Interpreting Evolution: Darwin & Teilhard De Chardin [Hardcover]

H. James Birx (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1991

Professor H James Birx shows how the never-ending controversy of human evolution came to be. He details the events that caused thinkers like Charles Darwin to develop his theory of evolution, and what ideas caused some people to reconcile a somewhat mystical theology with a concrete model of the universe. He tells you how Darwin's work infuriated everybody from "God-fearing" Christians to the church hierarchies. Birx explains how scientific advances and philosophical arguments have made beliefs about divine intervention as the origin of man a moot point. He shows how creationism ignores proven scientific facts, and how human evolution remains a much sounder truth. You will read how some western religions are starting to accept evolution as the process which creates life on earth. You will also learn why scientific evolution and creationism have not been accepted together and how bold attempts to merge the two ideas have failed miserably.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Darwin's work on evolution is well respected, for it provides the unifying principle of modern biology. The philosophical works of the controversial Jesuit scientist/philosopher/mystic de Chardin, which attempt to synthesize theology and evolution, have not fared as well. In this book, anthropologist Birx summarizes and critiques the work of these two important figures, placing their work in the context of other studies of evolution. This book is similar to Birx's Theories of Evolution (C.C. Thomas, 1984), differing mainly in the attention paid to Darwin and de Chardin and the inclusion of many newer references. For informed laypersons and scholarly audiences.
- Joseph Hannibal, Cleveland Museum of Natural History
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"A proficient study of Teilhard's life and thought. A book such as [this] is a challenge." National Catholic Reporter "I recommend this book as a useful source for delving into the ideas of many of these lesser-known individuals ..." -- The American Biology Teacher

Product Details

• Hardcover: 326 pages
• Publisher: Prometheus Books; 1st Ed. edition (April 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0879756365
• ISBN-13: 978-0879756369
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,589,136 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Good Read, March 4, 2006

By 

Michael F. McPartlan (Buffalo, NY USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Interpreting Evolution: Darwin & Teilhard De Chardin (Hardcover)

Professor Birx was one of my best instructors at Canisius College. He is a towering intellectual whose breadth of knowledge concerning anthropology, philosophy, and religion is unmatched. This book is beyond the simple evolutionary history books which explain Homo Erectus, Homo Habilis, etc. In this book Dr. Birx sets forth a paradigm to answer the question Why? He heavily cites the works of Henri Bergson, Miguel de Unamuno, and especially Teilhard de Chardin (the French Jesuit/paleontologist who reconciled Darwin with Jesus). This book is perhaps the best combination of the scientific and mystical that one could ever hope to read. Excellent!