Doubting Darwin? (eBook)

Sahotra Sarkar is Professor of Integrative Biology and of Philosophy at the University of Texas at Austin. He is author of Genetics and Reductionism: A Primer (1998), Molecular Models of Life (2004), and Biodiversity and Environmental Philosophy (2005); editor of several books, including The Philosophy and History of Molecular Biology (1996), the six-volume Science and the Philosophy in the Twentieth Century: Basic Works of Logical Empiricism (1996), and co-editor of the two-volume The Philosophy of Science: An Encyclopedia (2005).

List of Figures.

Preface.

Acknowledgements.

1. Introduction.

a. The Central Argument.

b. The Evidence for Evolution.

c. Rejecting Theories.

d. Plan of the Book.

2. The Legacy of Darwin and Wallace.

a. The Theory of Natural Selection.

b. "Absurd in the Highest Possible Degree".

c. Darwin's Unfortunate Retreat.

d. Wallace and Weisman.

e. The Decline of Darwinism.

f. Mind and Culture.

g. Contemporary Implications.

3. The Argument from Design.

a. Adaptation and Design.

b. Function, Design, and Selection.

c. Blind Variation.

d. Dembski's Resurrection.

4. Mere Evolution.

a. Mendel's Legacy.

b. The Modern Framework for Evolutionary Theory.

c. Selectionism and Neutralism.

d. Reconstructing the Past.

e. Contemporary Debates.

f. Terminological Choices.

5. The Cost of Lunch.

a. Evolutionary Algorithms.

b. The "No Free Lunch" Theorems.

c. Dembski's Excitement.

d. Utter Irrelevance.

e. Adaptationism.

f. Final Assessment.

6. Complexity is Complicated.

a. Irreducible Complexity?.

b. Pathways to ICSs.

c. The Citric Acid Cycle.

d. The Blood Clotting System.

e. The Bacterial Flagellum.

f. Protein Evolution.

g. Irreducibility and Design.

7. Questions of Information.

a. What is Biological Information?.

b. Information and Evolution.

c. Specified Complexity.

d. The Law of Conservation of Information.

e. The Cambrian "Explosion".

f. Taking Leave of Creation Biology.

8. Cosmic Coincidences.

a. Physics and Biology.

b. Anthropic Principles?.

c. The Force of Improbability.

d. A Cosmological Design Argument.

e. Is Fine-Tuning Surprising?.

f. A Concluding Note.

9. Naturalism and Its Discontents.

a. What Naturalism Is.

b. Nagel's Legacy.

c. The Problem of Normativity.

d. Creationist Critiques.

e. Metaphysical Naturalism.

10 Conclusions.

a. Critiques of Evolutionary Theory.

b. Is ID Science?.

c. Back to the Classroom.

Notes.

References.

Index

"This is a splendid discussion of the whole question of ID. Getthis book and read it." Michael Ruse, review for National Centerfor Science Education

"This is a clear and judicious book ... Sarkar is tobe praised for his nuanced and balanced presentation of thearguments and issues he discusses." Kaleidoscope

"Sarkar's scientific expositions and dissections ofDembski's specious arguments and Behe's lack ofimagination are clear, surgical, and authoritative. For those whowould fear a return to the middle ages, this is the best critiqueof ID now available."
William Wimsatt, University of Chicago

"Part history, part science, and part philosophy,Doubting Darwin? is a deft critique of the new creationism.Sahotra Sarkar hits all the main points with economy and the broadknowledge of a scientist-philosopher."
Jeffrey Shallit, University of Waterloo

"The West's simultaneous loyalty to Christianity andscience is a cognitive dissonance in our culture as a whole, mostprominently manifested in the Intelligent Design Movement. SahotraSarkar's book is a welcome attempt to apply cognitive therapyto our culture, by talking us through the contradictions inintelligent design."
David Wolpert, Senior Computer Scientist at NASA

"Sahotra Sarkar lucidly and comprehensively dismantlesIntelligent Design creationism in the most powerful way: byexplaining the biology. This book summarizes the theory andphilosophy of evolution with depth and insight, and in a way thatsharply refutes the objections of creationism."
P. Z. Myers, PhD, University of Minnesota, Morris, and author ofPharyngula Blog

"Sarkar's concise, elegant prose allows him toenlighten and engage readers on every topic...a must read foranyone interested in following the debate..."
Choice

"This is a splendid discussion of the whole question of ID. Getthis book and read it."
-Michael Ruse, review for National Center for ScienceEducation

"Sarkar's scientific expositions and dissections ofDembski's specious arguments and Behe's lack ofimagination are clear, surgical, and authoritative. For those whowould fear a return to the middle ages, this is the best critiqueof ID now available."
-William Wimsatt, University of Chicago

"Part history, part science, and part philosophy,Doubting Darwin? is a deft critique of the new creationism.Sahotra Sarkar hits all the main points with economy and the broadknowledge of a scientist-philosopher."
-Jeffrey Shallit, University of Waterloo

"The West's simultaneous loyalty to Christianity andscience is a cognitive dissonance in our culture as a whole, mostprominently manifested in the Intelligent Design Movement. SahotraSarkar's book is a welcome attempt to apply cognitive therapyto our culture, by talking us through the contradictions inintelligent design."
-David Wolpert, Senior Computer Scientist atNASA

"Sahotra Sarkar lucidly and comprehensively dismantlesIntelligent Design creationism in the most powerful way: byexplaining the biology. This book summarizes the theory andphilosophy of evolution with depth and insight, and in a way thatsharply refutes the objections of creationism."
-P. Z. Myers, PhD, University of Minnesota, Morris, andauthor of Pharyngula Blog