Science, Evolution, and Creationism
by National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine
List Price:
Our Price: $7.49
You Save: $5.46 (42%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $5.19 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions
Book Summary Information
Author: Institute of Medicine, National Academy of SciencesEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2008-01-04
ISBN: 0309105862
Number of pages: 88
Publisher: National Academies Press
Book Reviews of Science, Evolution, and Creationism
Book Review: A Brief, But Richly, Illustrated Guide Explaining Why Evolution Is Science and Creationism Isn't
Summary: 5 Stars
"Science, Evolution and Creationism", published jointly by the National Academy of Sciences and the Institute of Medicine, does an admirable job in explaining succinctly why evolution is science and creationism isn't. In less than 70 pages, it summarizes the key evidence on behalf of biological evolution, and dismisses the claims of creationists, including Intelligent Design advocates, noting correctly that their dissent is religiously, not scientifically, based. It does not assume scientific knowledge of the reader, especially of biology, since important concepts like speciation are defined briefly outside of the main text. Those responsible for this well-illustrated book were part of a joint National Academy of Sciences - Institute of Medicine committee consisting of fifteen biologists, geologists, secondary school science teachers, a philosopher of science and an astrophysicist. Notable members of this committee included its chairman, University of California, Irvine evolutionary geneticist Francisco Ayala, University of Arizona ecologist Nancy Moran, evolutionary geneticist Michael Clegg (Ayala's colleague at the University of California, Irvine), Michigan State University philosopher of science Robert Pennock, University of Michigan professor of internal medicine and public health Gilbert S. Omenn, Washington University plant geneticist Barbara Schaal, Missouri Botanical Garden director and Washington University botanist Peter H. Raven, University of San Francisco biochemist - and former National Academy of Sciences president - Bruce Alberts, and Hayden Planetarium (American Museum of Natural History) director Neil deGrasse Tyson.
Comprised of four succinct chapters, "Science, Evolution and Creationism" wastes no time in defending the scientific validity of evolution, while also emphasizing that both science and religion are mutually compatible, still important, means of viewing our world. Chapter One "Evolution and the Nature of Science" summarizes the major evidence supporting biological evolution and the nature of science itself. It also includes a well-reasoned explanation why science doesn't need to be incompatible with religious belief, quoting statements from major American religious leaders and religiously devout scientists like Brown University cell biologist Kenneth R. Miller. Chapter Two "The Evidence for Biological Evolution" opens with a brief discussion on the origin of the universe and the age of the Earth. Then it summarizes the extensive evidence that exists in support of evolution, including not just biogeography, homology and paleontology, but also recent molecular data from research in molecular systematics and evolutionary developmental biology (Hox genes). Chapter Three "Creationist Prospectives" discusses the major varieties of creationism, giving special emphasis to Intelligent Design creationism and its key concepts like "Irreducible Complexity", while also offering terse, but well-reasoned, explanations as to why they are not scientific and why they should not be taught in science classrooms alongside valid science like biological evolution. Chapter Four "Conclusion" is a terse, one page explanation why we need to be taught valid science like evolutionary biology, and it is followed immediately by a Frequently Asked Questions section devoted to questions on evolution and whether "alternatives" to evolution like Intelligent Design creationism should be taught in science classrooms. A short, but excellent, bibliography is also provided as suggested additional reading, featuring books written by the likes of noted evolutionary biologists such as Ernst Mayr and Stephen Jay Gould, and religiously devout scientists such as biologists Francis Collins and Kenneth R. Miller.
Children's Books
Book Subjects
- Arts & Photography
- Audiobooks on Cassette
- Audiobooks on CD
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Business & Investing
- Children's Books
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Internet
- Cooking, Food & Wine
- e-Books
- Engineering
- Entertainment
- Gay & Lesbian
- Health, Mind & Body
- History
- Home & Garden
- Horror
- Law
- Literature & Fiction
- Medicine
- Mystery & Thrillers
- Nonfiction
- Outdoors & Nature
- Parenting & Families
- Professional & Technical
- Reference
- Religion & Spirituality
- Romance
- Science
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports
- Teens
- Travel
Most talked about in In defense of Darwin
Why Intelligent Design Fails: A Scientific Critique of the New CreationismRutgers University Press; Published: 2006-03; Paperback; Book
Best price: $22.20
Price in other shops:
Intelligent Thought: Science versus the Intelligent Design MovementVintage; Published: 2006-05-09; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.85
Price in other shops:
Monkey Girl: Evolution, Education, Religion, and the Battle for America's Soulby Edward Humes
Ecco; Published: 2007-02-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $8.96
Price in other shops:
Evolution vs. Creationism: An Introductionby Eugenie C. Scott
University of California Press; Published: 2005-10-12; Paperback; Book
Best price: $13.94
Price in other shops:
Science, Evolution, and Creationismby National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine
National Academies Press; Published: 2008-01-04; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.49
Price in other shops:
Mapping Human History: Genes, Race, and Our Common Originsby Steve Olson
Mariner Books; Published: 2003-04-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $4.91
Price in other shops:
Walking with Cavemen - Discovery ChannelDiscovery Channel; Published: 2005; DVD
Best price: $18.00
Walking With CavemenWarner Brothers; Release date: 2003-06-17; DVD
Best price: $11.25
Price in other shops:
The Last Human: A Guide to Twenty-Two Species of Extinct Humansby G. J. Sawyer, Viktor Deak, Esteban Sarmiento, Richard Milner
Yale University Press; Published: 2007-06-28; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $24.99
Price in other shops:
Extinct Humansby Ian Tattersall, Jeffrey Schwartz
Basic Books; Published: 2001-12-04; Paperback; Book
Best price: $14.97
Price in other shops:
Similar books summaries and other product reviews
The Age of American Unreason (Vintage)by Susan Jacoby
Vintage; Published: 2009-02-10; Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.05
Price in other shops:
Darwin's Gift: to Science and Religionby Francisco Ayala
Joseph Henry Press; Published: 2007-04-23; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $15.61
Price in other shops:
Relics of Eden: The Powerful Evidence of Evolution in Human DNAby Daniel J. Fairbanks
Prometheus Books; Published: 2007-12-13; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $14.18
Price in other shops:
The Counter-Creationism Handbookby Mark Isaak
University of California Press; Published: 2007-01-12; Paperback; Book
Best price: $13.95
Price in other shops:
Scientists Confront Creationism: Intelligent Design and BeyondW.W. Norton & Co.; Published: 2008-01-17; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.84
Price in other shops:
Why Evolution Is Trueby Jerry A. Coyne
Viking Adult; Published: 2009-01-22; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $15.41
Price in other shops:
Evolution vs. Creationism: An Introductionby Eugenie C. Scott
University of California Press; Published: 2009-08-03; Paperback; Book
Best price: $14.83
Price in other shops:
Only a Theory: Evolution and the Battle for America's Soulby Kenneth R. Miller
Viking Adult; Published: 2008-06-12; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $4.98
Price in other shops:
Evolution: What the Fossils Say and Why It Mattersby Donald R. Prothero
Columbia University Press; Published: 2007-10-11; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $21.59
Price in other shops:
Your Inner Fish: A Journey into the 3.5-Billion-Year History of the Human Body (Vintage)by Neil Shubin
Vintage; Published: 2009-01-06; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.67
Price in other shops: