Tower of Babel : the evidence against the new creationism /

Pennock, a philosopher of science, thoroughly analyzes various, often conflicting, creationist positions, especially "Intelligent Design Creationism" (IDC). He shows that insistence on the historical accuracy of Genesis would cripple not only biology, geology, and cosmology but also linguistics (hence the book's title). IDC argues that science and all secular activity should be "theistic," admitting possible supernatural intervention. Applying this notion to the specialty of IDC's leading advocate, Pennock shows that criminal law would be unworkable. He also shows that, by arguing that supernatural intervention is necessary to understand nature, IDC makes God a naturally testable entity, thus exposing IDC as basically faithless. Throughout, Pennock demonstrates that, despite the contrary claims of IDC, methodological naturalism, the public method of science and of ordinary experience, is compatible with faith in God (Pennock himself is a person of faith). It is therefore appropriate in public science education, whereas revealed religion, a private matter, is not. Essential reading for all social and natural scientists (especially secondary and college teachers), and also concerned pastors, seminarians, and seminary professors. A more accessible version for general readers would be a plus. Upper-division undergraduates through professionals. E. B. Hazard; Bemidji State University

More than 70 years after Clarence Darrow and William Jennings Bryan fought it out in the Scopes Trial, religious activists are still striving to drive evolution out of the public schools. To keep them from succeeding, Pennock takes up Darrow's burden, exposing the illogic of the current attempt to prove divine purpose in the creation by discrediting Darwin. Though Bryan's creationist heirs have acquired a new sophistication, Pennock finds the same old false assumptions about science and its methods, the same willingness to twist empirical evidence to support religious doctrines, the same inflammatory rhetoric blaming Darwinism for modern immorality and meaninglessness. Himself a Quaker, Pennock understands quite well why creationists worry about morality and meaning in the modern world. Indeed, as a first step toward restoring rationality to creation-evolution discussions, he urges scientists to assure creationists that evolutionary biology need not jeopardize faith or morals. By thus disentangling the scientific issues from the religious and philosophic ones, Pennock has made a valuable contribution to a too-often-overheated debate. Bryce Christensen

According to University of Texas philosopher Pennock, creationism has been evolving, changing from an unsophisticated attack on biological evolution to a more refined and polished assault on the nature of science itself. Rather than offering sophomoric arguments and forged archeological displays, he contends, the new creationists are attempting to promulgate a philosophical construct, theistic science, that is both more subtle and more insidious. With great insight and good humor, Pennock catalogues the wide range of creationist beliefs, dissects their main arguments and highlights what he sees as their internal inconsistencies. He focuses most of his attention on explicating the alleged weakness of the premises of theistic science and its reliance on an "intelligent designer," contending that its incorporation of miracles into its explanatory sphere undermines all aspects of science. In clear, direct prose, Pennock uses the basics of linguistic evolution to go after the foundation of the new creationism while employing sound philosophical arguments to demonstrate that an evolutionary worldview is neither immoral nor the first step toward the acceptance of atheism. With the new creationists claiming that an evolutionary perspective is responsible for virtually all of the world's ills and their desire to make amends by restructuring public education and the legal system, the stakes are huge. Pennock's response, thoughtful, thorough and respectful, deserves to be widely read. (Mar.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

Informative and clearly written, this important book by a philosopher of science (Univ. of Texas, Austin) and Quaker critically surveys the specious arguments offered by biblical fundamentalists and new creationistsÄe.g., Phillip Johnson and Michael BeheÄwho reject the factual theory of organic evolution. Pennock stresses a crucial distinction between public knowledge and private beliefs, emphasizing that myopic religionists continue to deny the overwhelming evidence for biological evolution; the result is a serious threat to science education. Topics examined include neo-Darwinism, the evolution of language, philosophical naturalism, and the intelligent-design theory in so-called theistic science. For Pennock, "evolution is not an assumption accepted on faith, but a conclusion supported by a vast array of empirical data." Still needed, however, is a rigorous and truthful defense of the ontological materialism that underpins the scientific methodology, which Pennock himself so glowingly supports. As far as it goes, this is an up-to-date and excellent presentation of the ongoing creationism-evolutionism controversy. Recommended for large science, philosophy, and theology collections.ÄH. James Birx, Canisius Coll., Buffalo, NY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.