Customer Reviews

Why Evolution Works (and Creationism Fails)

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I read this book straight through. Really holds your attention, which is impressive for a book that delves fairly deeply into the real science behind evolution, as well as the methods of science in general. I have an MD, a BS in Math and Physics, and an MS in applied mathematics...yet I never quite fully understood the beauty of the scientific method, and how straying very subtley from the proper use of the scientific method could lead a person from science to pseudoscience. This book explains the scientific method quite simply and clearly, and shows how creationism strays from the scientific method and in doing so makes claims which portend to be based on science, but are in fact not.

I recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in evolution, whatever their opinions and beliefs on the subject may be. In this well-written and engaging book, Young and Strode cover the scientific method, the history of evolution and creationism, the process of evolution and the history of the universe. Their explanation of the scientific method is superb; they do a wonderful job explaining a process that is often taught incorrectly in schools.

The authors also do a great job with the tone of the book. This book is neither too technical and complicated for the non-scientist nor too general for someone who is already familiar with evolution. If you would never ordinarily read science books, this is a great pick because you will learn a lot and be entertained at the same time.

This book was a refreshing look into the scientific method. With precise explanations and examples of how the hypothesis of evolution eventually became a theory, the book inspires not only an appreciation of science, but on the vast evidence and support of the evolutionary theory. I would recommend this book not only for high school and college, but anyone interested in how science should work in our world.

After reading this book I felt compelled to get it in the hands of a all science educators that I know. This is a concise, but not oversimplified, review of not only what evolution is, but what science is and is not. This should be required for any HS or college science student.

So many of the books on this topic concentrate on the political battles surrounding it. But, this volume delves into the deeper consequences of true scientific thought and process versus pseudoscience.

In a world that so needs to return to making its decisions based on science,not personal opinion, we now have a guidebook to help not only with the controversies surrounding evolution, but with scientific questions in general. This is a well written , well researched book.

Mark Shafer DDS

WEW (ACF) would be an excellent introduction to the evolution/creationism dispute. It covered the main issues and was written at an appropriate level, i.e., detailed enough to be meaningfully informative but without getting bogged down in unnecessary minutiae.

Some of the highlights included the chapter describing the history of the dispute, including some of the leading court cases, which showed that today's "intelligent design" is a direct descendant of the "scientific creationism" that was ruled unconstitutional in the 1980s. Since creationists frequently argue that ID should pass constitutional muster because ID never specifically mentions God, it would have been helpful if the authors had pointed out that "scientific creationism" was repeatedly held to be unconstitutional even though it didn't specifically mention God either.

There was also an important, extended discussion of some of the typical differences between genuine science and pseudo-science. Real science (i.e., evolution) includes rigorous testing of hypotheses, while pseudo-science (i.e., intelligent design) does not. IMHO, that one difference is the key to understanding the dispute. Evolution tests its hypotheses, and the various creationist groups don't. It's about that simple.

The sections exposing the uselessness of Behe's irreducible complexity (IC) and Dembski's explanatory filter, two concepts that ID-proponents almost invariably cite, were especially well done.

(BTW, a wonderful example of ID's utter worthlessness is that during his massively stupid testimony in the Kitzmiller trial, Behe testified on direct that one of the great strengths of ID was that it was easily testable, and he used the anti-evolutionary implications of IC as a specific example of how easily ID could be tested; however, on cross-examination, Behe indicated that even if those anti-evolutionary implications were shown to be false, it would have no effect on the ID hypothesis whatsoever -- repeat, no effect whatsoever! Unbelievable! So much for the great strength of ID being testable!)

The chapters on embryology and evo-devo, two of the most exciting areas of evolutionary research today, were also very informative.

The chapter on seemingly poorly designed human body parts helped show that design proponents have some difficult design features to explain, however, the chapter should probably have mentioned that some prominent design proponents have "solved" that particular problem by arguing that "intelligent design" does not necessarily imply "intelligent" design. Of course, that "solution" simply highlights "intelligent design's" vacuous nature. Not only does ID not generate any meaningful predictions about the age of the universe, nor about the age of Earth, nor about the patterns of the fossil record, nor about the patterns of biogeography, nor about the patterns of embryology, nor about the patterns of genetics, nor about the patterns of comparative anatomy, but also, according to some of its most prominent defenders, it apparently doesn't make any meaningful predictions about the quality of the alleged designs either! And that raises the question, "If ID is such a wonderful theory, then what the heck is so wonderful about it? What, if anything, does ID actually DO???" Apparently, not much!

There are also very interesting chapters on the age of the Earth and "fine-tuning" arguments. One way of summarizing those two chapters is that young-Earth creationism is scientific enough to make specific, testable predictions -- which unfortunately for them have been massively contradicted by the evidence -- while ID creationism is so vacuous that it doesn't make any meaningful predictions at all.

The final section on evolution, ethics, and other religious topics was also very informative.

I didn't agree with every single statement -- for example, contrary to what WEW implies, Haeckel's embryos continued to appear in introductory textbooks for two full decades after Gould's 1977 book came out, so I doubt that Gould's book was a leading cause of their eventual removal; and further, while the most prominent ID-proponents may in fact be old-Earthers, ID itself certainly does not imply acceptance of old-Earthism -- but quibbles like that aside, WEW would be an excellent introduction to the evo/creato debate.

Why Evolution Works (and Creationism Fails) by Matt Young and Paul K. Strode

Why Evolution Works is an ambitious accessible book that focuses on how evolution works and why Creationism fails. It also explains pseudoscience, intelligent design, and young and old earth creationisms. The book is composed of the following five parts: Part I The Basics and History, Part II How Science Works and Creationism Doesn't, Part III The Science of Evolution, Part IV The Universe, and Part V Evolution, Ethics and Religion and a comprehensive glossary.

Positives:

1. I love reading about evolution and books like "Why Evolution Works" rewards me.

2. Well written, well researched and concise.

3. Covers all the main topics that matter and does so very well.

4. Accessible yet profound.

5. Science writing at its best.

6. Interesting facts throughout.

7. Very logical, reasonable and fair tone throughout.

8. Scientific method explained.

9. Interesting history of those groups that oppose evolution.

10. Good discussion on differences between science and pseudoscience.

11. Good chapters on embryology and evo-devo.

12. Great examples of evidence in support of evolution. Insecticide resistance for one.

13. Some great quotes.

14. A truly enjoyable and worthwhile read.

15. A strong bibliography.

Negatives:

1. No links to the referenced books.

2. The last part about ethics was the weakest part of the book.

3. A Table of comparison between the different opposing evolution movements would have been worthwhile.

In summary, this is an excellent book on evolution that indeed has something for everyone. It's accessible yet profound and covers many interesting topics in 224 pages. Recommendations: " Why Evolution is True" by Jerry A. Coyne, "Your Inner Fish..." by Neil Shubin, "The Making of the Fittest" by Sean B. Carroll, "Why Darwin Matters: The Case against Intelligent Design" by Michael Shermer, "What Evolution Is" by Ernst Mayr, "Life Ascending: The Ten Great Inventions of Evolution" by Nick Lane, "Relics of Eden: The Powerful Evidence of Evolution in Human DNA" by Daniel J. Fairbanks and "The Greatest Show on Earth" by the great Richard Dawkins.

Why Evolution Works (and Creationism Fails) is the best book on the controversy I have read in the past decade. The authors have chosen their topics and vocabulary well. There is enough science, history, and philosophy to explain salient concepts without overwhelming casual readers, the glossary is well selected and clearly defined, and the index is exceptional - complete enough to be actually useful. Editor Doreen Valentine and copyeditor Rick Delaney have done a much better than usual job, and Why Evolution Works is a clear, grammatical, and relatively error-free book that doesn't put obstacles in the reader's way (one howler appears on page 145, but it is only the sort of thing creationists would use to discredit an otherwise excellent book).

Why Evolution Works is pretty much uncompromising. There are very few concessions made to generic theists and liberal religionists and even fewer of what have become obligatory swipes at outspoken atheists. For this reason, Why Evolution Works will likely not appeal to or satisfy the audience that most needs to understand the issues it addresses, like the reality of the scientific record or the basic dishonesty of creationists of all stripes. Nevertheless, I cannot recommend it too highly as an outstanding summary of the varieties of science involved in discussions of evolution and evo-devo, the legal issues involved, and the basic philosophy and history behind the methods of science. If I were to have one wish, it would be for more illustrations and charts. Those that are included are excellent and clear, but more would have been helpful and added to Why Evolution Work's great interest.

This book was written in response to a determined movement solely by religious organizations to discredit a fundamental tenet of science and biology: evolution. Or to be more specific, the theory of descent with modification by natural selection. And religion is the only source of this resistance. There are only a tiny percentage of biologists that question the theory at all, and absolutely none that I have determined that somehow do not work religion into the discussion.

This by itself bears some examination, since there is little effort put into discrediting geology, cosmology, thermodynamics, or history, all of which present us with hard evidence that scripture is wildly inaccurate. There seems to be something about evolution, most especially human evolution, that really annoys many who consider themselves religious, so much so that it requires obvious and coordinated efforts to demean, and this is most prominently displayed among creationists.

As Strode and Young demonstrate, however, there isn't a rational argument against evolution at all. Science has a very distinct method of ensuring accuracy, and this does sometimes mean that theories are refined as we get better information - refinement, however, is not the same as eradicating or replacing, and the fundamental aspect of descent with modification not only has not changed in the time since it was proposed, it has actually been strengthened by this new information, so much so that no one who understands it seriously questions it in the slightest. Religious arguments often involve the idea that science changes, as opposed to (supposedly) perpetual scripture, but this should actually be expected. Humans are not perfect nor omniscient, so our knowledge base will naturally grow, and the ability to change and correct ourselves is how progress is defined. It is similar, in many ways, to a murder mystery, but in real life there is rarely a j'accuse that wraps everything up; instead, we have only the weight of the evidence to go on, and given enough evidence, one is left with the difficult proposal of explaining how any other conclusion could result in the, literally, hundreds of thousands of clues that we have.

Young and Strode lay out the case, building on it with each successive chapter, taking the time to establish why there is so much support for this mere theory (and of course, debunking the hoary old "it's just a theory" meme as they do so.) Each chapter deals with a different aspect of the discussion in detail, simultaneously showing both the support for evolution and the weaknesses behind the opposing arguments. I feel obligated to point out that this is not an anti-religion book, but deals solely with evolution. To their credit, they not only say they are not addressing religion as a whole, but feature two religious authors with their own discussion against the inerrancy of scripture, perhaps the biggest issue brought up in opposition to evolution. Strode and Young are conscientious enough to differentiate "creationism" from "religion," and deal only with that which tries to dismiss or deride evolution.

Initially, I had some misgivings about this book based on the title, since I felt that the target audience, those who feel evolution is untrue, would specifically avoid the book because of it. Not far into the book, however, I corrected that: it's aimed more at those who have to debate this issue themselves, such as educators, and alternately for those who have heard arguments in both directions and want a better understanding. To that end, it provides an excellent example of building the case. It shows the functional attributes of the scientific method, specifics pertaining to Darwin's original theory and the later refinements from genetics, the flaws of the opposing arguments and the nature of pseudoscience, and even includes essay questions at the end of every chapter - these are not aimed at reviewing the material, but to encourage the application of the thought processes towards deeper understanding. While the material within the book is accessible to any adult or even young-adult, the questions reflect college-level exercises intended to evaluate content rather than regurgitate it. It could almost serve as a textbook, though it would be hard to justify a course with the goal of trashing an approach, even one as untenable as creationism. There are those who will not be reached by the material, to be sure, but this book isn't targeted at blind faith; it is instead aimed at those willing to discuss issues and weigh evidence fairly and openly.

In a few places I found some points that could have borne greater detail or support, since I recognize the kind of opportunities creationists look for to drive some doubt into the discussion. These were outweighed by the detailed examples in opposition to the common arguments, examples such as the un-intelligent design of the human knee, and the differences between morphological (appearance-based) and molecular (gene-based) phylogenetic trees, better known as "family trees." One gets a necessary glimpse into the incredibly involved world of biology, and is reminded that evolution isn't some casual talking point, but remains wrapped inescapably within a body of knowledge that simply wouldn't work at all without it. It's easy to say, "the vast majority of scientists accept evolution," but another to show that decades of research and medical understanding would be totally dysfunctional in its absence. One cannot simply make up a detailed theory and have tens of thousands of scientists working in the field never realize it, and this book provides some recognition of such a ludicrous idea. Without once, I should add, coming out and saying how ludicrous such ideas are.

For the individual interested in understanding more about evolution itself, this book provides a basis, but lacks the detail that it should have for that goal. Since it is not aimed at that, but rather at those engaged in the debate between evolution and creationist/religious arguments, it serves its purpose well, and includes copious notes and a complete glossary and index. The science teacher who gets too many of those "challenging" questions their students have been primed by their churches to ask would be well served to keep this handy - initially, I was going to say, "well out of sight in a drawer," but then considered that having it out in the open provides more chances for students to thumb through it on their own, and to open dialogue.

The book is also useful to those who accept evolution with little reserve, but find themselves ill-equipped to debate it effectively. It not only deals directly with the evolution/creation issues, but also with some of the more common fallacies and misleading approaches that invariably crop up, and prepares the reader well for the creationist who resorts to switching tactics when their first arguments fail. In this way, it is more valuable than simply knowing evolution well, since many of the arguments deal with unrelated subjects like probability and cosmology, also addressed by Young and Strode. Subtly, this is telling in itself, since it becomes clear that creationists rely heavily on the misrepresentation of science in as many areas as possible. It is hard to believe that so many "innocent" misunderstandings could exist, and continue to exist - and of course, they don't. The fact that such a book needed to be written shows us that religion is all-too-often used not to seek truth, but to deny it.

The book does a good job of reviewing the many scientific problems of antievolutionism. However, it's not a good book to give to someone who's skeptical about evolution, as the philosophical and religious parts are rather less successful and won't establish credibility.

OK I just started this book but already I see four huge issues:

1- Neither ID nor Creation are anti-evolution as evolution has several meanings

2- ID is not Creation- therefor labeling ID as ID Creatiuonism is very dishonest and demonstrates ignorance by the authors.

3- ID is an argument against the blind watchmaker only

4- ID has gained a foot-hold due to the complete failure of evolutionists to substrantiate their claims

Stay tuned for more...