Scientific Debate

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Any book about evolution is going to be politically charged, something the author actually indicates throughout the book. If you are someone who "believes" that evolution is completely true, I imagine that they most likely will not read this book and may even vote it down without ever listening/reading a single word. If you "believe" that evolution is untrue, or not a complete fact there will be many instances where they will find themselves agreeing with the author - and I imagine that is who the book is primarily intended for. There are not many (if any) neutral opinions on the subject, but the author does a great job just talking about evolution and the issues surrounding it, without any "extra" discussion into "ID" or any other theories. For those that are actually trying to make up their minds I would give the following advice: As there are no truly neutral opinions I would recommend getting this book and listening to it after listening to the Great Courses lecture entitled "Evolution: A History of Controversy" (which the title is not completely accurate, that Great Course actually only talks about the history of evolution and does not even touch on any of the points Jonathon Wells goes over here) and then perhaps listen to at least 2 other books arguing on opposite sides of this debate (i.e. one pro-evolution and one ID book). No one book is ever going to cover the topic thoroughly enough, but Jonathon Wells does a very good job highlighting the problems that the most prominent examples of evolution have. His reasoning is sound, his points are easy to follow, and he is very open about his background (my opinion is if you can't disclose information about yourself you are hiding something for gain). For anyone interested in learning about evolution or in a debate about evolution I highly recommend this book.

17 people found this helpful

Wow, this provides info that I hadn't heard before

I just finished two books about the history of everything and the other on human anthropology. After reading this book, I feel like a fair amount of the theory in the others aren't quite as certain as they claim. A must read for those reading biology and evolution theory.

10 people found this helpful

Enlightening and Disturbing

Is it acceptable to lie to students to tell them the truth? Apparently, to a Darwinist, it is.

It is long past time to remove misrepresentations and lies out of our science classrooms. This book shows what they are.

3 people found this helpful

Great with a little "but"

I appreciated this book immensely because, as other reviews have mentioned, it is not: "Intelligent Design is right and Evolution is wrong." Like Lee Smolin's "The Trouble with Physics" it is a call for real scientific analysis. My "little but" is that I wish for an author's update. Written 15 years or so ago, the book, I think could use an update. Nevertheless, for the truly open minded it is a fascinating read!

7 people found this helpful

This book isn't about creationism

This is one is that the books that you are a probably guess what's inside of it before you buy, but if the titles not quite clear enough. This isn't whether God created the world or anything. This is a bout the actual scientific pictures and icons that are taught in school about evolution are factually incorrect. It doesn't give you an alternative, well if they're wrong then it clearly means the other side's right. It's just saying what's wrong. It tries to remain as objective as it can on such a charge subject as evolution. So even if you're for evolution and against creationism or whatever. I suggest at least looking at this one because the facts in it are pretty sound well-documented and verifiable. It doesn't say one view is right over the other. It just says the straight facts.
Be warned, however it is slightly politically charged as the subject naturally will be and the author has had some bad experiences and has stories about other people's bad experiences when they were ostracized because of it.

33 people found this helpful

A bit into the weeds, but well-made point

This may well be a book that would be better read than listened to. Still it is interesting to hear how so many of the images and examples of evolution that show up in so many text books are mistaken or even outright frauds. Worse, they keep showing up in the text books even after having been discredited. Truly an interesting read. #EvolutionaryBiology #EyeOpening #tagsgiving #sweepstakes

2 people found this helpful

Very objective.

The book was easy to understand, big words were explained, and the book did not seem to push a point of view, but rather talked about the evidence and left the reader to decide and draw his/her own conclusions - which is what science is all about!

4 people found this helpful

Great Analysis

Wells does a great job of walking through the most popular evolution icons and respectfully showing how good and trusted science has shown them to be false.

1 person found this helpful

EXCELLENT - CLARITY AND TRUTH REPLACE CONFUSION

This is an excellent book and definitely worth a listen to anyone who is interested in the Evolution contraversy.

Jonathan's clear and logical presentation with strong scientific evidence helped me see this issue in a much clearer light.
I emerged feeling disgusted that I was deceived by the school system and others are being deceived today. The scientific evidence supporting Darwinian/Macro evolution is deceptive at best and downright fraudulent at worst. The evolutionists attempts to prove that our great ...great grandfather was a self replicating molecule have met with disaster time and time again. Instead of acknowledging this truth they cover it up using more tricks than politicians,

This should be mandaroty listening for all evolutionary students and educators so that we bring back scientific rigor into the classroom.
Full application of the scientific method as opposed to the half truths and exagerations being peddaled with the mantra of "mountains of evidence prooving evolution". Jonathan scrutinizes the key evidences (icons) in this book - and it becomes clear that the mantra is hollow and devoid of scientific substance.

I strongly recommend this book

17 people found this helpful

The Desperate Attempts...

by many to vote down positive reviews of books like this tells the tale: Darwin and his theory are on the way out, disproved by modern biology, but Dawkins and his band of followers are going down only in an ideological shoot out, the truth notwithstanding. Read this along with the works of Michael Behe and Philip Johnson's Darwin On Trial.

12 people found this helpful