Stephen C. Meyer (1) (1958–)

This isn't a creationist book per se, and it definitely isn't a Young Earth Creationist work. It is an Intelligent Design book, and one crafted on the contention that the Standard Model of Darwinian Evolution, or Neo-Darwinism, can't explain the Cambrian Explosion and the sudden burst of diverse forms of life from no apparent antecedents. Meyer attempts to undermine the excuses evolutionists give for the Cambrian Explosion, then tries to prove that Intelligent Design is not an ipso facto show more denial of the scientific process. He succeeds on logical grounds, if you are willing to believe it, and offers a workable model, if you are willing to believe it. Yes, but belief. But, Meyer tries to show, the standard model relies on belief too. Chockfull of science, jargon, diagrams, references, and logic, Meyer is definitely no dilettante or intellectual lightweight, but still readable if you slog through. It is dense and long and big. But, it is worth the effort if you study such things. I read this out of order, i should've tackled his The Signature in the Cell first, but, it makes me want to go back and read that before plowing ahead to his more recent The Return of the God Hypothesis. It certainly makes it plain that something is amiss with evolutionary dogma. show less

Very well written and thorough presentation of ID from a scientific/philosophical perspective. Makes an excellent case for Iad being scientific. I am still baffled by opponents who say it is not science, but I believe it is out of place of ignorance and fear that it truly does identify some of the shortcomings of materialist philosophy.

When I was sixteen I read a book by a Jehovah Witness titled "Did Man Get Here by Evolution or by Creation?" It presented the idea of a roomful of chimpanzees pounding away on typewriters and wondered how long it would take them to produce the works of William Shakespeare. It also looked askance on radiocarbon dating. That book was in print from 1930 to 1985. "Darwin's Doubt" updates those concerns. It accepts the data collected by the paleontologists but finds fault with the conclusions of show more neo-Darwinism, punctuated equilibrium, evolutionary developmental biology, etc. Basically it comes down to a paucity of fossil evidence and conclusions that can be drawn from the "body plans" of the fossils that have been found and combinatorial inflation. The author explains the latter with a clever scenario: Would a bicycle thief attempt to steal a bicycle secured by a three dial padlock or a four dial padlock? Which would take less time to crack? Since we know how long life has existed on Earth and since we know a great deal more about genetics since Crick and Watson's discovery in 1953, more than Darwin, LaMarck, and Mendel ever did, its a mathematical impossibility that natural selection and gene mutation can account for the history of life.

Anyone interested in Intelligent Design and the controversy surrounding it should read this book. show less

This book was referenced in Douglas Richards thriller "Unleashed". That, and the author's notes at the end of that novel made me decide to pick this book up and read it for myself.

At about 12% through, I abandoned it. I was expecting something more approachable. I understand science and information theory, and have a basic understanding of biology and chemistry. I found this book to be very technical, and thus slow going. For a lay person, I think it would be a struggle.

Also, in my opinion, show more Meyer makes assertions that are unfounded. For example, "information must have a creator". I disagree with this. The rings in the stump of a felled tree contain information, yet there's no evidence that an intelligence put them there. show less