5.5: What is evolution? Where can I find out more?
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This article is from the Scientific Skepticism FAQ, by Paul Johnson Paul@treetop.demon.co.uk with numerous contributions by others.
5.5: What is evolution? Where can I find out more?
Many creationist "refutations" of evolution are based on a straw-man
argument. The technique is to misrepresent the theory of evolution,
putting forward an absurd theory as "what scientists claim". The
absurdity of this pseudo-evolution theory is then ridiculed.
* Debunking all these refutations would take a lot of space. Instead I
suggest that anyone interested should go and read the FAQ lists over
on talk.origins. These contain good explanations of what evolution is
(and isn't). The talk.origins Welcome FAQ is posted every 14 days to
news.answers and talk.answers. It contains instructions for FTPing
the other FAQs.
* Books and essays on the subject by Stephen Jay Gould are good, and
"The Blind Watchmaker" by Richard Dawkins is the sort of book that
makes you want to find a creationist to argue with.
Also see "Darwinism Defended: a guide to the Evolution Controversies"
by Michael Ruse (Addison-Wesley, 1982).
* A. Strahler, "Science and Earth History" (1987, Prometheus Books,
ISBN 0-87975-414-1, 552 pp).
Strahler's book is heavily referenced, thoroughly indexed, and covers
most of the common creationist arguments. There are only a handful
of books explicitly aimed at addressing creationist claims, and this
one is the best of the lot. NCSE sells Strahler's book for $47.95
($38.55 for members).
* The NCSE is the only national (American) anti-creationism organization.
NCSE is affiliated with the AAAS (American Association for the
Advancement of Science -- publishers of the journal "Science") and
NSTA (National Science Teacher's Association). The organization is
mainly aimed at negating creationists' efforts to get into public
school science classes.
There are no membership requirements. Membership costs $25 per year
($32 foreign, $39 foreign air delivery). All members receive the
quarterly newsletter "NCSE Reports" and the semi-annual "Creation/
Evolution Journal", as well as discounts from their book ordering
service. NCSE sells a decent selection of books, taped speeches and
debates, and other relevant material.
NCSE (National Center for Science Education)
P.O. Box 9477 / Berkeley, CA 94709
(510) 526-1674
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