[extropy-chat] FWD (SK) New entries for SKEPTIC Bibliography (creationism)

[Terry W. Colvin]

http://www.csicop.org/bib/694

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The Evolution Hoax Exposed
  A. N. Field
  1971, Tan; 104p. (Original: Why Colleges Breed Communists, 1941)
  creationism:defense, creationism:history
        An old (1941) creationist book that is interesting primarily  
because it gives a British rather than US-based anti-evolutionary  
view, and because it illustrates how little the "debate" between  
creationists and scientists have changed. Field gives a little of  
everything: selected scientific quotations against evolution,  
accusations of fraud, proofs that evolution is nothing but anti- 
Christian ideology, etc. etc. An interesting historical document.

http://www.csicop.org/bib/695
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By Design: Science and the Search for God
  Larry Witham
  http://www.encounterbooks.com/books/byde/bydep.html
  2003, Encounter; vii+248p.
  creationism:defense, religion:defense
        Witham, a journalist, argues that science and religion are  
coming closer together. This is happening, apprently, because  
scientists in many fields are finding suggestions of divine design in  
the universe: in cosmology, the complexity and evolution of life,  
explorations of the mind and brain, and attempts to explain human  
spiritual life. Witham focuses on two main ways religious scientists  
and theologians have been supporting intuitions of design. One is the  
softer, more liberal approach, which is characterized by institutions  
such as the Templeton Foundation that try and make room for religion  
in science by promoting spirit- friendly interpretations of science.  
The other is the harder-edged approach of intelligent design  
proponents, who demand a revolution in science by proposing to  
overturn Darwinian explanations. Witham's characterization of the  
current state of science is inaccurate at best; the intellectual  
currents he describes remain marginal to science. Nevertheless,  
bringing science and religion together in dialogue is an attractive  
enterprise now, finding much popular and wider cultural support.  
Witham's book is a valuable survey of the self- perception of  
religious scientists and theologians who believe they are making  
progress.

http://www.csicop.org/bib/696
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The Wedge Of Truth: Splitting the Foundations of Naturalism
  Phillip E. Johnson
  http://ivpress.gospelcom.net/cgi-ivpress/book.pl/code=2395
  2000, InterVarsity; 192p.
  creationism:defense, religion:defense
        Another Phillip Johnson book on intelligent design and the  
evils of naturalism. It includes some clear and valuable discussions  
of the main preoccupations of intelligent design: the nature of mind  
and of information as much as biological evolution. Johnson places  
intelligent design in an explicity religious context, presenting it  
as a device to destroy naturalism and its pernicious influence in  
intellectual life. This, also, helps make sense of intelligent design  
by clarifying the broader concerns that drive the intelligent design  
movement. So, even if it is scientifically just about worthless, this  
is a valuable book that skeptics can learn a lot from.

http://www.csicop.org/bib/697
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Darwin's Proof: The Triumph of Religion over Science
  Cornelius G. Hunter
  http://www.brazospress.com/
  2003, Brazos; 168p.
  creationism:defense, religion:defense
        An interesting book that falls in between the intelligent  
design and straight-creationist genres of anti-evolutionary  
literature. Hunter presents what he thinks are potent scientific  
arguments against evolution; many of these are variations on typical  
anti-evolutionary themes, though he emphasizes the complexity of  
molecular biology, in keeping with the more recent intelligent design  
style. More interesting are Hunter's excursions into philosophical  
and theological reasons to oppose evolution and support creation,  
including the parts where he accuses evolutionists of strongly  
relying on bad theological arguments to support evolution. Hunter may  
be partially correct: popular arguments for evolution do rely too  
much on intuitions of "bad design" in order to bring creationism into  
question. Still, that is hardly a fatal flaw in evolutionary science.

http://www.csicop.org/bib/698
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Strange Creations: Aberrant Ideas of Human Origins from Ancient  
Astronauts to Aquatic Apes
  Donna Koss
  http://feralhouse.com/titles/kulchur/strange_creations.php
  2001, Feral House; x+253p., illustrated
  crankery, creationism, creationism:history, newage, religion, UFO
        A fascinating book, covering strange views of human origins.  
Creationism and allied beliefs is one of its main themes, but Kossy  
also brings in ideas from the UFO subculture about alien  
interventions at the dawn of humanity, notions of human degeneration  
over time, racist theories of origins, eugenics, and the Urantia  
book. She even discusses the Elaine Morgan's "aquatic ape" theory as  
a scientifically weak but popular view. Kossy's approach is skeptical  
but lighthanded; the book is more an entertaining guided tour through  
various forms of weirdness than a quasi-academic analysis. Even  
seasoned skeptics will likely come across some new notions, and the  
less expert can get a good introduction of the subjects with useful  
pointers to more in-depth material.

[ All reviewed by Taner Edis, bibliographer at csicop.org ]


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        Taner Edis,  SKEPTIC bibliographer



-- 
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