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Noted biologist and philosopher Sahotra Sarkar exposes the frauds and fallacies of Intelligent Design Theory, and its claim to be 'good science'.
- A scientific and philosophical exploration of the debate between evolutionary theory and Intelligent Design in the classroom
- Puts the debate into its scientific and historical context
- Looks at a variety of topics, including the relation between Darwinism and modern evolutionary theory, the use of computer science and information theory by the creationists, and the idea of metaphysical naturalism
- Rejects Intelligent Design's claim to legitimacy, showing clearly how and why it is an unsuitable alternative to evolutionary biology in the classroom.
List of Figures
Preface
Acknowledgements
1. Introduction
2. The Legacy of Darwin and Wallace
3. The Argument from Design
4. Mere Evolution
5. The Cost of Lunch
6. Complexity is Complicated
7. Questions of Information
8. Cosmic Coincidences
9. Naturalism and Its Discontents
10. Conclusions
Notes
References
Index
Sahotra Sarkar is Professor of Integrative Biology and of Philosophy at the University of Texas at Austin. He is author of Genetics and Reductionism (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).
"Sarkar's scientific expositions and dissections of Dembski's specious arguments and Behe's lack of imagination are clear, surgical, and authoritative. For those who would fear a return to the middle ages, this is the best critique of 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 broad knowledge of a scientist-philosopher."
– Jeffrey Shallit, University of Waterloo
"The West's simultaneous loyalty to Christianity and science is a cognitive dissonance in our culture as a whole, most prominently manifested in the Intelligent Design Movement. Sahotra Sarkar's book is a welcome attempt to apply cognitive therapy to our culture, by talking us through the contradictions in intelligent design."
– David Wolpert, Senior Computer Scientist at NASA
"Sahotra Sarkar lucidly and comprehensively dismantles Intelligent Design creationism in the most powerful way: by explaining the biology. This book summarizes the theory and philosophy of evolution with depth and insight, and in a way that sharply refutes the objections of creationism."
– P. Z. Myers, PhD, University of Minnesota, Morris, and author of Pharyngula Blog
