Doubting Darwin?: Creationist Designs on Evolution by Sahotra Sarkar (PDF)

Description

Noted biologist and philosopher Sahotra Sarkar exposes the frauds and fallacies of Intelligent Design Theory, and its claim to be ‘good science’. A scientific and philosophical exploration of the debate between evolutionary theory and Intelligent Design in the classroom Puts the debate into its scientific and historical context Looks at a variety of topics, including the relation between Darwinism and modern evolutionary theory, the use of computer science and information theory by the creationists, and the idea of metaphysical naturalism Rejects Intelligent Design’s claim to legitimacy, showing clearly how and why it is an unsuitable alternative to evolutionary biology in the classroom A thought-provoking book for those seeking to understand an intellectual debate that is shaping our education policies Forms part of the provocative and timely Blackwell Public Philosophy series

User’s Reviews

Editorial Reviews: Review “Technically sound in both philosophy of science and evolutionary theory, [Sarkar] appreciates the social responsibility of this position. He is not afraid to wade into a charged political atmosphere. It would make a wonderful textbook for an undergraduate course in either biology or philosophy, and could also be effectively used as a jumping off point into a deeper exploration of a host of topics. My copy will be close at hand on my bookshelf when ID creationists present themselves at my door.” (Bioscience, December 2008) “This is a clear and judicious book … Sarkar is to be praised for his nuanced and balanced presentation of the arguments and issues he discusses.” (Kaleidoscope)“Sarkar’s concise, elegant prose allows him to enlighten and engage readers on every topic…a must read for anyone interested in following the debate…” (Choice) Review “This is a splendid discussion of the whole question of ID. Get this book and read it.” –Michael Ruse, review for National Center for Science Education “Sarkar’s scientific expositions and dissections of Dembski’s specious arguments and Behe’s lack of imagination are clear, surgical, and authoritative. For those who would fear a return to the middle ages, this is the best critique of ID now available.” –William Wimsatt, University of Chicago “Part history, part science, and part philosophy, Doubting Darwin? is a deft critique of the new creationism. Sahotra Sarkar hits all the main points with economy and the broad knowledge of a scientist-philosopher.” –Jeffrey Shallit, University of Waterloo “The West’s simultaneous loyalty to Christianity and science is a cognitive dissonance in our culture as a whole, most prominently manifested in the Intelligent Design Movement. Sahotra Sarkar’s book is a welcome attempt to apply cognitive therapy to our culture, by talking us through the contradictions in intelligent design.” –David Wolpert, Senior Computer Scientist at NASA “Sahotra Sarkar lucidly and comprehensively dismantles Intelligent Design creationism in the most powerful way: by explaining the biology. This book summarizes the theory and philosophy of evolution with depth and insight, and in a way that sharply refutes the objections of creationism.” –P. Z. Myers, PhD, University of Minnesota, Morris, and author of Pharyngula Blog Book Description The debate about what to teach as science in our schools has reached a boiling point, both inside and outside the classroom. From creationism to Intelligent Design, the intrusion of political and religious ideals is damaging the integrity of our public education system. Doubting Darwin? puts the dispute into its scientific and historical context, illuminating the intellectual debate that is shaping educational policy. In his thought-provoking book, noted biologist and philosopher Sahotra Sarkar exposes the frauds and fallacies of Intelligent Design Theory and its claim to be lsquo;good sciencersquo;. An expert exploration of key arguments, Doubting Darwin? adamantly rejects Intelligent Designrsquo;s claim to legitimacy, showing clearly how and why it is an unsuitable alternative to evolutionary biology in the classroom. This book examines the concrete arguments and positions of the Intelligent Design Movement, analyzes the use of computer science and information theory by the creationists, defends metaphysical naturalism, and discusses the relation between Darwin and modern evolutionary theory. Doubting Darwin? is an accessible and engaging read for anyone looking to gain a genuinely informed perspective on this heated debate. From the Inside Flap The debate about what to teach as science in our schools has reached boiling point, both inside and outside the classroom. From Young Earth to Intelligent Design creationism, the intrusion of political and religious ideals is damaging the integrity of our public education system. Doubting Darwin? puts the dispute into its scientific and historical context, illuminating the intellectual debate that is shaping educational policy. In his thought-provoking book, noted biologist and philosopher Sahotra Sarkar exposes the frauds and fallacies of Intelligent Design Theory and its claim to be “good science.” An expert exploration of key arguments, Doubting Darwin? adamantly rejects Intelligent Design’s claim to legitimacy, showing clearly how and why it is an unsuitable alternative to evolutionary biology in the classroom. This book examines the concrete arguments and positions of the Intelligent Design Movement, analyzes the use of computer science and information theory by the creationists, and discusses the relation between Darwin and modern evolutionary theory. Doubting Darwin? is an accessible and engaging read for anyone looking to gain a genuinely informed perspective on this heated debate. From the Back Cover The debate about what to teach as science in our schools has reached boiling point, both inside and outside the classroom. From Young Earth to Intelligent Design creationism, the intrusion of political and religious ideals is damaging the integrity of our public education system. Doubting Darwin? puts the dispute into its scientific and historical context, illuminating the intellectual debate that is shaping educational policy. In his thought-provoking book, noted biologist and philosopher Sahotra Sarkar exposes the frauds and fallacies of Intelligent Design Theory and its claim to be “good science.” An expert exploration of key arguments, Doubting Darwin? adamantly rejects Intelligent Design’s claim to legitimacy, showing clearly how and why it is an unsuitable alternative to evolutionary biology in the classroom. This book examines the concrete arguments and positions of the Intelligent Design Movement, analyzes the use of computer science and information theory by the creationists, and discusses the relation between Darwin and modern evolutionary theory. Doubting Darwin? is an accessible and engaging read for anyone looking to gain a genuinely informed perspective on this heated debate. About the Author Sahotra Sarkar is Professor of Integrative Biology and of Philosophy at the University of Texas at Austin. He is author of Genetics and Reductionism: A Primer (1998), Molecular Models of Life (2004), and Biodiversity and Environmental Philosophy (2005); editor of several books, including The Philosophy and History of Molecular Biology (1996), the six-volume Science and the Philosophy in the Twentieth Century: Basic Works of Logical Empiricism (1996), and co-editor of the two-volume The Philosophy of Science: An Encyclopedia (2005). Read more

Reviews from Amazon users which were colected at the time this book was published on the website:

⭐This rather technical (think roughly Scientific American as opposed to New Scientist magazines) response to the putative “arguments” for intelligent design provides a thorough refutation of this form of creationism. It does this without claiming too much for science (there are frank admissions about the gaps in our understanding of certain mechanisms, but no problems that cannot at the least be solved in principle). It also does this with very infrequent reference to religion or the supernatural. Even though it must be acknowledged that for most intelligent design promoters, the motivation behind their support is religious, the author treats the intelligent design position as series of hypotheses that can be critically examined and tested, not as some metaphysical doctrine that cannot be falsified. Using the tools of science from peer reviewed documents, observation, field and lab work, and most especially, math and logic, it is demonstrated with cogent clarity that while there is much that seems improbable about evolutionary theory, there is nothing that is implausible, and the tenets of the theory are by far the best inference from the evidence. Intelligent design, by contrast, rests on unsupportable assumptions, gut intuition, and willing ignorance of inconvenient facts.

⭐Seller was great, book a joke!

⭐I am a high school biology teacher. I purchased this book to consider its use in my AP Biology class, but it is not suitable for this purpose. It is useful information and I will be able to insert a few of the ideas in my teaching, but much of the philosophy and mathematics is beyond my understanding.

⭐This slim volume packs a lot of value into its 200+ pages. Although it is one in a series of volumes on Public Philosophy, it covers not only Philosophy, but also Biology, Mathematics, Information Theory, and History. Normally one would think that such breadth of coverage would necessitate skimming the surface of each topic, but Sarkar’s concise and elegant prose allows him to enlighten and engage the reader on every topic. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in following the debate between the neo-creationists (the Intelligent Design movement) and philosophers, mathematicians, and biological scientists. Here one can gather enough ammunition to combat all of the subterfuges of the neo-creationists, both at the cursory level of facts, and at the deeper level of philosophy. The bibliography is also a treasure trove for those who seek the factual and philosophical resources needed to combat the current neo-creationists, as well as the next generation. No matter how these culture warriors evolve, the information and ideas found in this book will be extremely valuable in rebutting their arguments, and disclosing their anti-intellectual underpinnings. (This review is excerpted from my review in Choice, the review journal of the American Library Association.)

⭐In this arena of Evolutionary Theory vs ‘Intelligent’ Design, there is often found a lot of ‘shouting’ and trading of insults, i.e., playing the man instead of the ball.And there are also found clearly identifiable false propositions, and unsubstantiated claims.SARKAR has eminent qualifications in Biology, Environmentalism, Philosophy, and Philosophy of Science.He is no ‘amateur ranter’, as can often crop up in this topic.Alas, he cannot resist sliding in the debating knife when he finds a weakness in his opponents argument(s).It may have been better if he just demolished the argument(s) – as he does so profoundly and universally – and let the dialog speak for itself.He is not the first to identify the egregious and weaseling lies offered by William DEMBSKI’s publications, but he makes these falsities more transparent for the lay reader, in a topic that necessarily becomes quite technical.Whatever axioms a reader might bring to this modern debate, this book and author are a “must read” before jumping in to the arena for combat.

Keywords

Free Download Doubting Darwin?: Creationist Designs on Evolution in PDF format
Doubting Darwin?: Creationist Designs on Evolution PDF Free Download
Download Doubting Darwin?: Creationist Designs on Evolution 2007 PDF Free
Doubting Darwin?: Creationist Designs on Evolution 2007 PDF Free Download
Download Doubting Darwin?: Creationist Designs on Evolution PDF
Free Download Ebook Doubting Darwin?: Creationist Designs on Evolution