Defending Evolution : A guide to the creation/evolution controversy [Hardcover]

Stephen Jay Gould (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0763719234 | ISBN-13: 978-0763719234 | Publication Date: September 2001 | Edition: 1

Biological Sciences

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A well-researched, clearly presented, and judiciously argued account of the controversies surrounding the teaching of evolution and a valuable guide." -- Howard Gardner, Harvard University

"At last a book for teachers to help them cope with antievolutionism. Defending Evolution should be on every teacher's bookshelf." -- Eugenie Scott, Director, National Center for Science Education

"This book becomes a vital document in one of the most important issues of our age." -- Stephen Jay Gould, Harvard University

"This book is remarkable and indispensable for its irenic spirit....important and badly-needed." -- Rev. Dr. Christopher R. Smith

"This book should be in the hands of every educator dealing with the subject of evolution." -- Ernst Mayr, Harvard University

About the Author

Brian J. Alters, Ph.D. lead author, holds appointments internationally at McGill University, Montreal, where he was recently names William Dawson Scholar, and at Harvard University, Cambridge. Dr. Alters is Director of the newly created Evolution Education Research Centre.

Sandra M. Alters, Ph.D. is a former Associate Professor of Biology and Education at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, and former Associate Professor of Biology at Salem State College (MA). Dr. Alters has authored three textbooks in addition to her most recent, Understanding Life, 3/e, and has written over 60 chapters and features in books about biology, evolution, and science education. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 260 pages
• Publisher: Jones & Bartlett Publishers; 1 edition (September 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0763719234
• ISBN-13: 978-0763719234
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,907,304 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

47 of 49 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best non-technical guide to Darwin for biology teachers, April 1, 2002

By 

Todd I. Stark "Cellular Wetware plus Books" (Philadelphia, Pa USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Defending Evolution : A guide to the creation/evolution controversy (Hardcover)

This is probably the single best guide for helping biology teachers deal practically and realistically with the annoying anti-evolution politics that have been waged against their job.

While Moore's "From Genesis to Genetics" does a good job presenting the case for evolution to non-scientists, this book, Defending Evolution, does a far better job pointing out that anti-evolutonists are not all Bible thumping fundamentalists or even anti-scientists. This book also does a somewhat better job explaining why evolutionary theory is useful in biology, rather than just stating the case.

It is a deplorable fact that history has made the teaching of evolutionary science a "separation of Church and State" issue, almost as if evolutionary science were inherently atheistic, or anti-relgious. Some evolution writers have played right into this by linking their own anti-religious views to the defense of Darwin. One of the wonderful things about this book is that it manages to defend evolutionary theory science without attacking religion or the basis of most people's religious beliefs. This is far from an easy task, as many other authors have discovered.

Defending Evolution takes the confusions over evolution seriously rather than just discounting them as wrong, and patiently explains how biological science has resolved each of them. That makes this a very helpful teachers' guide, rather than just another polemic about how science is being abused.

Most importantly, this book does not make the mistake made by many others, equating anti-evolutionism with religion and then going off on an anti-religion argument. People have both religious and logical reasons for failing to understand concepts of evolutionary biology, and it is important not to lump then together, but to recognize the nuances.

Yes, in a sense, this book is "preaching to the choir" meaning that it will probably not itself be likely to go very far in convincing a hardcore anti-evolutionist that Darwin was right. For example, it explains that eyes and wings do not have to simply appear in their current form to be useful, addressing a common creationist misconception, but it does not illustrate the process in a visual way, and so probably would be be very convincing.

As a previous review demonstrated, people who find "macroevolution" implausible, whether on religious or non-relgious grounds, will probably not be tempted to change their mind reading the excellent explanations in this book. Big scientific ideas like natural selection that require inductive reasoning over a web of interlocking data are not going to suddenly make sense to someone opposed to them simply because they are explained patiently and logically. However, this approach probably goes a lot farther than anything previously written on the subject, because it avoids many of the polemics, unites scientists and educators against anti-science, and avoids associating anti-science with religion.

This book is a treasure for teachers facing the challenge of basic education in evolutionary theory in today's cultural climate, and one of the few relatively positive things to come out of the political controversies over teaching evolution in the U.S..

I highly recommend that everyone who teaches biology at least read this book, and perhaps use it to help identify supplementary materials that will address important areas of confusion that this book identifies.

39 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Teacher's Friend, January 27, 2002

By 

Dave Matson (Pasadena, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Defending Evolution : A guide to the creation/evolution controversy (Hardcover)

Here is the perfect handbook for the biology teacher who is under community pressure to tone down or eliminate the subject of evolution! The purpose of this book is not to review the volumnous evidence for biological evolution, as apparently assumed by one confused reviewer, but to aid the classroom teacher in understanding the creationist phenomena and in helping his or her students overcome the many basic misconceptions surrounding the subject.

The nature and roots of anti-evolution feeling in the U.S., the common misunderstandings students have about evolution, aids to teaching evolution, the nature of science, the importance of learning about evolution, religious considerations, educational considerations, and even significant court decisions are some of subjects covered.

Many teachers will welcome the thorough and thoughtful answers given to the usual, basic questions asked by students. Such questions often reflect a complete misunderstanding of science and/or evolution -- and may even be taken from creationist literature with the intention of intimidating the teacher and ridiculing evolution. Such questions often touch on deep issues and they certainly deserve careful answers.

This is a handbook that every thoughtful, biology teacher ought to have. I give it a "5".

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An education for teachers - and others, January 9, 2004

By 

Stephen A. Haines (Ottawa, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Defending Evolution: A Guide to the Evolution/Creation Controversy (Paperback)

The Alters' title says it clearly. Teaching science in public schools has changed from subdued academic studies to open battle. The invaders are Christian "creationists" seeking the overthrow of one science - biology. The defenders are teachers of biology. This invaluable book provides a shield of nearly insurmountable strength for educators under siege. The shield, however, isn't war-like propaganda. It is a reasoned analysis of the problem teachers face and some advice on how to deal with it. Of course, the information provided is applicable to a wider audience, even those crusading against evolution by natural selection and the memory of Charles Darwin can gain value from it. The value of this book goes far beyond the classroom. It leads to many issues every society must address and resolve - but with reason, evidence and explanation, not dogmas.

The authors present a straightforward, unemotional description of how Christian creationists think, argue and attack Darwin and evolution by natural selection. They cover the many publications, speeches and other products of creationist sources such as the Institution for Creation Research. The initial segments of the book are an attempt to educate the educators on what they might be confronted with in the classroom and auditorium. They stress that the campaigns are many and varied in technique. There is no single thrust of argument creationists present, because their own beliefs are inconsistent and often self-contradictory. Teachers must be fully prepared to cope with this wide spectrum of opinion. They further note that the teachers' position is made more difficult by the fact they are contending with dogma, not science, in a curriculum based on scientific evidence. It is an arena of apples and oranges.

The most important aspect of this book is the emphasis placed on student attitudes. By the time most students enter a biology class they may have suffered a lifetime of anti-Darwin or anti-evolution propaganda. Teachers need to understand they are dealing with a well set mind-set. Quick, easy answers or sending questioning students to sources they're unlikely to read isn't the best defensive weapon. Teachers, argue the Alters, must go on the offensive, perhaps at the beginning of the school term. They offer a full list of strategies, most of which are designed to provide strong student interaction and the confronting of prejudices with evidence. Students, argue the Alters, are best convinced when they convince themselves.

How far this book will go in pushing back the thrust of ideology will remain an open question. People who don't pick it up will learn nothing - they likely feel they already know all they need. Those reading it with the aim of refuting it will not be seriously challenged with biological evidence for evolution by natural selection. That information lies elsewhere and should best be given by the teachers who use this book. Refuters, however, will have difficulty targeting the variety of topics Christian creationists address. The teachers, for whom this book is intended, will learn much and probably be surprised at the enormity of their task. The real market for this book, although only mildly addressed in the text, is PARENTS. Parents who have been instilling ideology and dogma in their children should be the most numerous buyers of this book. Parents who wish to counter the failure of teachers who are cowed by Christian creationist assaults into failing to discuss evolution in the classroom must buy this book and give their teachers full support. They will gain many insights from this book and many strategies to apply in ensuring the quality of their children's education. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada.]