe and earth, and explains the current scientific understanding of biological evolution. This edition includes new insights from astronomy and molecular biology.

Attractive in presentation and authoritative in content, Science and Creationism will be useful to anyone concerned about America's scientific literacy: education policymakers, school boards and administrators, curriculum designers, librarians, teachers, parents, and students."

Available online or free PDF download, click here