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Title: Defeating Darwinism by Opening Minds by Phillip E. Johnson ISBN: 0-8308-1360-8 Publisher: Intervarsity Press Pub. Date: August, 1997 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $11.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 3 (77 reviews)
Rating: 3
Summary: Good arguments, no evidence...
Comment: Mr. Johnson, being a Law professor specializing in the logic of arguements, knows how to make a point. However, he plays primarily on the sentiments of people who wish to be looked after by a higher power.
For example, in Chapter 4, he has some statements on Critical thinking in Evolutionary Biology. They are: (1) Learn to distinguish between what scientists assume & what they investigate; (2) Learn to use terms precisely & consistently; (3) Keep your eye on the mechanism of evolution; (4)Learn the difference between testing a theory using evidence and using selected bits of evidence to support the theory; and (5) Learn the difference between intelligent & unintelligent design. These are things that every person should be taught in school science classes. He uses these rules to look at some obviously false statements or assumptions about evolution. However, he fails to use these when talking about religion and creation. His arguement is read the Gospels and decide for yourself.
There are many problems with the evolution vs. creation "debate." (1) Fundamentalist Christians are the only group which insists that THEIR view of the origins of mankind be taught in schools. Other groups, including most of the Judaeo-Christian religions, are content with teaching their religious viewpoints at home, leaving the schools free to teach science without offending any religious group (except, maybe, the fundamental Christians!). (2) The Bible was never meant to be take LITERALLY. A Hebrew friend of mine said that when the Bible is read in Synagogue on the Sabbath, they also read from 3000 years of their Rabbi's interpretations of the stories. THIS is the problem with the Creationist viewpoint. The Bible is a STORY to explain things to people with very limited knowledge of physics, biology, and science in general.
Mr Johnson deserves praise for the logical arguements in his book (hence the 3 stars instead of just 1 or 2), but anyone reading it should also read books about evolution (i.e. Tim Berra's Evolution and the Myth of Creationism) for the other side of the debate. Then, make up your mind on what is more believable.
Rating: 1
Summary: Garbage
Comment: This is drivel, unworthy of the paper its printed on. Phil should evolve a brain.
Rating: 3
Summary: Could have been better!
Comment: I read this book over four years ago and after recently reading a few more books on the Creation/Evolution issue, I dusted off my copy of Johnson's book and reexamined it. After going through the book a second time I was a unimpressed and didn't have the same respect for the book that I did after reading it the first time. Nevertheless, the book does bring up some very valid points and ones that evolutionary scientists need to answer.
For instance, Johnson shows how evolutionary supporters rely on deceptive evidence as an explanation for their views. When asked to prove that life evolves and produces diversity evolutionists point to the variety within the species' Canis Domesticus and Felix Domesticus, or the common dog and house cat. These proofs are inadequate because the variety of cats and dogs that exist today are only proof of variation and differentiation within a species, not of macro-evolution from one species to another. It is a scientific fact that a German Shepherd and a Teacup poodle are both members of the same species and are not different species. Second, and even more damning is that scientists appeal to this as proof of evolution when in fact it completely obliterates their view. The cats and dogs we have today are a product of intelligent design and selective breeding processes. Just visit any breeder and you will see that even today some breeders are breeding select dogs to produce a new type of breed. This screams intelligent design and completely underscores the evolutionist's argument. All of the dogs and cast we have today are a product of human intervention and planning not random forces at work to produce a fitter and better species.
Second, and most importantly, evolutionary principles defy the laws of thermodynamics; This is probably the most common argument used by creationists to discredit the evolutionary position, and with good reason. The second law of thermodynamics states that a system left to itself will continually move towards a state of greater entropy. In other words, if left to itself a system will become more random and more chaotic. This can be countered if an outside force is introduced into the system to organize it and restore order. This can be done very easily by adding energy to a system. This is how evolutionists will try and squirm their way out of this objection by stating that adding enery to a system will produce order out of chaos. In fact, Tim Berra attempt to do such a thing in his book, "Evolution and the myth of creationism : a basic guide to the facts in the evolution debate." Berra uses the example of receiving an unassembled bike in the mail,, he argues that left to itself the arrangement will become more chaotic and unorganized, but this can be altered by adding energy to the system. The energy you add is work from your muscles and tendons striving to assemble the bike, and thus adding energy to the system. Yet, this analagy is completely inadequate and destroys his whole argument. This process is one of logical and cognitive intelligent design. A human being, an intelligent being, decides to put the bike together and uses his cognitive functions to guide his effort to assemble the bycicle. This is intelligent design at it's finest and it utterly destroys the idea that an unassembled bycicle could be assembled by random chance. If a bike couldn't be put together without energy and design what are we to suppose to believe about human beings?
These are just a few of the arguments brought up in Johnson's book and are relevant questions to the debate. Just because science puts together a theory and supports it with some evidence, it does not make that theory immune to skepticism and questioning. If naturalistic evolution is true then the evidence will support it and it will prevail, but if it is not then another theory will replace it. The work of a man like Phillip Johnson is vital to the continuing advance of science. Although he may not be the most knowledgeable and scientifically savy person out there, he is only working to either strengthen the idea of naturalistic evolution or contribute to it's demise. Evolutionary proponents hate books like these because they question their findings. Science is not God and it cannot provide the complete truth, it can only give us tenable and workable definitions for the events and phenomena we see around us. Scientific definitions must constantly be restated, reshaped, and altered to meet new demands and evidence; Thus, the work of a man like Phillip Johnson is providing a benefit to the scientific community by pointing out the weak areas in their theories and this will in turn force the evolutionists to strengthen their assertions where weaknesses are inherent.
I have witnessed some intense and vehement responses against this book from naturalistic evolutionists who disagree with Johnson's work. They are entitled to their opinion, but their reaction is no better than the reactions of the Christian community of the early 20th century. The individuals who opposed Darwinian ideas being taught in the classroom. Now, the situation has been reversed in this society and the ones who originally preached a message of letting all sides express their views and let reason have the final say, these same people are now attempting to silence the indivduals questioning their ideas. People questioning evolutionary principles and pushing for an idea of Divine intelligent design should have their place to speak their views, and the evolutionists who originally complained about exclusivity and discrimination should stop being hypocrites and return to the principles and values believed by their predecessors.
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Title: Darwin on Trial by Phillip E. Johnson ISBN: 0830813241 Publisher: Intervarsity Press Pub. Date: November, 1993 List Price(USD): $13.00 |
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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: 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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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: The Right Questions: Truth, Meaning & Public Debate by Phillip E. Johnson, Nancy Pearcey ISBN: 0830822941 Publisher: Intervarsity Press Pub. Date: October, 2002 List Price(USD): $16.00 |
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