History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Trial and Error: The American Controversy Over Creation and Evolution

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God, Science, Education and the Courts
Crisis in classroom and courtroom
Definitive Legal History of the Creationism Controvery

Trial and Error: The American Controversy Over Creation and Evolution
Edward J. Larson
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0195154711

Book Description

Trial and Error traces the coverage or lack thereof, of evolution in textbooks used in American public schools from the mid-1800s to the present. While the teaching of Darwinian evolution was common and not controversial in the late 19th century and into the early 20th century, the debates between evolutionists and creationists, those who argue that the Biblical theory of origins deserves equal treatment, have flared throughout the twentieth century--first in the 1920s, most famously in the Scopes trial; again in the 1960s, when the regional legislation banning the teaching of evolution was overturned, notably in Arkansas and Louisiana; and throughout the 1980s with various controversies over science textbooks, including California. Larson proposes to bring the subject up to the present through a discussion of recent trends, including the "intelligent design" movement, led by Phillip Johnson, a revised form of anti-evolutionism that gained popularity on college campuses; the impact of Michael Behe's versions of evolution; and debates over what counts as evidence for and against evolution--all of which have influenced debates over science standards, particularly at state and local levels. This new chapter will chronicle anti-evolution actions in Kansas and elsewhere and counter-actions by the National Academy of Science and other anti-creationist groups. This updated classic work presents a balanced historical interpretation of legal and educational debates over evolutionism, and will appeal to those interested in the fields of history, religion, science, and law.

Customer Reviews:

God, Science, Education and the Courts.......2005-11-02

Trial and Error: The American Controversy over Creation and Evolution by Edward J. Larson is the definitive history of the ongoing American argument of the place of religion and science in the public schools. The author does a superb job in giving the reader the history of biology texts from the 19th century into the 20th century. The book traces the history of legislation and court cases in the ongoing controversy of the place of evolution and creation science in American education. I read this book after I read Larson's later work, Summer Of The Gods. In this earlier work Edward J. Larson is even handed and objective. He presents the facts and history of each court case in understandable terms. This book shows how both sides are really the same, fundementalists, unwilling, really, to listen to what the other side has to say. Anyone interested in this aspect of American history can do no better than to consult Trial and Error: The American Controversy over Creation and Evolution by Edward J. Larson.

This is an issue that will not go away, despite the hopes of both sides in this fight. In light of the pending Dover, PA court case it is a good idea to keep any of Larson's books handy.

Crisis in classroom and courtroom.......2004-07-12

In the Twentieth Century United States, the long war of Christianity to quell reason achieved a new intensity. There, the casualities weren't a reticent Copernicus or a timorous Galileo, but uncountable thousands of innocent schoolchildren. In that nation, supposedly founded on the separation of religion and the secular, the battleground shifted. Instead of the contestants clashing in academic debating rooms, the confrontations occured in lawcourts. Larson offers the first comprehensive survey of Christian forays into public education in the United States, and the legal disputes that ensued. He does it with a sense of detachment not easily attained in dealing with this topic.

Larson outlines the background to American forms of Christianity [which have few counterparts elsewhere], before homing in on the 1925 landmark trial in Dayton, Tennessee. Although "fundamentalism" may have germinated early in the 19th Century, it was the post WWI years that brought fruition and gave it voice, according to Larson. The voice came to be centred in the three-time Presidential candidate, William Jennings Bryan. Although a "reformer" with many causes, it is his role as an anti-Darwinist that captured enduring attention. A "Biblical literalist", Bryan found all social values stemming from "the Bible". As a fundamentalist champion, once he overcame an initial reluctance, he endorsed state legistlation banning Darwin from the classroom.

The famous "Scopes trial" set in motion a sequence of enactments in various States, not all Southron ones, to prevent Darwin's Idea from polluting young minds. Many of these laws were sketchily enforced, but their very existence led to a wave of self-censorship among text-book publishers. It isn't necessary to ban what isn't there, as Larson makes clear. Two generations of children passed through school without learning how life works.

An unexpected trigger led to a fresh wave of challenges to the vacuities of science teaching in the United States. Larson cites the Soviet Union's launching of a silvery sphere in orbit around the planet as prompting a new outlook. Cries of betrayal led to sharp looks at how science was considered in American schools. Among the topics, of course, evolution was given fresh attention. With many States banning or eroding the topic, a fresh wave of court cases resulted. However, State control of education was a given - how then to proceed against restricted curricula?

It was also a given that religion and government remain apart. Challenges to the new legislation focused on The Establishment clause of the constitution which prohibited laws favouring religion. Since evolution was forbidden, what to teach inevitably meant reverting to biblical texts. Various laws were successfully overturned as promoting religion in public schools. Larson takes us carefully through the various cases, particularly the 1981 Arkansas "McLean" decision. For the first time, expert witnesses were allowed to cinch the case for evolution. This decision, and a succeeding one in Louisiana, seemed to some to have finished the disputations. Enter the ICR and a new Christian wave eroding Darwin's insight.

Larson describes Henry Morris' Institution for Creation Research as a prime mover in launching the new challenges to reason. Although Morris was a key figure, Larson, keeping with his legalist theme, brings lawyer Phillip Johnson's "Darwin On Trial" to front stage. Johnson's books, which have been described as Christian "legal briefs", express a dichotomy: life is either spiritual or material. He opts for spiritual, condemning evolution as "athiestic" and lacking morals. Johnson is joined by Michael Behe's "intelligent design" movement that is now struggling for recognition. Aspects of life, Behe argues, is too complex to have emerged without a "guiding hand". Larson depicts this without judgmental asides, leaving the reader to form their own conclusions.

This book is the result of painstaking research, ably presenting a wealth of complex issues. Legal disputes rarely permit frivolous narrative, but Larson's book offers clarity and succinctness. A text that might have been horribly ponderous, given the legalist basis, proves a delight to read. He's to be congratulated for taking up this theme and how well he describes events and the people involved. The book will remain a fundamental resource for any future studies and should be read by a wide audience. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

Definitive Legal History of the Creationism Controvery.......1996-01-07

Larson's book is excellent. It focuses only on the legal history of 20th Century Creationism. The book was quite objective and thorough and it is hard to discerne the author's position on the matter, although one suspects he may not be sympathetic to the Creationist cause since he is familiar with their sometimes devious and irrational strategies for manipulating public opinion, the courts and state legislatures to "overrule" the scientific community in the matter of evolution. He succeeds in amply illustrating his main thesis, namely that the response of the courts to Creationism has been profoundly influenced by public opinion. Well written and recently revised to bring it up to date.

Defending Evolution: A Guide to the Evolution/Creation Controversy

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The Light of Truth
An education for teachers - and others
Title should read "Naturalism rules, OK."
Best non-technical guide to Darwin for biology teachers
Teacher's Friend

Defending Evolution: A Guide to the Evolution/Creation Controversy
Brian Alters
Manufacturer: Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Science for Kids | Education | Science | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0763711187

Book Description

A novel handbook that explains why so many secondary and college students reject evolution and are antagonistic toward its teaching.

Customer Reviews:

The Light of Truth.......2005-07-21

This was an incredibly helpful book. In a very readable, detailed, and organized manner, the Alters explain in detail how the literal creationists think- and all the different ways they think, for it is certainly not a monolithic group. As someone who was once a literal creationist before God revealed to me the Light of evolution, I found the Alters' treatment of this group to be fair and balanced, showing a great deal of understanding, with only minor errors.

As a high-school Biology teacher, I have often run into many of the beliefs and arguments that the Alters describe, hearing these ideas from students, parents, and administrators. It was helpful to get more background on their thinking, and this book clearly reveals the lack of integrity present in the organizations and some who follow them, as they try to twist the words of others in their "search for truth". It is frustrating to try to explain to students what science has learned, knowing there is very little probability that the student will change their mind, but if they do, the parents and administration would likely be very displeased.

But the Alters provide very helpful ammunition in this "war" (declared so by literal creationists). I am looking forward to applying some of their responses and teaching techniques to more greatly persuade my students, and have indeed already incorporated some ideas into future lesson plans. Of particular help is information notating the predominance of scientists believing evolution to be true, as well as the vast majority of Christian theologians; detailed outlining of the thought processi of literal creationists and their basic errors in logic; the differences in epistemological systems, particularly between theology and science; and detailed teaching techniques presented in the back to help students understand how evolution works.

For our great hurdle is that evolution, while the backbone of all biology, is so complex that it is difficult for students to fully understand it, especially when we have only 3-4 weeks out of a year to spend on the topic. While it is incorporated throughout the teaching year, we can't spend more than a few weeks on the subject in detail, for there are many other subjects in biology to be dealt with as well. And that few weeks is usually not enough time for a student to understand what evolution actually says. In the meantime, literal creationists spend most of their time arguing against the strawmen and strawapes they have created, advocating that scientists say that which they do not, in order to show evolutionists false. Would that we could take such a complex theory and explain it well enough to our students in the short time we have available, so that at least the students would no longer argue against that which we don't believe! I don't know if this is possible, but this book helps get us a lot closer.

An education for teachers - and others.......2004-01-09

The Alters' title says it clearly. Teaching science in public schools has changed from subdued academic studies to open battle. The invaders are Christian "creationists" seeking the overthrow of one science - biology. The defenders are teachers of biology. This invaluable book provides a shield of nearly insurmountable strength for educators under siege. The shield, however, isn't war-like propaganda. It is a reasoned analysis of the problem teachers face and some advice on how to deal with it. Of course, the information provided is applicable to a wider audience, even those crusading against evolution by natural selection and the memory of Charles Darwin can gain value from it. The value of this book goes far beyond the classroom. It leads to many issues every society must address and resolve - but with reason, evidence and explanation, not dogmas.

The authors present a straightforward, unemotional description of how Christian creationists think, argue and attack Darwin and evolution by natural selection. They cover the many publications, speeches and other products of creationist sources such as the Institution for Creation Research. The initial segments of the book are an attempt to educate the educators on what they might be confronted with in the classroom and auditorium. They stress that the campaigns are many and varied in technique. There is no single thrust of argument creationists present, because their own beliefs are inconsistent and often self-contradictory. Teachers must be fully prepared to cope with this wide spectrum of opinion. They further note that the teachers' position is made more difficult by the fact they are contending with dogma, not science, in a curriculum based on scientific evidence. It is an arena of apples and oranges.

The most important aspect of this book is the emphasis placed on student attitudes. By the time most students enter a biology class they may have suffered a lifetime of anti-Darwin or anti-evolution propaganda. Teachers need to understand they are dealing with a well set mind-set. Quick, easy answers or sending questioning students to sources they're unlikely to read isn't the best defensive weapon. Teachers, argue the Alters, must go on the offensive, perhaps at the beginning of the school term. They offer a full list of strategies, most of which are designed to provide strong student interaction and the confronting of prejudices with evidence. Students, argue the Alters, are best convinced when they convince themselves.

How far this book will go in pushing back the thrust of ideology will remain an open question. People who don't pick it up will learn nothing - they likely feel they already know all they need. Those reading it with the aim of refuting it will not be seriously challenged with biological evidence for evolution by natural selection. That information lies elsewhere and should best be given by the teachers who use this book. Refuters, however, will have difficulty targeting the variety of topics Christian creationists address. The teachers, for whom this book is intended, will learn much and probably be surprised at the enormity of their task. The real market for this book, although only mildly addressed in the text, is PARENTS. Parents who have been instilling ideology and dogma in their children should be the most numerous buyers of this book. Parents who wish to counter the failure of teachers who are cowed by Christian creationist assaults into failing to discuss evolution in the classroom must buy this book and give their teachers full support. They will gain many insights from this book and many strategies to apply in ensuring the quality of their children's education. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada.]

Title should read "Naturalism rules, OK.".......2003-01-11

I was prompted to read the book because its title suggests a scientific defense of evolutionary theory. As a creationist, I am always interested to read any scientific defense of evolution by its advocates. Disappointingly, the book contains precious little scientific discussion. It contains an unqualified endorsement of the monopoly of metaphysical naturalism in education, with a detailed scheme of how to implement it effectively.

Metaphysical naturalism dictates that nature is all there is, and rules out the prior question about its own validity. It pursues exclusively naturalistic explanations of origins, regardless of the possibility of its leading down a blind alley.

The book handles the science at a very superficial level. Creationist views are contrasted against evolutionist views. The latter are implicitly assumed to be correct, and any disagreements put down to "creationist misconceptions". Apparently, only creationists generate misconceptions, never evolutionists! Many detailed scientific discussions are found in the technical creation science literature, but the book fails to address them.

Let me illustrate the book's superficiality with just a handful of examples (among many). Page 89 uses the homology argument as evidence for evolution, without mentioning the tautologous nature of the argument, or the fact that morphological and biochemical homologies yield contradictory family trees. Page 92 offers as evidence for human evolution the linear progression from A. africanus to H. sapiens via habilis and ergaster, even though this naïve linear model has been called in question by evolutionist palaeoanthropologists for years. Incredibly, the idea of embryonic recapitulation is still touted (p110)! These are precisely the kind of misinformation that is being foisted on unsuspecting students (and the public) in order to brainwash them into believing evolution. This is what creationists and other non-evolutionists oppose, and the book defends!

The authors naïvely echo the claim that finding human footprints in Cambrian strata would falsify evolution (p86). In reality, it would do nothing of the sort. Evolutionists would simply resort to one or more of the following strategies: (1) assign the strata to another age, (2) attribute the human footprints to some other kind of organism, or even some non-biological origin, (3) consign the phenomenon to that black box labelled "anomalies", which is bulging at the seams, and forget about it. In the evolutionist mindset, the occurrence of human footprints in Cambrian strata is simply an impossibility, period. The paradigm overrides the data, every time.

Various accolades by leading academics are printed on the first page. To my mind this simply demonstrates the emperor's new clothes mentality so deeply ingrained in evolution adherents.

Best non-technical guide to Darwin for biology teachers.......2002-04-02

This is probably the single best guide for helping biology teachers deal practically and realistically with the annoying anti-evolution politics that have been waged against their job.

While Moore's "From Genesis to Genetics" does a good job presenting the case for evolution to non-scientists, this book, Defending Evolution, does a far better job pointing out that anti-evolutonists are not all Bible thumping fundamentalists or even anti-scientists. This book also does a somewhat better job explaining why evolutionary theory is useful in biology, rather than just stating the case.

It is a deplorable fact that history has made the teaching of evolutionary science a "separation of Church and State" issue, almost as if evolutionary science were inherently atheistic, or anti-relgious. Some evolution writers have played right into this by linking their own anti-religious views to the defense of Darwin. One of the wonderful things about this book is that it manages to defend evolutionary theory science without attacking religion or the basis of most people's religious beliefs. This is far from an easy task, as many other authors have discovered.

Defending Evolution takes the confusions over evolution seriously rather than just discounting them as wrong, and patiently explains how biological science has resolved each of them. That makes this a very helpful teachers' guide, rather than just another polemic about how science is being abused.

Most importantly, this book does not make the mistake made by many others, equating anti-evolutionism with religion and then going off on an anti-religion argument. People have both religious and logical reasons for failing to understand concepts of evolutionary biology, and it is important not to lump then together, but to recognize the nuances.

Yes, in a sense, this book is "preaching to the choir" meaning that it will probably not itself be likely to go very far in convincing a hardcore anti-evolutionist that Darwin was right. For example, it explains that eyes and wings do not have to simply appear in their current form to be useful, addressing a common creationist misconception, but it does not illustrate the process in a visual way, and so probably would be be very convincing.

As a previous review demonstrated, people who find "macroevolution" implausible, whether on religious or non-relgious grounds, will probably not be tempted to change their mind reading the excellent explanations in this book. Big scientific ideas like natural selection that require inductive reasoning over a web of interlocking data are not going to suddenly make sense to someone opposed to them simply because they are explained patiently and logically. However, this approach probably goes a lot farther than anything previously written on the subject, because it avoids many of the polemics, unites scientists and educators against anti-science, and avoids associating anti-science with religion.

This book is a treasure for teachers facing the challenge of basic education in evolutionary theory in today's cultural climate, and one of the few relatively positive things to come out of the political controversies over teaching evolution in the U.S..

I highly recommend that everyone who teaches biology at least read this book, and perhaps use it to help identify supplementary materials that will address important areas of confusion that this book identifies.

Teacher's Friend.......2002-01-27

Here is the perfect handbook for the biology teacher who is under community pressure to tone down or eliminate the subject of evolution! The purpose of this book is not to review the volumnous evidence for biological evolution, as apparently assumed by one confused reviewer, but to aid the classroom teacher in understanding the creationist phenomena and in helping his or her students overcome the many basic misconceptions surrounding the subject.

The nature and roots of anti-evolution feeling in the U.S., the common misunderstandings students have about evolution, aids to teaching evolution, the nature of science, the importance of learning about evolution, religious considerations, educational considerations, and even significant court decisions are some of subjects covered.

Many teachers will welcome the thorough and thoughtful answers given to the usual, basic questions asked by students. Such questions often reflect a complete misunderstanding of science and/or evolution -- and may even be taken from creationist literature with the intention of intimidating the teacher and ridiculing evolution. Such questions often touch on deep issues and they certainly deserve careful answers.

This is a handbook that every thoughtful, biology teacher ought to have. I give it a "5".

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***** The BEST book of the Creation-Evolution "controversy"! *****

one star just for laughs!!!!

Oldie but Goodie

Thorough Research and Credible Data

A humorous falsification of data for a one-sided argument

Creation: The Evolution Controversy
R. L. Wysong
Manufacturer: Inquiry Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Ecology | Biological Sciences | Professional Science | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0918112028

Customer Reviews:

***** The BEST book of the Creation-Evolution "controversy"! *****.......2006-02-13

***** Probably the all-around BEST book I have ever read on the Creation-evolution controversy! Evolutionists, atheists, agnostics, and Biliophobes, BEWARE! This book will utterly SHATTER many of your preconceived biases! You will not be able to answer intelligibly except to scoff. Take the challenge! Buy, borrow, beg (but don't steal) this book and see for yourself! This well-researched book will demonstrate beyond all reasonable doubt that evolution is indeed the opiate of the atheist. ^o^

one star just for laughs!!!!.......2005-11-15

This is a total joke from the first page to the last. Filled with utter rubbish and infact downright lies. Like another reviewer i often felt insulted by the desperate creationist falsification of the truth. Only ignorant, unitelligent individuals could possibly believe any of this B.S.

Oldie but Goodie.......2005-06-04

This book is becoming a bit dated, but it contains some great truths. While there are a few items where I might question interpretations, on the whole it is very solid. The fact is that anyone making an honest and unbiased study of both creation and evolution has to conclude that it takes more faith to believe in evolution than in creation.

So many fallicies and hoaxes taught in evolution have been disproven and even recanted (including 'evidence' from the famous monkey trial), but these false points have become widely accepted as truth despite the facts, and are still taught as truths. Evolutionists have many theories and stories that sound great on the surface, like how do fossils come about (scavengers did not get the remains, and what was it covered by?) and how did insect wings become wings (flaps of skin suddenly developed powerful muscles? The thing dragging flaps of tissue wouldn't have survived for the eons required.), etc, etc. Finds that oppose evolution are swept under the rug. And evolutionists keep adopting more theories proposed by creationists as these become more evident. It's no wonder so many evolutionist scientists convert to creation.

There are also many confirming methods of proving a young earth. The author does not delve into these as much as he could have. There is no need to rely on the awkward/controvertial 'scientific' methods often employed, such as radioactive dating.

Thorough Research and Credible Data.......2005-03-24

Thorough scientific works on this subject are plentiful, but those containing quality information and methodology are not. In this work, Wysong does an excellent job of presenting numerous angles and arguments; additionally, he presents a great deal of research and information that is not easily attainable elsewhere. If one were to read only one work on this subject, this should be it.

A humorous falsification of data for a one-sided argument.......2004-07-27

I found this book among other origins of life books in library. The figures are occasionally humorous although much of the text looked like a Jack Chick tract, and so I picked it up hoping for an unbiased discussion of the issues and what I found were a multitude of misconceptions, falsifications, and outright lies being used to prove a 6000 year old Earth and disprove evolution.

In the first few chapters, the author asks, "Can laymen question?" Are those without scientific background able to make a justifiable conclusion. I would say yes, but the approach taken by Dr. Wysong's book is not the way to do it. The approach frequently taken by this book is to provide expert testimony that the Earth is young and evolution is impossible, completely contrary to what he set out to do in the first place.

First off, Wysong introduces his villain, the "Evolutionist". As is customary to one-sided arguments, the evolutionist's opponent, the creationist, is given significantly more dialogue than is the evolutionist, and the evolutionist is frequently left stammering in amazement as the creationist makes logical loops and whirls, beating him at every debate. In itself, "evolutionist" is a rather poor term akin to "anti-abortionist" and similar terms that the left tends to give the right. By using this term, Wysong is able to justify his thesis that evolution is a belief or philosophy, unlike creationism which is founded in science.

Nothing can be further from the truth- Wysong presents several points in an attempt to show the scientific backing for a young-Earth and outright creationism. First and foremost, he discusses chirality- the handedness of biomolecules. He argues that since all life uses left-handed biomolecules in its proteins, and the chance of having a left-handed biomolecule is 1/2, then the chance that all life having left-handed biomolecules is (1/2)^n where n is the number of biomolecules in living organisms (probably in the thousands). Such an chance is slim, by his reckoning. Unfortunately, the author doesn't appear to know that chiral molecules synthesize other chiral molecules. Thus, your probability is no longer (1/2)^n, but is now 1 (and hence, about a third of this book is defunct). Our biochemistry has chosen the left-handed biomolecules to live, but could have just as equally chosen right-handed biomolecules. In fact, this is a strong argument for a common ancestor- all life on Earth uses left-handed proteins, and there would be no reason for God to have chosen Universal left-handedness. Why don't other creations have right-handed proteins?

Many of the arguments in his subsequent biochemical sections are along the lines of "scientists don't know how this came to be thus evolution must be wrong." The lack of knowing does not imply that a theory is incorrect. Many of the arguments in the book have been addressed in the years following this book's publication and can be found in many more recent texts on this issue, including the origin of DNA, phosphates, and other mysteries.

My major issue lies in the young Earth chapter, which is filled with misconceptions. First off, Wysong attempts to disprove radioactive dating (and does a decent job with radiocarbon, which is an awkward technique rarely used in geology) by saying that radioactive elements do not have constant half-lives, and presents two examples, Po-214 and Tc-99m. Wysong argues that since polonium-214 is found in rocks and since it has a half-life of 164 microseconds there should be no evidence of it if the Earth is old. This argument is easily rebuffed- Polonium 214 is a decay product of Uranium 238, which has a half-life of 4.4 billion years, and hence it is produced along the way of the decay of uranium to lead. The author also argues that the half-life of Tc-99m is dependent on pressure (and it is, as pressure can alter the half life by up to a few percent) and that thus all radioactive dating is wrong. What the author does not know apparently is that Tc-99m is a metastable electronic state of Tc-99, and is definitely dependent on the local surroundings. Metastable states are rare outside the laboratory, and stating that the features of this element are applicable to all other elements is like stating that since rabid dogs hate water, all dogs hate water.

After having attempted to disprove radioactive dating, the author then proceeds to list some 30 or so facts that point toward youth, and in many of the arguments the author uses exponential decay to show youth in a fashion similar to that which he just attempted to disprove! Sheesh! The 30 or so points he lists are easily contradicted, and demonstrates the authors ignorance in magnetism, cosmogenic radionuclides, geomorphology, astronomy, and many others.

Wysong also uses arguments of thermodynamics to attempt to disprove evolution. He does so first by a misrepresentation of entropy and the second law. Entropy is randomness and disorder, according to the author. This is the same lie taught in introductory physics and chemistry courses, only to be shown later to be incorrect. Entropy is teh tendency of a system to explore its states as limited by the surrounding system and laws. For instance, if one has a box of sticks, the most entropically preferred state is one in which all of the sticks are lined up, as this allows for the greatest exploration of state. Compare the situation in which all of the sticks are lined up to one in which they are heavily disordered. Entropy is NOT disorder, as the author claims. Life appears to be ordered, but is not entropically disfavored. Hence life is not outside the realm of thermodynamics, as the author claims. For further discussion see Stuart Kauffmans' dense text, "Investigations."

That's about all I can say about this text, and I don't feel better for having read it. It was biased, false, insulting, and sometimes humorously wrong.

The Controversy: Roots of the Creation-Evolution Conflict

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Easy to understand and Biblical

The Controversy: Roots of the Creation-Evolution Conflict
Donald E. Chittick
Manufacturer: Multnomah Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0880701781

Customer Reviews:

Easy to understand and Biblical.......2007-06-27

I purchased this book, along with many others, searching for an understandable explanation of the roots of this great controversy. I found it very easy to understand. Dr. Chittick's arguments are excellent, but of course since I am Christian, I realize many of you out there don't want to hear this message. It is a good book for an open, honestly searching mind. If you are looking for a book to reinforce your evolutionary mind-set, skip this book. It will just annoy you! If you enjoy this book, you might want to check out another of his books, The Puzzle of Ancient Man. It is awesome! Also, there is a series of tapes he did called Science and Creation, which tackles the subject in-depth. I found the book and lecture series fascinating and enlightening.

The Truth About Human Origins: An Investigation of the Creation/Evolution Controversy as it Relates to the Origin of Mankind

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Interesting, But Nothing Spectacular
A scientifically unbiased as possible treatment of Human Origins

The Truth About Human Origins: An Investigation of the Creation/Evolution Controversy as it Relates to the Origin of Mankind
Brad Harrub , and Bert Thompson
Manufacturer: Apologetics Press, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0932859585

Book Description

This book looks into the truth about creation and evolution.

Customer Reviews:

Interesting, But Nothing Spectacular.......2007-06-29

"The Truth About Human Origins" dedicates the first 100 pages of the book to informing the reader about the fossil record in regards to human evolution. The authors discuss all the relevant fossils that are commonly used to advance the theory of human evolution, and show that there is no `chain' of fossils of human evolution.

The rest of the book deals with the insurmountable problem that evolutionists face in trying to account for the human consciousness. Unfortunately the author don't use their own expertise (PhD's in neurobiology and micro biology) to discuss the topics at hand, instead they do an extremely comprehensive survey of the literature to provide the reader with a book almost akin to a `quote book'. The reader will not find a page without at least two lengthy quotes, and for me this became somewhat frustrating. I was expecting the book to be filled with research data which would lead the reader to a conclusion. But instead what I found was that the book merely quoted scientists on what their thoughts were on the subject of the origin of human consciousness. Though it is very interesting to hear the candid confessions of evolutionary scientists, I found that 350 pages of scientists `thoughts' became quite dull and boring.

Though this book deals with all aspects of human consciousness, the origin of language and communication, the origin of the brain and mind, gender, sexual reproduction and the origin of skin and blood types, it does so in a `third hand' kind of way, and I feel as though the authors expertise and talents were thoroughly wasted.

"The Truth of Human Origins" has some good information and some parts (like the review of the fossil record) that are worth the read, I just wish the authors had `cut-the-fat' so that you didn't have to wade through all the dull, boring and unnecessary bits to get to the better parts.

A scientifically unbiased as possible treatment of Human Origins.......2005-08-25

This text is one of a few which treats the subject of the evolutionary origins of man, the human, in the very complex and sophisticated factual manner that an honest scientific investigation should. The fact that the authors examine this subject in as objective a way as possible is refreshing indeed. Whereas most texts, whether from those who would manifest themselves as being of the scientific or religous elite on the matter of creationism versus evolution, would establish a bias in their analysis this book does not do this. The authors Dr. Brad Harrub, and Dr. Bert Thompson have wisely treated this subject with the objectivity to the facts in such a manner as to almost not need to use the words creation or evolution. You find yourself when reading this text with its depth of the historical as well as scientific analysis realizing that you can easily miss the use of these two inflammatory words and their deriviatives as they have normally become used in other texts on this subject. Dr. Harrub outlines very succinctly in the foreword the specific objectives to be addressed within their book. The authors' analyses do not deviate from their driven objectives to provide an unbiased treatment of the truths about the uniqueness of our human origin. If you are just interested in a short read (although it will probably not be quick) you may wish to begin with chapters seven and eight which deal with the analysis of the facts about the evolution of human consciousness and which treat a plethora of evidential opinions by other distinguish scientists and noble laureates. After a read of this text, you can be assured that you will have had an occasion to acquire a most enlightening new point of view on the matter of human evolutionary origins.

Did the Devil Make Darwin Do It?: Modern Perspectives on the Creation Evolution Controversy

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Devastating Critique of Creationism

Did the Devil Make Darwin Do It?: Modern Perspectives on the Creation Evolution Controversy

Manufacturer: Iowa State Pr
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Binding: Paperback

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Devastating Critique of Creationism.......1997-04-04

End of story! Definitive arguments against Creationism by scientists, Christian theologians, and lawmakers. If every living Creationist read this book with an open mind, that would be the end of Creationism. Unfortunately, because of their psychological need for absolute answers, these people are constitutionally unable to read anything objectively that contradicts their so-called "literal" interpretation of the Bible, so the rational among us will be stuck with them until they all die out, which would be Darwinian evolution at its merciful best

But Is It Science?: The Philosophical Question in the Creation/Evolution Controversy (Frontiers of Philosophy)

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Baconian science, modern style
The battle isn't over yet...
Simple world
But is it ideology?
Excellent Anthology of the Arguments

But Is It Science?: The Philosophical Question in the Creation/Evolution Controversy (Frontiers of Philosophy)

Manufacturer: Prometheus Books
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ASIN: 1573920878

Book Description

Updated Edition On December 20, 2005, a U.S. district court in Dover, Pennsylvania, ruled in Kitzmiller et al. v. Dover Area School Board that teaching Intelligent Design in public school biology classes violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. The judge explained that Intelligent Design is not science and "cannot uncouple itself from its creationist, and thus religious, antecedents." This case was just the latest attempt by proponents of Intelligent Design or Creationism to undermine the teaching of evolution in high school biology classes. The emotionally charged controversy, which has been going on since the publication of Charles Darwin's Origin of Species, shows no sign of letting up.

This excellent collection, now fully updated, will inform readers about the history of the debate and bring philosophical clarity to the complex arguments on both sides. The editors, both of whom served as expert witnesses in two different court cases, start by chronicling the heated discussion that surrounded the publication of Darwin's famous work. In the next part, they present articles that explicate modern evolutionary theory, including philosophical critiques by Karl Popper and others. The selections that follow discuss so-called Creation Science, focusing in particular on the 1981 McLean court case in Arkansas. In the final section, the philosophical issues surrounding the distinction between religion and science in the most recent Kitzmiller case are considered.

This outstanding overview of an important contemporary debate shows that philosophy has a vital role to play in major decisions affecting education and interpretations of science and religion.

Customer Reviews:

Baconian science, modern style.......2007-05-14

Although not published until 1996, "But Is It Science?" concerns primarily the Arkansas creationism court trial of 1982, and most of the papers were written around that time. By coming out as early as 1996, the book also misses the novelty, if any, of the claims of "intelligent design."

Thus falling between two stools as far as pertinence to public controversy goes, the book remains a useful history and guide to the attempts of Christian bigots to dress Genesis literalism (actually, faux-literalism) as science.

Most of the information here is available elsewhere, but the first sections, in which Ruse recounts his participation as a witness for the orthodox Christians and scientists who challenged the Monkey statute, is distinctive. (It should be recalled that the Institute for Creation Research is pretty far outside mainstream American Christianity, on theological grounds.)

It is also the best part of the book, leading up to Judge Overton's decision that creation-science is religion, is not science and cannot be taught in public schools. So far, so good. Overton's decision is reprinted in full.

Since Ruse is a philosopher of science, the essays also delve into the philosophy of science as it is applied to biology, both as it was argued in court and its status generally.

These sections are less satisfactory. Ruse was sharply attacked by two other philosophers of science, Larry Laudan and Philip Quinn, for having incorrectly defined science. That may be, although Laudan and Quinn do rather worse, failing to detect the difference between science and scientism -- they seem to think that because creationists dress up their theory as falsifiable and testable, that makes it "science" within the meaning of the act and of the philosophy.

This is just silly. The flat-earth theory is as falsifiable and testable as creationism, but no one mistakes it for a branch of science, because it has been thoroughly defeated. So has creationism. The refusal of religious bigots to acknowledge its defeat empirically ought to count for something. If they wish to maintain their opinion in the teeth of the evidence, as Pascal recommended, by preferring faith in the unseen to what they see with their own eyes, that's fine; but they should have the decency not to simultaneously claim scientific standing for their notions.

It is the attempt to have things both ways that grates on fair-minded people.

This confusion among leading philosophers of science helps explain why so many working scientists pay no attention to grand philosophical theories about what science is. Quinn says "philosophy of science contributed nothing" to the effectiveness of Overton's decision, which is largely true, though not for the reason he thinks.

To the extent that the arguments in the first part of the book are good, they apply equally to "intelligent design." ID is lipstick applied to the snout of the creationist pig, but it's the same old pig.

Ruse concludes with a plea for science-minded people to read creationist (nowadays, intelligent design) literature. This is excellent advice. The full flavor of the antiscientific nature of the pig really cannot be appreciated second-hand. Scientific critiques of creationism, no matter how fervent or well conducted, are to creationism as soy protein is to real bacon.

The battle isn't over yet..........2006-09-22

This book presents a nicely edited group of scientific writings, including the opening words of the book of Genesis. I did find Michael Ruse's writings on evolution to be a bit simplistic compared to Richard Dawkins, but the book stands as a good primer on the evolution versus creationism debates.

Simple world .......2005-11-19

Life is simple in the world of Michael Ruse

A:

1) Only true scientists are entitled to question evolution

2) Creationists are not true scientists,

3) Creationists are not entitled to question evolution

B:

1) Only true scientists are entitled to question evolution

2) Only evolutionists are true scientists

3) Only evolutionists are entitled to question evolution

4) Evolutionists won't question evolution

C:

1) Creationists are are not entitled to question evolution

2) Evolutionists don't question evolution

3) Evolution cannot and won't be questioned

4) Evolution is true, since it cannot and won't be questioned

Life is really simple in Michael Ruse's world

But is it ideology?.......2004-02-17

Even for a Darwin skeptic this is a useful collection of pieces dealing with Darwinism, and also includes material on Karl Popper, along with the philosopher of science Laudan on Judge Overton. The essays by Laudan and Popper are a reminder that when you actually check the particulars of evolutionary theory things don't really add up. Popper clearly pointed to the problem. But given the ideological fixation, and the infrastruture of sophistries to back that up, mere epistemological difficulties don't even register on the reality meter, long since switched off by Darwinists.

Excellent Anthology of the Arguments.......2001-06-21

This is in effect an anthology of selected writings dealing with the science vs. creationism issue. The author starts with Bishop Paley's famous blind watchmaker argument for a creator and brings the arguments up to date. As other reviewers have noted, the quality of the reading depends in some cases on the original author. However, Ruse has done a good job of including a variety of styles and levels, and a complete reading should give you a good overview of the arguments over the years. This makes a good reference book or a good reader for someone trying to familiarize themselves with the controversy. The extensive philosophical analysis of the trial arguments are indeed fascinating.

Creation Or Evolution: Correspondence on the Current Controversy

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Creation Or Evolution: Correspondence on the Current Controversy
Edward O. Dodson , and Howe
Manufacturer: University of Ottawa Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0776602691

Science and Earth History: The Evolution/Creation Controversy

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Good Science but it won't Convince a Creationist
Full of Answers -- Complete
Solid as a rock!
Disappointment: The "New" 1999 "Edition" is Only a Reprint
Disappointment: The "New" 1999 "Edition" is Only a Reprint

Science and Earth History: The Evolution/Creation Controversy
Arthur N. Strahler
Manufacturer: Prometheus Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1573927171

Customer Reviews:

Good Science but it won't Convince a Creationist.......2007-03-03

The people who believe in creation science have a real problem. They are bound to a literal intrepretation of the bible which is now a couple of thousand years old and what little science that can be found in the bible is based on Aristotle. In the centuries since there has been a lot of evidence discovered about things like the Earth going around the Sun. And of course there's hundreds of years of evidence, study, experiments, etc. pretty well proving evolution.

But if evolution is right, then the history of the earth as contained in the Bible has to be wrong. And if that part of the Bible is wrong, why the whole concept of salvation may be wrong. And if that is the case, why their whole religion makes no sense.

This particular book is more geology/physics oriented than most. It discusses things like Noah's flood, and how the speed of light is a constant. Of course to the creationist (Oooophs, I forgot, that's a bad word, it's Intelligent Designer) none of this will matter.

If you're interested in a more recent book with more biological reference, consider Unintelligent Design by Mark Perakh.

Full of Answers -- Complete.......2005-06-16

I found this book after a creationist posed some potential problems to me regarding a 4.5 billion y.o. earth. After reading several sections of this book, I am very pleased with the presentation of the material and the depth with which it is covered. The rebuttles to creationism in this book are thorough and often go into more detail than necessary (although I found the depth more interesting and useful if further questions arose).

There are many topics covered in this book. I used information from it on the following potential problems:
-content of the oceans (poor dating method due to "residence times" of elements in the ocean)
-the moon's recession from the earth (consistent with expected age of the moon, websites were also useful in researching this topic)
-radiometric dating with uranium and other radioactive materials (very in depth info on this, and if understood, very convincing of why this is a good dating method)
-decline of the speed of light (this book blows this idea out of the water)
-carbon 14 dating and the earth's magnetic field (these really tie together, and Strahler addresses both very well, showing that C-14 has had variations throughout time, and the magnetic field also variates and can actually flip, as has been observed in the sun; these two tie together since the magnetic field influences how much C-14 is in the atmosphere)
-oil fields (explains how it isn't just a bunch of pools underneith earth, but is in porous rock, which doesn't really support Noah's flood; plus C-14 dating shows it is too old to be from Noah's flood)
This is certainly not an exhaustive list of what is in this book, but these were the topics I found most useful. Because this book was published in 1987, don't expect too much on more recent fields (such as using DNA to discredit the story of Adam and Eve living just 6,000 years ago).

This book will explain holes in the creationist story (either can be used to expose these holes or to realize, for creationists, that there isn't a problem). This is quite possibly the most interesting book I have picked up in the last year and I would highly recommend it to any person who believes in a young earth or to anyone debating this topic.

Solid as a rock!.......2003-05-28

With an exhaustive overview of the geologic and evolutionary history of our planet, Strahler vigorously rebuts a multitude of Christian creationist assertions. Strahler takes some effort to expose the faulty logic, poor science and devious methods Christians have used to impair the public's perception of evolution. The author is able to fully detail each creationist assertion and how science refutes them. If there is a pivot point in this presentation, it would be the spurious "human" tracks "found" in a Texas riverbed. Many facets - the age of the earth, the path of evolution and the role of analysis - are exemplified by the circumstances surrounding this artefact.

While Strahler leaves no doubt over his view of Christian creationists, he provides such a wealth of their material that the book might well be considered "balanced". It is certainly thorough in presenting a history of modern creationism and its spokesmen [if there are any women active in promoting "creation science" they don't appear here]. Strahler lays a foundation by comparing science and pseudo-science. The contrast between empirical research and declaration from assertion should be apparent to all, but Strahler spells it out carefully and clearly. From this beginning he takes us through a succession of topics, exhibiting the creationist declarations, then depicting the errors in them. In some cases, the errors are simply false, while others are twisted use of words or ideas. Strahler set himself a monumental task in composing this book, but as someone with long experience in the geologic column, perhaps there is no-one better qualified to assess the material.

This is a rich trove for almost anyone interested in the planet's history. Most of the line drawings and other illustrations are worthy of close attention. Although set as a counter to false thinking, there is a massive amount of material on such topics as radiometric dating, cosmology, geological processes, fossil analysis and the evolution of humanity. Each area acknowledges the leaders in the research. While crediting good studies, Strahler is careful to note where his fellow scientists have been slipshod or dismissive over word usage in dealing with creationists or simply reporting their science. A worthwhile book for a wide spectrum of readers. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

Disappointment: The "New" 1999 "Edition" is Only a Reprint.......2001-05-25

I was disappointed that except for an additional preface, the 1999 "edition" is only a reprint of the first edition from 1987. Outside of the new preface, the book does NOT include "responses to new attacks on evolutionary theory" as promised on the front cover. However, far from being "superficial," the book still contains a wealth of detailed and accurate information that is utterly fatal to creationist fantasies.

It is true that Strahler (p. 135) falsely blames creationist John Woodmorappe of misrepresenting the contents of an article on the radiometric dating of some Hawaiian basalts. In reality, the distortions originated from creationist H. Morris. Nevertheless, Strahler's rebuttal of the distortions is valid.

Clearly, Strahler needs to update this book and respond to the blatant misquotes, misconceptions, and errors that permeate the tabloid literature that continuously streams from various creation "institutes" that claim to be doing "research" or have "answers." For example, geologists have known since at least the early 1960's that SOME magmas travel rapidly through crusts, as fast as several ten's of kilometers per month. Since the first printing of Strahler's book, creationists have distorted the literature on magma movement and cooling, including some of the references in Strahler. Creationists illogically imply that because SOME magmas travel quickly and smaller plutons may cool rapidly, ALL magmas must travel and cool quickly. As a specific example, Strahler needs to supplement his discussions on p. 212-213 and further describe how the cooling of huge plutons, such as the Sierra Nevada Batholith of California (p. 213), took more than 10 million years and how this and other numerous plutons thoroughly refute creationist claims that the Earth is only 6,000 to 10,000 years old. Strahler should also discuss the 1989 Science article by Odom and Rink that destroys creationist claims for "ex nihilo" polonium halos.

Disappointment: The "New" 1999 "Edition" is Only a Reprint.......2001-05-25

Clearly, Strahler needs to update this book and respond to the blatant misquotes, misconceptions, and errors that permeate the tabloid literature that continuously streams from various creation "institutes" that claim to be doing "research" or have "answers." For example, geologists have known since at least the early 1960's that SOME magmas travel rapidly through crusts, as fast as several ten's of kilometers per month. Since the first printing of Strahler's book, creationists have distorted the literature on magma movement and cooling, including some of the references in Strahler. Creationists illogically imply that because SOME magmas travel quickly and smaller plutons may cool rapidly, ALL magmas must travel and cool quickly. As a specific example, Strahler needs to supplement his discussions on p. 212-213 and further describe how the cooling of huge plutons, such as the Sierra Nevada Batholith of California (p. 213), took more than 10 million years and how this and many other plutons thoroughly refute creationist claims that the Earth is only 6,000 to 10,000 years old. Strahler should also discuss the 1989 Science article by Odom and Rink that destroys creationist claims for "ex nihilo" polonium halos.

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