Science v. Religion? Intelligent Design and the Problem of Evolution [Paperback]

Steve Fuller (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 8, 2007 | ISBN-10: 0745641229 | ISBN-13: 978-0745641225 | Edition: 1

For centuries, science and religion have been portrayed as diametrically opposed. In this provocative new book, Steve Fuller examines the apparent clash between science and religion by focusing on the heated debates about evolution and intelligent design theory. In so doing, he claims that science vs. religion is in fact a false dichotomy. For Fuller, supposedly intellectual disputes, such as those between creationist and evolutionist accounts of life, often disguise other institutionally driven conflicts, such as the struggle between State and Church to be the source of legitimate authority in society.

Nowadays many conservative anti-science groups support intelligent design theory, but Fuller argues that the theory's theological roots are much more radical, based on the idea that humans were created to fathom the divine plan, perhaps even complete it. He goes on to examine the unique political circumstances in the United States that make the emergence of intelligent design theory so controversial, yet so persistent. Finally, he considers the long-term prognosis, arguing that the future remains very much undecided as society reopens the question of what it means to be human.

This book will appeal to all readers intrigued by the debates about creationism, intelligent design and evolution, especially those looking for an intellectually exciting confrontation with the politics and promise of intelligent design theory.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A balanced, detailed and well-presented introduction to all aspects of the argument."

Father John-Paul Sheridan, Sunday Business Post

"An engaging book. It will provide fuel for Fuller’s critics who have accused him of 'pomo science' (postmodern science); energize ID theorists in their efforts to 'widen the wedge'; and serve food for thought for those still sitting 'on the fence' between ID and mainstream science. These are marks of a good book."

Science in Christian Perspective

“Steve Fuller’s book is a philosophic and historical tour de force. I know no other book that provides such a balanced, timely, in-depth, account of the historical and philosophic origins and affiliations of contemporary Intelligent Design (ID) and Darwinism. Each chapter is informative, sharply analytic, provocative, probing, witty and superbly written. The historical roots of modern science in ID thinking that Fuller traces will be a much-needed eye-opener to many and a wholesome antidote to the historical amnesia that characterizes most contemporary discussion of the scientific status of ID and of Darwinian theory.”

John Angus Campbell, Memphis State University

“Whether you are outraged by ‘Intelligent Design’ theory or annoyed by the attacks on it, Fuller’s book is an indispensable guide to the controversy. He manages to not only supply the intellectual context, showing how much of this debate is traditional and how much is new, but makes clear what is reasonable on both sides, and why the debate matters so much to us.”

William Keith, University of Wisconsin

From the Back Cover

For centuries, science and religion have been portrayed as diametrically opposed. In this provocative new book, Steve Fuller examines the apparent clash between science and religion by focusing on the heated debates about evolution and intelligent design theory. In so doing, he claims that science vs. religion is in fact a false dichotomy. For Fuller, supposedly intellectual disputes, such as those between creationist and evolutionist accounts of life, often disguise other institutionally driven conflicts, such as the struggle between State and Church to be the source of legitimate authority in society.

Nowadays many conservative anti-science groups support intelligent design theory, but Fuller argues that the theory's theological roots are much more radical, based on the idea that humans were created to fathom the divine plan, perhaps even complete it. He goes on to examine the unique political circumstances in the United States that make the emergence of intelligent design theory so controversial, yet so persistent. Finally, he considers the long-term prognosis, arguing that the future remains very much undecided as society reopens the question of what it means to be human.

This book will appeal to all readers intrigued by the debates about creationism, intelligent design and evolution, especially those looking for an intellectually exciting confrontation with the politics and promise of intelligent design theory.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Polity; 1 edition (October 8, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0745641229
• ISBN-13: 978-0745641225
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.5 x 8.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #368,417 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

87 of 136 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Kerfluffle November 17, 2007

By Norman J. Levitt

For years, Fuller has been peddling the line that the superior insight vouchsafed him by his ostensible analysis of the social background of science makes him better able to understand science than mere scientists ever can. But his work is shot through with overwhelming evidence that specific scientific theories are well beyond his competence to understand. No matter; he babbles on ad nauseam, citing himself and his voluminous if redundant writings as the supreme authority at every turn. He provides the ultimate example of the academic careerist who can hector and bully his way to the top in a field where nobody is very eager to call anyone else's bluff.

It is interesting to note, however, that work like "Science vs. Religion" represents a sharp turn in Fuller's ideological commitments. For years, he sold himself as the purest and most militant of leftists, scorning the tepid politics of rival gurus in the dubious field of "science studies", from Kuhn to Bruno Latour, in his relentless ambition to be recognized as King of the Hill. He was, for instance, a prominent contributor, along with such as Sandra Harding, Richard Levins, and Joel Kovel, to the doomed "Science Wars" volume of "Social Text" (doomed, that is, by its gullible inclusion of Alan Sokal's hoax article, which bamboozled Fuller as badly as it snookered the hapless editors). Now, however, he has jumped headlong into the embrace of the Discovery Institute and such, some of the most virulently right-wing characters in the landscape of American politics, offering only the weakest of rationalizations for his defection in the form of a lamebraned populism.

Apparently, this sociological Deep Thinker is unable to recognize the most transparent truths about politics and society, of which the most relevant to this book is the fact that the Intelligent Design movement, as spearheaded by such as P.E. Johnson and W. Dembski, is unambiguously committed to transforming the USA into a theocratic society dominated by fundamentalist Christianity. Fuller seems now determined to be the leading professorial Useful Idiot of this movement. Needless to say, the specific evaluations he offers on scientific questions related to ID or to evolutionary biology as such are uncontaminated by any real insight into the science. This goes as well for his obiter dicta in other areas, such as the mathematics of chaos and complexity, where his opinions are unsullied by anything so vulgar as knowledge of the matter at hand.

Those who have followed the Kitzmiller case may have noted that Fuller was presented as an "expert" witness by the hapless Thomas More Center lawyers trying to defend the medieval thinking of the Dover school board. He was put on to demonstrate that ID Theory is a legitimate science; he succeeded magnificently in persuading Judge Jones that exactly the opposite was true. Lord help the litigant who depends on such as Fuller to win over anyone with a grain of common sense! But, faut il mieux, the ID crowd continues to cling to Fuller, as he to them. Easily diddled as sociologists and cultural anthropologists may be, there are few of them so harebrained as to sign up with the madmen of the Discovery Institute.

So what makes Stevie run? Beyond noting an egotism so vast as to transcend mere calculation, one can only speculate about the darker reaches of the human mind. We cannot look to Fuller himself for candor. But we can be grateful that P.E. Johnson and Associates are now stuck with this curious specimen, who can no longer claim any legitimate influence over progresssive politics.

24 of 45 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Dynamite Book October 25, 2007

By Darwin Researcher

"Science Vs Religion?: Intelligent Design and the Problem of Evolution" is a review of the author's testimony in the Dover Intelligent Design case. He admits that he is not an expert in biology or evolution but rather his field is on the nature of science and it is here where Fuller is a widely peer reviewed published expert. In contrast to what I have found is typical of the writings by sociologists and philosophers, this book is relatively easy reading. I will try to summarize his basic argument. My imperfect attempt may not do justice to Fuller's excellent work, but will give the reader an idea where he is going with it. If one side of an argument is science, it seems reasonable to conclude that the negative side is probably also science. For example, the often cited example of poor design is the putative backward human retina. I have seen this used in at least two dozen science books which argue that the retina could not have been designed because it is backward, and any camera designer who would design a camera film system that was backward, as the human retina is, would be fired. The evidence that the retina is not optimally designed is science but evidence that it is well designed is commonly regarded as religion. A friend with a doctorate from an American Ivy League University, wrote a scientific article documenting that, if the retina was reversed, it would not only not be improved, but would not even function. He documented that the existing design is optimal for over a dozen scientific reasons. The article was rejected because the journal editor stated he did not want to publish the article for the reason that it was religion and not science. My friend did not mention religion or the Bible or even G-d in the article, but it was seen as religion because it argued for a view that supported Intelligent Design and, therefore, was not science. Fuller argues that to label scientific arguments as religions because they support design, and exclude them from the debate for this reason, is pernicious in the extreme. He stresses the judge's decision in the Dover case as harmful for science for this reason. Fuller also documents that the Darwinist's agenda is also at its core religious and science needs to divorce itself from both sides of this debate and focus on science regardless whether it supports one side or the other. Fuller also does an excellent job documenting that the current war against Darwin skeptics is in many ways very much like the witch hunt against communists in the 1950s. He also discusses in some detail the bullying tactics commonly used by the various organizations fighting the Darwin skeptics of all stripes (p. 118).

17 of 41 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A diagonal look at the controversy December 8, 2007

By Morbidly Curious

In this book, Fuller displays an expertise which is neither science nor religion yet nevertheless relevant - most relevant? - to whether intelligent design (or, for that matter, evolution) should be taught in public school science classes. It basically draws in equal measures from the history, philosophy, and sociology of science to argue that while Neo-Darwinian evolutionary theory has the best empirical track in biology, that is not entirely for scientific reasons, and moreover it is by no means clear that its success will be to science's benefit in the long term. The main question Fuller poses to evolutionists is how to motivate science itself - especially as the grand theoretical project of Newton, Einstein, etc. - given that it has no immediate survival value, and arguably causes many problems for our survival (e.g. nuclear energy). On the other hand, creationists have some questions to answer too: Why don't they take the biblical message of humans created in the image and likeness of God more seriously? Why do they shy away from ideas like `playing God' and `getting into the mind of God', when clearly the biblical analogy between human and divine intellects motivated the likes of Newton? In a sense, Fuller seems to be arguing that theologians need to embrace the more free-ranging scientific ambitions to really keep up with the Bible. I doubt the fundamentalists will like this message very much but it may secretly appeal to the high-tech types in places like the Discovery Institute. In any case, it strikes me as a very original line in a discussion that (especially as Levitt's comments suggest) can otherwise easily descend into a punch-and-judy show.