Science and Creationism

Reviewed by: Henry E. Neufeld

Montagu, Ashley, ed. Science and Creationism. New York: Oxford University Press, 1984. ISBN: 0-19-503252-7 (Hardback) 0-19-503253-5 (Paperback).

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This collection of essays is a treasure trove of various views on origins from the point of view of evolutionary science. Most of the essays center around the issue of whether creation-science is, in fact, science. Most of the essays center around issues raised in the 1982 case in Arkansas which struck down an act calling for fairness or equal treatment in the teaching of evolution and creation-science in the public schools. Besides some very interesting history of that case, there is a great deal of material on the philosophy of science, on specific evidences for evolution, on specific creationist arguments and even on abiogenesis.

The initial essay, by Roger Lewin, tells the basic story of the bill passed in the Arkansas legislature that resulted in the case. This is followed by an introduction by Ashley Montagu, outlining the nature of the issues, and discussing whether science is a religion and whether creationism is science.

The following is an outline of topics by author:

• Kenneth R. Miller, Brown University: Scientific Creationism versus Evolution: The Mislabeled Debate
  Dr. Miller, whose style of writing is very clear and engaging, first discusses the parameters of the debate and then discusses several specific creationist arguments. First, he discusses the age of the earth. This is a tremendously clear discussion compared to any other that I have read--and I'm not even an amateur at understanding the topics in question. He continues by discussing certain young earth arguments such as the strength of earth's magnetic field and the influx of meteoric material from space. He further discusses the fossil record, stating: "The fossil record not only demonstrates evolution in extravagant detail, but it dashes all claims of the scientific creationists concerning the origin of living organisms." (His full discussion of this issue extends from page 48 to 54.) One statement that I particularly appreciated, as a theistic evolutionist is in Dr. Miller's closing paragraph: "The scientific nature of evolution, like all scientific theories, does not exclude a creator." [Emphasis by Dr. Miller].
• Robert Root-Bernstein, Salk Institute for Biological Studies: On Defining a Scientific Theory: Creationism Considered
  Root-Bernstein discusses the criteria for what can be a scientific theory, what its characteristics must be, and compares the creationist literature to these criteria.
• George M. Marsden, Calvin College: Understanding Fundamentalist Views of Science
  This is a much needed essay on understanding how and why fundamentalists challenge certain aspects of modern science in the way that they do. George Marsden is clear and understands American fundamentalism very well.
• Stephen Jay Gould, Harvard University: Evolution as Fact and Theory
  This chapter by the prolific, readable and controversial Harvard professor will help get some terminology straight about facts and theories.
  
  -----: Creationism: Genesis Vs. Geology
  Gould continues by dealing with flood geology, and arguing that one cannot have the Genesis flood without introducing supernatural elements. He examines the various claims and evidence for the flood.
• Gunther S. Stent, University of California, Berkeley: Scientific Creationism: Nemesis of Sociobiology
  This essay deals with some perceived excesses and errors in the application and extension of evolutionary theory into realms which the author believes it has no business invading.
• Kenneth E. Boulding, University of Colorado: Toward an Evolutionary Theology
  This unusually named essay deals with ethics and the purpose of science. (It is a bit hard to summarize without doing injustice to the essay. After enumerating four general principles of scientific ethics, Boulding states: "One could nominate a fifth principle--that the business of the scientific community is to diminish error rather than to discover truth." I think this is a line worth remembering.
• Garrett Hardin, University of California, Santa Barbara: Marketing Deception as Truth
  This is another essay which deals with the terms and how they are used by either side, and some discussion of how to discuss. To quote his concluding sentence: "Broadening the support for Darwin's view depends not so much on accumulating more scientific evidence as it does on getting more people to understand the nature of science itself."
• Laurie R. Godfrey, University of Massacheusetts, Amherst: Scientific Creationism: The Art of Distortion
  This is another essay dealing with the terminology, with some specific arguments of creationists and specifically with the issue of whether creationism is scientific.
• Isaac Asimov: The "Threat" of Creationism
  A forceful and almost embittered essay against the threat which Asimov perceives to American science education to be brought about by the teaching of the so-called creation-science.
• Sidney W. Fox, University of Miami: Creationism and Evolutionary Protobiogenesis
  A lengthy and detailed summary of the efforts being made to understand how life could have arisen in primitive conditions on earth. Fox believes it is possible and has been in the forefront of research to demonstrate various aspects of that case. Especially valuable is an extensive bibliography, extending from page 231 to 239.
• L. Beverly Halstead, University of Reading, United Kingdom: Evolution--The Fossils Say Yes
  This essay discusses support for evolution from the fossil record. It demonstrates a level of disagreement amongst the authors represented in this volume (who in other work certainly disagree on various items) by agreeing that evolution cannot be reconciled with belief in a personal god or in any kind of god. [Obviously I disagree!] The essay does, however, provide an interesting summary of major points from the fossil record.
• Roger J. Cuffey, Pennsylvania State University: Paleontologic Evidence and Organic Evolution
  This essay, originally published in the Journal of the American Scientific Affiliation, December 1972 discusses the fossil record again, with special attention to fossil sequences and how they are built, and transitionals. The transitional fossils are extensively documented, with lists showing the original publication of the fossils concerned. Another superb bibliography, pages 271-281, completes the picture.
• Roy A Gallant, University of Southern Maine: To Hell with Evolution
  Discussion of the history and of the trial, with some of the science involved explained along the way.
• Robert M. May, Princeton University: Creation, Evolution, and High School Texts
  This is the key point in this discussion: what gets taught in high school biology classes. May discusses how creationists have often managed to accomplish what they can't accomplish through legislation through the textbook selection process.
• Michael Ruse, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada: A Philosopher's Day in Court
  An amusing and personal, yet informing essay about Dr. Ruse's experience testifying in the Arkansas trial. It must be read, not summarized.
• Gene Lyons: Repealing the Enlightenment
  An amusing essay on the Arkansas politics involved in the dispute.
• The Decision of the Court
• Sidney Ratner, Rutgers University: Evolution and the Rise of the Scientific Spirit in America
  An historical essay on evolution in American thought. Ratner states: "The progress of civilization in America will depend on a reassertion of scientific method as the only sound means of attaining a solid basis for security and happiness. All other methods are a snare and a delusion."

This book is a great resource for anyone wanting documentation on the major issues in the creation vs. evolution controversy from the viewpoint of mainstream science.

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