Customer Reviews

The Counter-Creationism Handbook

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This book presents hundreds of common, creationist arguments, each one followed by a brief counter-argument or series of counter-arguments showing why the creationist argument is wrong or illogical. The book includes arguments in philosophy, theology, epistemology, abiogenesis, genetics, molecular biology, anatomy, cognition, behavior, botany, embryology, systematics, transitional fossils, macroevolution, geology -- including plate tectonics -- cosmology, physics, mathematics, Biblical creationism, flood geology, intelligent design -- including Dembski`s complex specified information and Behe`s irreducible complexity -- and other topics.

I thought this was a very good introduction to an extremely broad array of the most common creationist arguments. Although each individual argument gets only a brief discussion, the author compensated for that understandable brevity by including a list of suggested readings, many of which are available on the internet, on virtually every topic.

I did have a couple of minor complaints. Notwithstanding the obvious need for brevity, the author could have spent a little more time on some points. For example, merely stating that oxygen levels increased prior to the Cambrian Explosion might not mean very much to the audience this book is aimed at. It probably would have been worthwhile to have added one extra sentence explaining that increased oxygen levels just prior to the Cambrian may have contributed to animals' ability to develop the hard body parts that just happen to be found in the fossil record at that very time. Also, the two entries for Lake Baikal appear to conflict with each other. It's possible that the apparent conflict could be resolved, but it sure isn't obvious from the book itself.

Also, some very simple but effective counter-arguments are left out. For example, the creationist "appearance of age" argument is simply unscientific, because there is no conceivable way to test it; and the creationist "design is obvious" argument is obviously nonsensical, because even obvious things can be wrong, such as our home planet being "obviously" flat and "obviously" stationary. Finally, there was one obvious error: even if design can allegedly be detected only in living things, that still does not imply that non-living things were not designed. Saying something is not detectable is not the same as saying it doesn't exist. The author should have left that one counter-argument out, which would have given him room for an extra sentence on why oxygen was an important factor in the Cambrian Explosion!

In a book of this scope, those complaints are pretty trivial and hardly detract from the book's value.

One last point: given the book's focus on science-related issues, it's understandable that there is next to nothing in the book about the serious constitutional problems facing creationists of all types, including the so-called "intelligent design" creationists. For anyone who wants to learn more specifically about that, I suggest web-searching for "Brauer, Forrest, and Gey." That will lead you to a very recent, 149-page law review article, authored by those three individuals and published in the Washington University Law Quarterly.

This is an interesting resource regarding the creationism-evolution "debate." It might usefully be read in conjunction with Eugenie Scott's "Evolution vs. Creationism," which provides quotations from major works from each sphere, to allow readers to compare arguments. This book has a perspective: it contends that standard arguments by creationists and intelligent design advocates are off the mark.

I would doubt that creationists/intelligent design advocates would even read this. However, it might be worthwhile, to engage substantive discussion. Champions of Darwinism will find this a good piece of work, a source of many counterarguments to contentions by creationists. However, this might be best of all for those who are uncertain, confused, have not thought about the issues involved.

The book's structure is quite straightforward. The author, Mark Isaac, organizes his book along a number of thematic lines (e.g., Philosophy and Theology, Biology, Geology, Physics and Mathematics, Other Creationism). He notes assertions from advocates of creationism/intelligent design. Then, he engaged in a demolition project. For the most part, his comments are not emotionally charged and are worded fairly neutrally. He says (Page xxiii): "The book replies to more than 400 of the most common claims that creationists make. Each creationist claim comes with a brief rebuttal showing faults with and, often, counterevidence against the claim."

Let's take a look at a few examples, to give a sense about this volume.

Page 9: "Fairness demands that evolution and creation be given equal time." His response? That's an erroneous equation. Evolution is a scientific approach; creationism has no scientific grounding (in its research or methodology).

Page 18: "Evolution is only a theory." Duh! A theory is a terrific thing. Those who make this assertion simply do not understand science. A theory is special, because it helps to explain facts. Only a theory? Only someone innocent of an understanding of science would assert that.

Page 191: "The second law of thermodynamics prohibits evolution." I have read this assertion many times. It's a head scratcher to me. And Isaak points out that this statement is simply inaccurate--and creationists often make statements that violate the second law.

Page 242(Young-Earth Creationist statement): "Man and dinosaurs coexisted." Isaak notes that this is simply incorrect. Moreover, for this to be true, we would have to trash theories and findings from multiple scientific disciplines, such as paleontology, chemistry, physics.

Anyhow, this is an interesting volume, laying out what the disputes are (although not exhaustive, I am sure) and what science says. Of course, if someone does not believe in the scientific method, his points will not be taken seriously. Whatever one's views, this is a useful volume in directly addressing key points in the "debate."

The rise of creationism and ID in the US, and to a degree other societies, is alarming to say the least. People seem to want to believe in things that thay can understand with a minimum of rational thought, and Creationism certainly fits the bill in that regard. Part of the problem with common or garden creationists is that they know almost nothing about biology or science and are very vocal in their ignorance. They can throw out a dozen half-truths, urban myths and sheer nonsense very rapidly. This book provides an excellent index of the more commonly used creationist statements, and provides rebuttal, explanation and references. The topics cover geology, biology, chemistry, physics, and astronomy, with a dip into philosophy and theology. I am a biologist by training and can handle most of the nonsense that impinges on my field of expertise, but once creationists start throwing out canards about sciences outside my direct sphere, this book helps point me in the right direction for rebuttal. It has joined my library and is now a well thumbed tome, which I resort to frequently in the apparently never-ending battle against fear and ignorance.

This is a subject that has absolutely fascinated me since I was a small boy, which was many, many years ago. First, just for the sake of background before I write a brief review, it needs to be known just what I am and what I am not. I am not a theologian and I am not a scientist. I am a Christian (admittedly, probably not a good one by many standards, but hey, I try) and I am a strong believer in evolution, ergo, Darwinism. Part of my fascination with this subject is the problem that many have with the concept of Christianity v/s evolution. I have never for the life of me been able to fathom where there is a problem in this area, nor why there should be in this day and age. I avoid arguments and even discussions in this area with most people as I have found that the creationist among us can and do become quite heated, some, almost to the point of being physically aggressive and can say some pretty nasty things. This, again, is part of my fascination with this subject. How can a discussion bring out so many supposedly non Christian characteristics in an otherwise rational individual? I also cannot stand to hurt peoples feelings and find attacking any religious beliefs quite distasteful. That being said....

I do like this book! The author has taken all the standard arguments, and some not so standard, used by the creationists and answered them one by one. Not to be cruel, but he, the author, has actually shredded these arguments, although in a civilized and gentlemanly way. So often, when I drop my guard and do get into a discussion on this subject, I simply do not know what to answer the creationist simply as I am not trained in that area, and unlike many of them, have not memorized well rehearsed party lines, i.e. dogma. This book has allowed me access to the answer to many of these arguments, and settled many questions I have in my own mind. The author not only answers the arguments, line by line, but has given thousands of references so that an individual such as myself can check source documents and not just rely on the say so of one individual. This I appreciate. The author has also pointed out, as I have always felt, that there really need not be a conflict in the mind of the evolutionist and his or her Christianity. The author has effectively used the Bible right along with scientific documents to prove the case for evolution.

Now I do have to agree with another reviewer here in that if you indeed are a creationist, this book is bound to make you quite uncomfortable, unless of course, you stick with the dogma of days gone by and refuse to read the book with an open mind and not bother to check out the source documents.

This work is quite readable, quite understandable, not too technical and actually quite sensitive to all concerned. I was impressed that there was no blatant name calling. Perhaps the creationist could take a hint from this work and create a work such as this one, based on sound science and truth, rather than half truths, misquotes and just poor science, which, I am sorry to say, has been present in every single book or article I have ever read attempting to prove or justify creationism. A book such as this is probably not going to convince anyone one way or the other if that person has already made up their mind...human nature being what it is, but it does give you food for thought.

I do highly recommend this one. Which ever side you are on, it is well worth the read.

There's an old joke about a new visitor to a neighborhood Irish bar. The newcomer listens as one of the regulars shouts out a number and all the others burst into laughter. Soon, another patron shouts out a number with more ensuing laughter. The newcomer asks the bartender what's going on. The bartender replies, "Everybody has come here for so long that we tell the same jokes over the years. We know the jokes so well we have a number for each joke. Instead of telling the whole joke, we just shout out a number." The newcomers nods and waits a few minutes. Then he shouts, "42!" All the regulars glare at him and mutter into their beer. "What happened?" he asked the bartender. The bartender replies, "You can't tell an Irish joke with a Scottish accent!"

Creationism is one long running joke broken into a whole series of objections to evolution. Mark Isaak has undertaken the Herculean task of categorizing each creationist objection as its own joke and assigning each its own number. Isaak has analyzed the creationist claims and broken them down into subcategories of philosophy, biology, geology, paleontology, astronomy and physics. Now, instead of wasting time describing any creationist objection, you can just shout out its number. After assigning the number, Mark Issak then delivers the punchline.

The book is set out in a carefully cross indexed and well-documented format intended as a reference book for educators, public speakers and any person interested in countering creationist arguments. Anyone familiar with Isaak's Talk.Origins site will read any creationist literature and nod knowingly, thinking "there is argument CA201 ("Evolution is just a Theory") again!" Just as the jokes are known by number, the creationist arguments have been rebutted so thoroughly and so many times, that they really can be reduced to numbers.

This book is a valuable resource to anybody who teaches evolution, writes about it or speaks about it. It is a great resource to consult when responding to any creationist argument. When I do so, I also refer to the argument by its "Isaak number." This does two things. First, it demonstrates to the truly uninformed and disinterested individual that scientists really have thought about all of the objections to evolution. Second, it demonstrates that many creationists are really dishonest at heart.

The creationist arguments span so many fields of science and philosophy that it is impossible to be an expert in each. Furthermore, there may many versionsof creationism. The Counter-Creationism handbook serves as a common reference manual for those fields outside an individual educator's areas of expertise and also addresses each version of creationism from young earth creationism to intelligent design, on its own terms. It is a joy to be able to find so much information on so many subjects in one volume.

Some creationist arguments are so well refuted that merely making the argument is evidence of dishonesty. For example, the claim that evolution somehow violates the second law of thermodynamics (Argument CF001) is so well worn that its even rejected by the creationist organization Answers in Genesis. Issak's reference book allows evolution educators to quickly identify the creationist augment, the rebuttals to the argument and areas for further research and reading.

It's now on my bookshelf and I intend to use it.

I can't give this book five stars because as I understand it, the material is availbe in its entirety, or almost in its entirety, online at the website TalkOrigins.org. So don't buy it unless a print copy will truly be more useful to you than the online version. That said, the material is solid if not in depth as it could be if they had focused on a few issues rather than working on rebutting hundreds of claims. Probably best used as a supplement to works that take the more in-depth road, such as Niles Eldredge's The Triumph of Evolution and the Failure of Creationism.

The one creationist reviewer here deserves a reply: if you don't like the idea of taking scientists' word for it, then put some work into studying evolutionary biology. You could start by checking out the citations in this book itself. The Counter-Creationism handbook is chock full of citations of primary scientific literature. If you live in a college town, walk to the university library and try reading some of the scientific articles cited. Even if you have trouble understanding them, you should get an idea of the amount of careful work that goes into evaluating any scientific theory--it isn't just a matter of people sitting around and saying "this seems right."

Where's this book been all my life?

If only I'd had this book around when I taught evolutionary biology for three years in a school where mandatory intelligent design classes were taught. My experience there would have been so different. This is a book that needed to come out twenty years ago. It is simply amazing. Isaak goes through *every single argument* that the Literal Creationists make, and refutes them all. While some of his points on specific scripture references are off, most of his points on scripture are right to the crux of the argument. He is to be congratulated in recognizing that, to convince the Literal Creationist, you need science and a deep look into theology and the Bible. The index in the front provides for a quick leaf-through whenever you are presented with that "out-there" argument. Again and again I recognized wacky arguments that I had heard from my previous school's administration, that I had no response to because one couldn't be prepared against every strange idea that might pop into someone's head. (Like the sun is powered by gravitational collapse, and not by nuclear fusion. Yes, that was actually taught to students by the school administration.) Here, in this book, there are the convincing refutations.

I was once a Literal Creationist, and have since seen the light of evolution. I have studied it intensely, along with it's import on theology. And still I learned a good deal from this book. Had I read this book when I was still walking in darkness, it would have been far more than enough to convince me. I can't imagine how a Literal Creationist could leave this book, having read it cover to cover, and still come away convinced of a literal interpretation of Genesis and an instant intelligently designed creation. Even if they come into the book with a closed mind, the sheer weight of argument and evidence is a veritable flood that shall wipe the world clean of it's iniquity.

By "not in moderation" I mean to politely and constructively respond, whenever practical, to those who make any of the creationist claims, not to "evangelize" as anti-evolutionists often do.

To those of you who object to this book with "I'm not a creationist, I don't make most of those claims, but I still find `Darwinism' unconvincing", please note: The author uses what has become a standard definition of "creationism" among scientists, which is "any position that denies or misrepresents biological evolution and proposes a design-based alternative," not the popular definition of "a literal interpretation of Genesis, young Earth and all." I prefer yet a third definition, but will use the scientists' definition below to avoid confusion. Thus those activists who merely promote a design-free "teach the controversy" for public schools are called "creationists" because they invariably promote design-based "explanations" elsewhere, and of course, misrepresent evolution everywhere. Certainly most creationists, even most professional ones, avoid many of the claims in the book. However, very few of them, particularly those who prefer the "don't ask, don't tell" approach of "intelligent design" (ID), ever refute the claims from which they "distance" themselves. Why, if this is supposed to be all about the science?

This is also a warning to those of you who would use this book to try to pigeonhole all creationists as young-Earth creationists (YECs). There are many "kinds" of creationist, representing many mutually contradictory positions - or no position. If you use the book to accuse an experienced ID advocate of being a YEC in the presence of a potential ID sympathizer, you'll probably get egg on your face. If you use it to attempt to refute the existence of God, or to debate one-on-one with anyone with a prior commitment to misrepresenting evolution, you will be wasting your time, if not worse. Unlike "professional" creationists, most people who innocently repeat misleading creationist sound bites are not wedded to them, but they are not likely to abandon their belief in an active Creator either. If this book helps you persuade one person to stop spreading misinformation, however, it will have more than paid for itself.

There's not much I didn't like, but a cross reference to the claims listed in terms of which types of creationist are likely to use them would have benefited those new to the "debate." The author in fact has published an informative online article on the Talk Origins archive, entitled "What Is Creationism?" which describes the diverse anti-evolution positions and strategies. The next edition, perhaps?

Counter-Creationism Handbook / 978-0-520-24926-4

I first encountered most of these counter-creationism arguments online, on the TalkOrigins website, and found all of the arguments to be well-reasoned, superbly researched, and very helpful. I was happy to buy this companion volume (which documents most, but not all, of the online material) in order to have a handy hard-copy reference available around the house.

I cannot help but be very grateful to this book and its authors because I must confess that I first encountered most of the actual creationism arguments provided in this book years ago, when I was a child, taught in the "Bob Jones" curriculum provided to me in the private schools I briefly attended. Although 'Creation Science' was only a small portion of the school year (indeed, the curriculum seemed desirous to speed through the whole messy business as quickly as possible), it was defined largely in terms of what it *wasn't* - i.e., not evolution. Most of the arguments refuted in this book were provided as 'evidence' against evolution, including the 'Darwin's Complex Eye' dilemma - an argument which I can only assume now is perpetuated in ignorance or duplicity. It is distressing to see that so many of the arguments and quotes provided to me as a child were taken so blatantly out of context, and I extend my thanks to Mark Isaak and the TalkOrigins authors for helping to set me straight on so many levels.

This book is a fantastic resource for learning more about evolution for anyone coming from a creationism back-ground who has heard only half the story so far.

~ Ana Mardoll

While I believe that there are other, better books currently available which delve into the legal and philosophical issues presented by Intelligent Design and other flavors of creationism (e. g. books written by Scott, Forrest, Kitcher and Pennock), Mark Isaak has created a useful "handy-dandy" reference guide which offers a succinct rejoinder to every absurd creationist claim, covering a wide spectrum of subjects from philosophy to astronomy, and of course, biology. As such it is an invaluable guide for anyone seeking not only to rebut creationist claims, but equally important, to understand the philosophical and religious rationale behind these claims. However, I am quite skeptical that mere refutation of absurd creationist claims like "Evolution is just a theory" or "there are dinosaur and human footprints side by side in some Texas river bank" may be succinct to persuade most creationists, who truly are fundamentalist religious zealots, whether they are Young Earth Creationists or IDiots (Intelligent Design Advocates). And yet I recognize that Isaak's clear, concise, well-written tome is an invaluable resource too for educators and probably deserves to belong on the bookshelves of school administrators and school district superintendents (or chancellors) around the country.