Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Book Review: "The Deniable Darwin" by David Berlinski

This is a collection of writings which have been previously published, many, but not all of which, address Darwinism and Intelligent Design. All the essays concern science.

The inimitable David Berlinksi, mathematician and literary stylist, is a free thinker--not in the common sense of skeptics who revel in denying religion on principle, but in the sense of assessing arguments on the basis of evidence, not on the basis of mere consensus or social pressure. He long ago found Darwin evidentially-challenged and began to say so--cutting against the grain. He continues to say so, and so educates his readers in critical thinking and good writing. May his number increase.

If you are tired of the stereotypical and monotonous defenses of Darwinism and denunciations of intelligent design that clutter and litter the press, read this important book. If you read nothing else, consult, "The Deniable Darwin," an essay in Commentary that rocked the readership in 1996.

By the way, Dr. Berlinksi is neither a Christian nor a practicing Jew. But even if he were one or the other (or a member of any other religion) it would make no difference for the force of his arguments. To think otherwise is to commit the fallacy of poisoning the well

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