Saturday, December 24, 2005
Defeating Darwinism
I'm probably in the vast minority of Christians when it comes to the subject of Darwinism and evolution. While I certainly don't think that Darwinism or evolution as defined by modern science is true, (and I think the biblical account of creation IS true), the whole debate doesn't get me going. It probably should, but I don't start foaming at the mouth or stalk the local high school biology teacher (who most likely is a Christian anyway.) Other issues do wind me up, but this who evolution/intelligent design/creation debate doesn't. I'm not saying I'm correct in being apathetic; it's just the fact. I'm just constantly amazed that Christians expect those who aren't to think, act, and believe like they are. We would all get a lot more sleep at night if we didn't.
Now that that's out of the way, I really like reading Philip Johnson. He is a law professor at UC Berkeley. He wrote Darwin on Trial and Reason in the Balance. He also seems to be the leader of the anti-Darwinists. The best part about Johnson is that he realizes that the real issue isn't creation vs evolution. The real issue is theism vs naturalism and he couches all his arguments in the philosophical realm--where the battle really is.
Defeating Darwinism is Johnson's third book on the debate. This one is different from his previous two, though. It is designed as a simple introduction rather than an in-depth analysis. Actually, he states that the book was written for parents and older students as a way to prepare them for higher learning. He addresses such issues as "turn up your baloney detector," and "a real education in evolution." He also addresses the topic of intelligent design. While these chapters provide good introductions to the topics, the most helpful contribution is the strategy for driving a "wedge of truth" into the debate. Anyone who wants to take a stand for creationism (or simply against Darwinism) should take his strategy to heart.
If you want a detailed scientific analysis of the whole debate, then read Darwin on Trial. If you want a detailed philosophical analysis, then read Reason in the Balance. If you want a quick primer on the how to think about the debate, then this is exactly what you're looking for.
Rating: 3 Stars
