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Title: Darwin on Trial by Phillip E. Johnson ISBN: 0-8308-1324-1 Publisher: Intervarsity Press Pub. Date: November, 1993 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $13.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.5 (117 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: Two Thumbs Up!
Comment: Over the past several years I have read a number of books both for and against the theory of evolution. One of these books was in fact Darwin's original thesis, "The Origin of Species." Some of the others have been books that try to defeat Darwin by presenting a myriad of counter evidence which the author believes is proof that Darwin's theory is false. However, they usually end up being just as guilty as Darwin in making untested assumptions and sweeping generalizations. The end result is that these books aren't very convincing unless you read them having a completely bias view to begin with.
Phillip Johnson's book is entirely different. He makes the argument that simply showing tidbits of evidence which might be compatible with an evolving earth isn't the same as proving the fundamental tenants of the theory. Providing these tidbits of information is exactly what scientific naturalists have been doing all along. His purpose isn't to prove creationism to be true, but rather to show how flawed the "evidence" for evolution really is. Whatever your personal beliefs may be, you will view the lack of evidence for evolution in a different light after you read "Darwin on Trial." I give Johnson two thumbs up!
Rating: 5
Summary: One of Johnson's best!
Comment: I read Johnson's book Defeating Darwinism about 3 years ago, and was not impressed with his arguments against evolution in that book. Yet, after reading this book I have become a fan of Johnson's critiques of Darwinian theory. As a law student myself, I have come to appreciate Johnson's literary and argumentative techniques because he writes from the perspective not of a scientist, but as a lawyer examining the evidence to see which case is the strongest. Some criticize Johnson for not being a scientist, and in fact that was the criticism I levied against him three years ago, but as a lawyer Johnson is able to do something no scientist can do; Namely, examine the facts as they are and root out assumptions that individuals hold which help them interpret the facts in a certain way.
This is exactly what Johnson does in this book as he examines the evidence for and against Darwinian evolution. Johnson correctly notes that a vast majority of the scientific establishment have embraced the philosophical system of materialistic atheism as the logical partner of Darwinian theory. Therefore, there is no purpose to the universe's existence or any purpose for mankind's existence but everything is the result of law and chance. This type of worldview is antithetical to a religious worldview and therefore religion and science often do clash because these two philosophical systems are at odds with each other.
In addition, Johnson notes that the theory of evolution is slowly collapsing under the weight of new scientific discoveries. Sure, in Darwin's day the lack of fossil of evidence wasn't perceived as a problem because people believed the fossils were yet undiscovered, but the fossil discoveries of the last 150 years have only reinforced the fact the Darwinian evolution contradicts the fossil evidence. Yes, in Darwin's day the cell was believed to be a simple structure consisiting mainly of water and a nucleus, but now molecular biology has discovered that the cell is extremely complex, more complex than any man made machine, and believing such a structure could be created by random, pointless processes is absurd. These are just a few of the ideas brought forth in this book and although Johnson doesn't do much to damage the scientific validity of evolution he servely damages the philosophical foundations of evolution and that is damage enough.
Rating: 1
Summary: Very Interesting
Comment: This book seemed to me to be an excellent example of what is at the heart of the Creation-Evolution debate.
Unfortunately, Mr. Johnson embodies all that is wrong with it.
A professor of law, Phillip Johnson is less qualified to write this book than many of his readers. He takes a very lawyer-esque approach to the whole debate, as evidenced by his title.
Everyone who is fed up with lawyers getting criminals off with fancy arguments that bend opponents's words will recognize that a fundamental problem with a lawyer's approach to Truth is that it is motivated by winning, rather than finding out what happened. For readers who are interested in basic questions like, 'Did God create the world, and how?' this book will be disappointing, since it deals almost exclusively with attacking the words of secular scientists. For belligerent types who want to scorn evolutionists, this is the book for you; it will resonate in your very soul.
I would like to encourage anyone who reads this book to write down the list of unfair things that 'evolutionists do to win arguments' that Johnson has in one of his first chapters... things like personal attacks, mockery etc. And then see how many times throughout the rest of the book he himself resorts to these same tactics. If you can find two consecutive pages without one of these 'unfair tactics' you are a more careful reader than I am.
The thing terrible thing is, Phillip Johnson's stated motivation is his faith, his relationship with Jesus Christ. But Christ told his followers (He told them many things, but one of them was:) 'by this, all men will know you are my disciples: if you love one another.' There isn't much in the way of love in Phillip Johnson's book. Lots of scorn, derision, condesencion and mockery, but not much love.
Granted, nobody should be willing to compromise integrity by failing to take a hard line with the Truth, but it would be great if Phillip Johnson could be less smarmy about it.
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Title: DARWINS BLACK BOX: THE BIOCHEMICAL CHALLENGE TO EVOLUTION by Michael J. Behe ISBN: 0684834936 Publisher: Free Press Pub. Date: 20 March, 1998 List Price(USD): $14.00 |
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Title: Defeating Darwinism by Opening Minds by Phillip E. Johnson ISBN: 0830813608 Publisher: Intervarsity Press Pub. Date: August, 1997 List Price(USD): $11.00 |
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Title: Intelligent Design: The Bridge Between Science & Theology by William A. Dembski, Michael J. Behe ISBN: 0830815813 Publisher: Intervarsity Press Pub. Date: November, 1999 List Price(USD): $22.00 |
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Title: The Wedge of Truth: Splitting the Foundations of Naturalism by Phillip E. Johnson ISBN: 0830822674 Publisher: Intervarsity Press Pub. Date: August, 2000 List Price(USD): $18.00 |
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Title: Reason in the Balance: The Case Against Naturalism in Science, Law & Education by Phillip E. Johnson ISBN: 0830819290 Publisher: Intervarsity Press Pub. Date: May, 1998 List Price(USD): $15.00 |
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