AnyBook4Less.com	Find the Best Price on the Web Order from a Major Online Bookstore
Home  |  Store List  |  FAQ  |  Contact Us  |
Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine Save Your Time And Money Keyword AuthorISBN

Title: Intelligent Design Creationism and Its Critics: Philosophical, Theological, and Scientific Perspectives by Robert T. Pennock ISBN: 0-262-66124-1 Publisher: MIT Press Pub. Date: 01 December, 2001 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $47.95

Your Country USA Canada United Kingdom Australia Austria Belgium France Germany Italy Netherlands Switzerland Currency AutoUSD CAD GBP EUR AUD CHF Delivery Only cheapest delivery All delivery options Include Used Books Are you a club member of: Barnes and Noble Books A Million Chapters.Indigo.ca

Average Customer Rating: 3.33 (12 reviews)

Rating: 5
Summary: Excellent resource
Comment: Intelligent Design Creationism (IDC) is the latest manifestation of anti-evolutionism, a social movement which owes it's roots to pre-Darwinian opposition to the idea of transmutation of species. As with Victorian opposition to evolution, IDC is more concerned with the (putative) social implications of the acceptance of evolution than with the fact that the theory is both scientifically and philosophically sound. The acceptance of evolution is seen as a manifestation of the rampant materialism and naturalism of modern Western culture, and IDC advocates ask practising scientists to replace methodological naturalism (the idea that, while the supernatural may exist, one must exclude supernatural explanation within _scientific_ discourse) with a view that allows the Divine to be used as an explanation whenerver science cannot explain a phenomenon.

Rob Pennock - a philosopher at Michigan State University - has followed his extremely useful "Tower of Babel" with this collection of IDC pieces and responses from more "mainstream" scientists, philosophers and theologians. Pennock is unbiased, allowing both sides to present their case, and the collection contains many articles that were previously only found in academic journals. As such, the volume will be highly useful to individuals on _both_ sides of this issue.

As an educator, I have used Pennock's first book in class and both students and I have profited from his insights and clarity. I only regret that this volume was not in print when I ordered books for the coming semester. He, and MIT Press, are to be congratulated for making this resource available to educators and the general public.

Rating: 4
Summary: To correct some of the negative reviews
Comment: <>

None of the books written by proponents of IDC have EVER included so much as a chapter to the ideas of the opposition. Also, it often takes twice as long to refute cranks as it does to hear them out. Pennock allowed the best and brightest of IDs and creationists to contribute (Phillip Johnson, Bill Dembski, Michael Behe, Paul Nelson, Alvin Plantinga(who is a great philosopher regardless of the success of IDC)).

This is the most absurd argument possible. Pennock is a philosopher of science, and a good one. He does not make straw man attacks (unlike the IDCs, who employ that, argument of doggedness, and the inflation of conflict fallacy, amongst others). To say that he makes a religious argument is to attempt to deny the legitimate efforts of the book: to argue against the mathematical, biological, and philosophical arguments of IDC, while exposing the ulterior religious motives of the alleged "Scientific" movement. I only wish he would have brought in some theologians (aside from the esteemed Ernan McMullin, who contributes as a philosopher) to attack the theological presuppositions of those who support IDC.

<>
Dembski pulls this card every time he is rebutted. The funny thing is, he will go so far as to say at conferences that he will not accept questions after papers that he presents. He complains CONSTANTLY about the prejudice against him, yet manages to evade all chances available to him to respond to his "unfair" critics. Consistent with most IDC advocates, when his arguments fail, he reverts to appeals to sympathy by complaining about the "dogma" of the scientific community. Perhaps he is right; the scientific community is indeed prejudiced against those who not only fail to provide legitimate arguments, but would also seek to undermine the entire enterprise in order to advance their own theologically problematic world views.

Rating: 3
Summary: Nice Resource, but not very original or up to date
Comment: This collection of essays and commentary on Intelligent Design is a nice resource for those who are following the debate closely. In particular, you get a sense of how many of the people in the Academic world have chosen to respond to the concept of Intelligent Design. This is very insightful to those of us who have been following the debate from the sidelines.

However, I have a few complaints. First of all, the material in this volume consists largely of re-used material that is available on the internet. This is especially the case regarding the material that Pennock chooses to use from ID Theorists. In addition, as one who follows the debate pretty closely, I can't help but feel that Pennock rigs the conversation a bit. Most apparent is the fact that most of the ID proponents are not given a chance to respond to their critics. In fact, the material that Pennock uses to present the ID position, in my humble opinion, does not fairly or fully represent the ID Theorists arguments.

In closing, I recommend this book to those who want to get an insider's perspective of how the Academic world, has, in large part, decided to respond to the arguments put forth by the Intelligent Design community. However, if one is looking for a good general introduction to ID, or a fairer portrayal, I would wait for the upcoming volume being edited by Michael Ruse (a Darwinist) and William Dembski (an ID theorist).

Similar Books:

	Title: Tower of Babel: The Evidence against the New Creationism by Robert T. Pennock ISBN: 0262661659 Publisher: MIT Press Pub. Date: 28 February, 2000 List Price(USD): $21.95
	Title: Darwin and Design : Does Evolution Have a Purpose? by Michael Ruse ISBN: 067401023X Publisher: Harvard Univ Pr Pub. Date: May, 2003 List Price(USD): $29.95
	Title: Finding Darwin's God: A Scientist's Search for Common Ground Between God and Evolution by Kenneth R. Miller ISBN: 0060930497 Publisher: Perennial Pub. Date: 15 September, 2000 List Price(USD): $14.00
	Title: Defending Evolution: A Guide to the Evolution/Creation Controversy by Brian J. Alters, Sandra M. Alters, Alters, National Safety Council ISBN: 0763711187 Publisher: Jones & Bartlett Pub Pub. Date: 30 October, 2001 List Price(USD): $28.95
	Title: Intelligent Design: The Bridge Between Science & Theology by William A. Dembski, Michael J. Behe ISBN: 0830815813 Publisher: Intervarsity Press Pub. Date: November, 1999 List Price(USD): $22.00