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"Mark Isaak's book is thorough, up-to-date, readable, well argued, and clear. It provides citations for every argument or claim that is made about the usually inaccurate claims of anti-evolutionists. Indispensable and fair, it should be welcomed by all interested in these questions." - Kevin Padian, Museum of Paleontology, University of California"
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Those opposed to the teaching of evolution often make well-rehearsed claims about the science that sound powerful and convincing. And many people who support the teaching of evolution - students, teachers, parents, administrators - do not have the background to respond. They know that scientists have thoroughly dismantled these arguments, but they don't have a handy way of responding to these attacks. The "Counter-Creationism Handbook" is a one-stop resource for addressing over 400 of the most prevalent claims made by creationists.Each claim is followed by a succinct and scientifically valid rebuttal, and the book includes print and on-line resources for further reading and information. The "Counter-Creationism Handbook": Covers claims made about the disciplines of philosophy, biology, paleontology, geology, astronomy, physics and mathematics, history, and more. It addresses the claims of Biblical creationism, intelligent design creationism, and some creationism based on non-Christian religions. It includes an introduction on how to address creationists in different venues, how to deal with novel claims, and why accurate science is important. It is organized thematically, with extensive cross-referencing.
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Any book refuting creationist arguments is welcome, and more so for a book that covers so many fallacies as this one. So that warrants three stars.
However, I felt there were problems with the book. While certainly wide-ranging, it does not go into sufficient detail (perhaps to conserve book length.) Often an argument against a creationist position requires its utter destruction, that ends with creationism not just rebuffed but lampooned, and there are few cases where a simple statement can pull this off. Rather than developing the good counter arguments, the author seems to take a by-the-numbers approach, which leads to some weak, insubstantial or unnecessary points being brought up (and yes, they do exist, even when taking on creationists).
I am aware that this is a handbook, and is intended as a quick reference guide for any non-creationist who feels threatened by a seemingly good argument that they can't refute or just wants to get one up over the evangelist two dorms down, but the book would have benefited from a more proseful, hardhitting, persuasive style. As it is the book is often uncompelling, and it is not difficult to imagine the more "talented" creationists weaving together counterarguments to the unsatisfactorily stated points raised through misrepresentation, logical fallacies, pseudo-scholarship and so on (whereas better presented books are responded to by ignorance). Indeed, looking at creationwiki, this is already taking place.
However, I felt there were problems with the book. While certainly wide-ranging, it does not go into sufficient detail (perhaps to conserve book length.) Often an argument against a creationist position requires its utter destruction, that ends with creationism not just rebuffed but lampooned, and there are few cases where a simple statement can pull this off. Rather than developing the good counter arguments, the author seems to take a by-the-numbers approach, which leads to some weak, insubstantial or unnecessary points being brought up (and yes, they do exist, even when taking on creationists).
I am aware that this is a handbook, and is intended as a quick reference guide for any non-creationist who feels threatened by a seemingly good argument that they can't refute or just wants to get one up over the evangelist two dorms down, but the book would have benefited from a more proseful, hardhitting, persuasive style. As it is the book is often uncompelling, and it is not difficult to imagine the more "talented" creationists weaving together counterarguments to the unsatisfactorily stated points raised through misrepresentation, logical fallacies, pseudo-scholarship and so on (whereas better presented books are responded to by ignorance). Indeed, looking at creationwiki, this is already taking place.
12 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Isaak has built up this list of claims and responses on the talkorigins.org website with feedback from a number of creationist-watchers.
Isaak covers the major arguments from creationists, with point-by-point refutations. He highlights distortions, falsehoods, fallacies that creationists use. Sometimes these are absurd to the highest degree, others are more subtle and so are the responses. It is a good indication of the breadth of arguments used by creationists.
The list is not complete -- there is a law of infinite regress that however ignorant one claim is, there is always another creationist who can say even more stupid. However, with clearly laid-out reasoning and links to resources, one can learn principles to derive new responses to creationist inanity (and perhaps submit them it to Isaak for inclusion online)
By its very nature this material is defensive, so one must go elsewhere for positive understandings of science (i.e. buy other books as well!)
Unfortunately, though this does not detract greatly from the book, some of the more subtle and complex metaphysical arguments where there is genuine disagreement between philosophers are glossed over, perhaps to increase the "debating strength" of the rebuttal rather than its actual logical strength. This is no more clearer than the assertion that religion and science are compatible -- to my mind at least they are not. Science, based upon naturalism, has progressed our understandings of the Universe to levels that ancient peoples would fail to comprehend; religion has produced a few beautiful paintings and music and many, many wars.
Isaak covers the major arguments from creationists, with point-by-point refutations. He highlights distortions, falsehoods, fallacies that creationists use. Sometimes these are absurd to the highest degree, others are more subtle and so are the responses. It is a good indication of the breadth of arguments used by creationists.
The list is not complete -- there is a law of infinite regress that however ignorant one claim is, there is always another creationist who can say even more stupid. However, with clearly laid-out reasoning and links to resources, one can learn principles to derive new responses to creationist inanity (and perhaps submit them it to Isaak for inclusion online)
By its very nature this material is defensive, so one must go elsewhere for positive understandings of science (i.e. buy other books as well!)
Unfortunately, though this does not detract greatly from the book, some of the more subtle and complex metaphysical arguments where there is genuine disagreement between philosophers are glossed over, perhaps to increase the "debating strength" of the rebuttal rather than its actual logical strength. This is no more clearer than the assertion that religion and science are compatible -- to my mind at least they are not. Science, based upon naturalism, has progressed our understandings of the Universe to levels that ancient peoples would fail to comprehend; religion has produced a few beautiful paintings and music and many, many wars.
6 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
While I believe that there are other, better books currently available which delve into the legal and philosophical issues presented by Intelligent Design and other flavors of creationism (e. g. books written by Scott, Forrest, Kitcher and Pennock), Mark Isaak has created a useful "handy-dandy" reference guide which offers a succinct rejoinder to every absurd creationist claim, covering a wide spectrum of subjects from philosophy to astronomy, and of course, biology. As such it is an invaluable guide for anyone seeking not only to rebut creationist claims, but equally important, to understand the philosophical and religious rationale behind these claims. However, I am quite skeptical that mere refutation of absurd creationist claims like "Evolution is just a theory" or "there are dinosaur and human footprints side by side in some Texas river bank" may be succinct to persuade most creationists, who truly are fundamentalist religious zealots, whether they are Young Earth Creationists or IDiots (Intelligent Design Advocates). And yet I recognize that Isaak's clear, concise, well-written tome is an invaluable resource too for educators and probably deserves to belong on the bookshelves of school administrators and school district superintendents (or chancellors) around the country.
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