Laurie Godfrey

This is a book of essays of research at the time it was written to demonstrate the evidence for evolution, and rebutting creationism in all of its forms. Each essay tackles a particular aspect of creationism, displays its lack of rationality and reasoning, and then provides evidence for evolution. Some essays are more on the side of showing creationisms roots and history and demonstrating how it has said the same thing for decades, but with no appreciable advancements in its arguments or show more proofs.

Some reviewers here are looking for an answer to a ridiculous question "what do you do with half a wing", when the book shows evolution doesnt deal with questions like that because its nonsensical. Its not how things work. Each essay is a part of the whole designed to deconstruct the idea that creationism/intelligent design is worthwhile of scientific study. The overall thematic idea is one of showing how evolution is a science in all of its complexities, and creationism is simple idea with no real substance behind it. The authors cite numerous research studies from macroevolution, to microevolution, and deals with molecular and cellular issues all cited in research studies.

The book ends with an essay regarding "teaching the controversy" and explains in detail the actual controversies in evolutionary biology, the research surrounding it, and the minutiae with which the controversies actually deal with. It shows that creationism isnt dealing with controversies within evolution, but is an outside philosophy that colors all of its arguments in a misleading way about evolution.

Overall, the book provides excellent detail, however, it is preaching to the choir. The arguments make sense if you take into consideration how science actually works. If you dont think the scientific method or the way science is done is legitimate, you will not be convinced, as another reviewer here shows. You can provide all the evidence you want, but if you dont think the way its argued is legitimate, you will not be convinced.

The biggest thing that struck me as a layperson, is how extremely in depth evolutionary biology goes, and how surface creationism is with regard to rigor. Like said before, evolutionary biology provides citations and evidence for the molecular level, whereas creationism has one or two models that dont actually work, with the rest of creationism being trying to invalidate evolution on the basis of "holes" that dont actually exist. This is a book written for legislators and courts of the time in case creationists were to continue their crusade, and in that regard it is effective at showing the stark differences between the two. show less

Scientists Confront Creationism is a collection of essays by evolutionary biologists, supposedly defending Darwinism and rebutting creationism. While it doesn't really rebut creationism it does certainly patronize creationists, and does a passable job defending Darwinism, although it did not leave me convinced.

The rather patronizing title is a good prelude to the book, which loves to beg the question. When I saw the title, I thought, aha, here is the definitive answer to all of the opponents show more of Darwinism, and would straightaway answer the question, "What do you do with half of a wing?". Well, the book is 315 pages long, and finally I found the rebuttal to this objection on page 306, in a chapter/paper entitled: "Equal Time to Other Religions". OK, I was expecting a rebuttal to this most fundamental of all objections to Darwinism by say, page 15, but no matter. The rebuttal? - It seems that the Harri Krishna's object that there are no conceivable intermediate forms. There you have it, "The Harri Krishna Rebuttal". If the Harri Krishna's raise objection X, then objection X is automatically invalid, without actually having to deal with the question or the objection. I still don't know what an animal would do with half of a wing, but now I know I have to shave my head, wear orange robes and bang on symbols, .because I share an objection to Darwinism in common with the HK's.

Another curious feature: For the first three-quarters of the book, the various authors explain with great patience that these poor stupid clods who call themselves Creationists just can't get it through their thick skulls that changes take place gradually, over millions and millions of years, so that you couldn't even tell from one generation to another what the difference was. Then, in the last quarter of the book, we are informed that evolutionary biologists have come up with a brilliant new theory - that changes take place very suddenly, over perhaps just a few generations, or thousands of generations. The evidence - the lack of evidence that changes take place gradually. There is absolutely no positive evidence for the "Punctuated Equilibrium" theory, but it there is enough confidence in it to add it after the chapters that assure us that changes take place gradually, etc.

This is an important book, even if only to demonstrate in what disarray is the theory that we keep hearing is a "fact". show less

This book is a collection of contributed papers that discussed the evidence for evolution and demonstrated the lack of evidence for creationism. Because it came out before the Intelligent Design movement got going, it doesn't deal with that particular aspect of the "Creation Science" movement of the late 20th century. A good introduction to the topic.

Although I dig the subject matter, I think it's a little dry.