Shattering the Myths of Darwinism (Paperback)

by Richard Milton (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal
With selective evidence and twisted logic, Milton (Alternative Science, Inner Traditions, 1996) attempts to discredit the concept of organic evolution. Although raising important questions about interpretation and methodology, he fails to overturn the neo-Darwinian framework as he attacks as "myths" the claims of modern science concerning the age of this planet, the geological column with its fossil record, and even the biological relationship between the great apes and our own species. He ignores most of the recent evolutionary literature (especially in paleoanthropology and primatology), and his chapters are full of dated illustrations, misleading generalizations, and glaring errors, e.g., "the evidence for humankind's own evolution is actually nonexistent" and "Today, 'Java man' is thought to be an extinct, giant gibbonlike creature and not connected to humans." His own interpretation of earth history remains ambiguous, leaving the reader to wonder about what hidden motive underscores this morass of falsehoods. Not recommended.?H. James Birx, Canisius Coll., Buffalo, N.Y.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review
Bang goes the empirical basis on which neo-Darwinism rests. -- Bishop Hugh Montefiore, The Church Times

On subject after subject--methods of dating, the fossil record, microbiology, geology, etc.--Milton shows the inadequacy of the evidence for Darwinian evolution. -- Alpha Magazine

The world of science faces the biggest challenge yet to one of its most basic beliefs. -- The Sunday Times

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Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Park Street Press (March 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0892818840
• ISBN-13: 978-0892818846
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (59 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #267,281 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

46 of 59 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Milton not a creationist, November 15, 1999

By	Dr. S. Chumbley ([e-mail]) (Iowa State University) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shattering the Myths of Darwinism (Hardcover)

After reading the reviews and then this book, I can't help but wonder - did the people who only gave this book one star read the same book I did? Milton is clearly not a creationist, all his arguements are based on documented scientific evidence. He does not even refer to evidence presented by many creationists, as valid as that evidence may be. The only conclusion I can reach is that the "one-star" crowd are the same people that Milton contends have accepted Darwin as their God and evolution as their faith, one they must fight to protect despite all evidence to the contrary. This was a great book!

26 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Evolution is soft science, not hard..., July 11, 2001

By	sodakmonk "sodakmonk" (Midwest USA) - See all my reviews

Although Creationists will probably like this book, it's really a fresh, broad survey of the scientific inquiry into evolution and the earth's history.
The author is not a creationist and in fact claims to have "no religious beliefs", but I expect that creationists will be more open to this book than most neo-Darwinists. What Milton does is collect and clearly describe several serious scientific problems with the Darwinist model of evolution. It is well written and has good references to original source material to back up his claims. Some of the interesting facts described:
- the age figures that scientists toss around for the age of the earth, strata, fossils etc are little more than educated guesses. Radiometric dating is not an objective science, and there is no objective proof of the earth's age.
- a well-known scientific law "genetic homeostasis" means that animal or plant species cannot give rise to a new species by accumulating normal genetic variation. There are no "green mice" in nature and never will be.
- there is no scientific evidence (none whatsoever) that random mutation can give rise to the variety of life found in the fossil record. The process of natural selection by itself provides no mechanism for evolutionary change to arise.
- the widespread acceptance of Darwinism in academic circles is mostly due to political pressure and arguements from personal authority. It is not based on scientific evidence.

Milton is quite reasonable is his call for rational debate on the scientific evidence, rather than the personal attacks and attempts to censor him by leading Darwinists like Dawkins. Some truly shameful behavior by leading academic figures is described. The author does admit that there is at present no clear alternative theory of evolution. Milton does not make any mention of the recent biochemical challenge to Darwinism (Behe, Dembski, Spetner) but this book dovetails with it quite nicely. Clearly, Darwinism is a theory collapsing under its own weight, the baggage of nineteenth century materialist asumptions. But what will take its place? Milton doesn't explore this much. My personal hunch is that some kind of information theory must be applied to nature, to describe how genetic data is so amazingly organized.

46 of 61 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The evolution debate continues..., March 21, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Shattering the Myths of Darwinism (Hardcover)

Based on the one star reviews of this book I expected a "creationist rehash." As a biologist trained in animal behavor I read nothing of the kind. Milton's arguments are clear and well argued; he is at his best at demonstrating the circular and nonexplanatory arguments used to keep neo-Darwinian "theory" viable. A previous negative review tells the reader to go and read a book on Darwin's finches--Milton devotes a full chapter to the arguments for "speciation" taken from the finch research. The finches of the different islands mate with one another and are not geograpically isolated from one another--while their beaks may differ in size and shape the finches are no more separate species than a poodle is a separate species from a bull dog. Variation within a species does not prove neo-Darwinism as "the origin of the species." To the potential reader and Mr. Milton (if he reads these reviews), I would urge a review of the most recent research of Hall on the specificity of adaptive mutagenesis and a reading of Ted Steels's new book "Lamarck's Signature" on retrogenes. Both lines of research are mentioned briefly by Milton--I believe a third edition incorporating these new theories and findings is needed. Milton looks like a young man--I hope he keeps up the search for truth in evolutionary biology gives us a new edition of this important work.