Why Evolution Is True

Apr 05, 2009

David rated it

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I'll come right to the point: Jerry Coyne's "Why Evolution Is True" is arguably the best general-interest reference book on the scientific evidence for evolution currently in print. It really is.

Many of the items that Coyne marshals will be familiar to those who are well-versed in this topic. But I found several items that I had never before seen. One example is the recent discovery that diurnal and annual patterns in the growth of Devonian corals could be used to date ...more

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Jan 12, 2010

Richard rated it

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Shelves: creation-evolution-id

I'd give it 2.5 stars if I could. Seeing how I think he's wrong, though, I'll downgrade rather than upgrade.

I probably agree with 70% of what's in the book, which may be surprising, me being a creationist. I'm not going to try to untangle all the mixtures of agreement and disagreement.. but its interesting that I definitely am fully onboard with over half of the book, but still disagree with the major premise; that evolution is true.

Coyne succeeds in presenting a case f...moreI'd give it 2.5 stars if I could. Seeing how I think he's wrong, though, I'll downgrade rather than upgrade.

I probably agree with 70% of what's in the book, which may be surprising, me being a creationist. I'm not going to try to untangle all the mixtures of agreement and disagreement.. but its interesting that I definitely am fully onboard with over half of the book, but still disagree with the major premise; that evolution is true.

Coyne succeeds in presenting a case for neo-darwinian evolution. By which I mean, he successfully explains observations in light a modern evolutionary theory. He paints a fairly complete systematic understanding of the history of life. I recommend the book to everyone for this reason. E.O. Wilson is correct when he writes in the blurb on the back that this is a "clear, well-written explanation of evolution."

Unfortunately, he doesn't begin to explain the serious difficulties of darwinism (he outright denies the existence of such problems!). That's a major drawback of the book... it presents it more as a defensive boast rather than a scientific and critical examination of evidence.

A further detriment is the apparently intentional strawman portrayal of creationists. There is an endnote on page 33 that explains the creationist position as allowing for microevolutionary change within biblical 'kinds'. But this is the only place in the book creationists are treated this honestly. Everywhere else 'special creation' is caricatured as a special creation event for each and every species of organism. It is dishonest and, once again, takes away from the argument of the book.

The final failure of the book I will mention is the last chapter, where Coyne attempts to deal with philosophical and metaphysical implications of evolution. It is a sad attempt... while he should be praised for recognizing the need to deal with these issues, he should have stopped when he honestly stated the case: "How can you derive meaning, purpose, or ethics from evolution? You can't." (p225)(less)

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Sep 13, 2009

Claudette rated it

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Shelves: non-fiction

As I read this book, I wondered: why am I only learning about evolution in depth NOW...and through my own desire to learn? How did I get through school--including a Bachelor's Degree--without really understanding the nitty gritty of evolution? I think much of the problem is that so many discoveries were so recent, but actually there is no excuse. I THInK I paid attention in school. But if I remember learning about Geometry, and, in fact, had at least one high school class CALLED Geometry, sh...more

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Jan 11, 2012

John rated it

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Shelves: books-i-own, science

"Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution". That classic quote from the great Russian-American evolutionary geneticist Theodosius Dobzhansky is replete with far more truth now than when he uttered it in 1973. Thousands of scientists around the globe are using the principles of evolution towards understanding phenomena as simple as bacterial population growth to those as complex as the origin and spread of such virulent diseases as malaria and HIV/AIDS, and the co...more"Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution". That classic quote from the great Russian-American evolutionary geneticist Theodosius Dobzhansky is replete with far more truth now than when he uttered it in 1973. Thousands of scientists around the globe are using the principles of evolution towards understanding phenomena as simple as bacterial population growth to those as complex as the origin and spread of such virulent diseases as malaria and HIV/AIDS, and the conservation of many endangered plant and animal species. There is no other scientific theory I know of that has withstood such rigorous, and repeated, testing as the modern synthetic theory of evolution. The overwhelming proof of biological evolution is so robust, that entire books have been written describing pertinent evidence from sciences that, at first glance, seem as dissimilar from each other as paleobiology, molecular biology and ecology. But alas this hasn't convinced many in the court of public opinion, especially here, in the United States, who remain skeptical of evolution as both a scientific fact and a scientific theory, and who are too often persuaded by those who insist that there are such compelling "weaknesses" in evolution, that instead of it, better, still "scientific", alternatives exist, most notably, Intelligent Design creationism. Distinguished evolutionary geneticist Jerry Coyne's "Why Evolution Is True" is not just a timely book, but it is quite simply, the best, most succinct, summation I can think of on behalf of evolution's scientific validity.

No other modern evolutionary biologist has attempted to convey, with such excitement, and enthusiasm, a comprehensive, quite compelling, proof of biological evolution, unless you consider the notable literary careers of Coyne's graduate school mentors; Ernst Mayr and Stephen Jay Gould. Coyne's achievement is especially noteworthy for covering virtually every major evolutionary aspect of biology in a treatment that barely exceeds two hundred and thirty pages. In essence, "Why Evolution is True" can be viewed as an updated, modern rendition of Darwin's "On the Origin of Species", but encompassing those biological sciences, such as population genetics, molecular systematics, evolutionary developmental biology - better known as "evo - devo" - and, indeed, even paleobiology, which were unknown to Darwin; to put it bluntly, this is "one long argument" on behalf of evolutionary biology, told via Coyne's respectable, occasionally lyrical, prose and compelling logic.

Coyne asserts that there are six principles of evolution in the book's first chapter (having been preceded by two brief prefaces devoted to the nature of science and the ongoing intellectual threat posed by Intelligent Design creationism); evolution - which he defines as a species undergoing genetic change through time - gradualism, speciation, common ancestry, natural selection, and nonselective mechanisms of evolutionary change. These are indeed the very principles recognizable to anyone who has taken an undergraduate course in evolution, the key features of the Modern Synthesis Theory of Evolution; in other words, modern evolutionary theory. And they are principles recognizable to those evolutionary biologists who concur with Gould's observation that current evolutionary theory is incomplete in explaining the origin, composition and history of our planet's biodiversity; scientifically testable principles unlike those alleged to exist for Intelligent Design and other flavors of "scientific" creationism. In the book's remaining nine chapters, Coyne offers persuasive evidence on behalf of these principles from the fossil record, from the biogeography of plants and animals, from molecular genomic data, and other aspects of biology, discusses the importance of sex in driving evolutionary change, and the process of speciation itself.

There is much worthy of praise in Coyne's elegantly terse tome in defense of biological evolution. His fossil record chapter (Chapter Two) compellingly recounts the evolution of primitive tetrapods from bony fishes in the late Devonian, the mid Mesozoic evolution and early radiation of birds from their feathered theropod dinosaur ancestors, and the early Cenozoic evolution of whales from primitive ungulates distantly related to rhinos and tapirs. He demonstrates persuasively (Chapter Three) how humans and other animals are so poorly "designed", that their "designs" bear ample witness against the existence of an Intelligent Designer. His superb treatment of biogeography (Chapter Four) echoes the literary elegance of Darwin's prose, and reminds us of the stark differences between so-called Intelligent Design "theory" and evolution in making testable, verifiable, predictions regarding both present-day and fossil distributions of plants and animals. In the book's finest chapter (Chapter Seven), devoted to speciation, Coyne - who is among our foremost authorities on speciation - offers a surprisingly comprehensive account that discusses not only the mechanisms of speciation, but also, of equal importance to biologists, how species are recognized and defined as distinct populations separated from others in space and time. But readers may find most moving, his poignant treatment of humanity as a biological species (Chapter Eight), and how evolution may still be driving the course of human evolution.

There is so much worthy of praise in Coyne's book, that it seems almost an afterthought to mention errors, omissions, and potential disagreements. The most glaring of these may be his insistence of gradualism as an important principle of evolution, since others, like his Stony Brook University colleague Douglas Futuyma, have recognized the importance of morphological stasis (Though he might contend vigorously and persuasively that to do so would be to recast the argument as one of evolutionary tempo, instead of mode.). But I am especially surprised by his omission of the significant role of mass extinctions in reshaping the composition and complexity of Earth's biosphere, not just once, but approximately seven times in the last five hundred-odd million years, which has garnered ample attention from past and current University of Chicago colleagues; paleobiologists David Raup, J. John Sepkoski, and David Jablonski, among others. By themselves, mass extinctions are the key episodes in the history of life on Earth still ignored by leading Intelligent Design creationists such as mathematician and philosopher William Dembski and biochemist Michael Behe; their very existence strongly refutes the inane assertion that life has been "intelligently designed".

"Why Evolution is True" belongs on the bookshelves of anyone interested in science. However, those who are skeptical of evolution's scientific validity, remain its intended audience. Any of them possessing an objective, open mind, should be persuaded by Coyne's terse prose and compelling logic. The evidence for biological evolution is quite overwhelmingly true; Coyne's slender book is a magnificent presentation of this proof.
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Feb 19, 2009

Thomas rated it

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See my full review in the Washington Post here: http://is.gd/jwZT

"For those who want to understand the evidence for evolution, Jerry A. Coyne's Why Evolution Is True is a fine place to start. As his unsubtle title suggests, Coyne's purpose is to banish the arguments of creationists and their intelligent design fellow travelers. Much as Darwin did, he draws upon geology and the fossil record; biogeography, or the distribution of plants and animals; and the similarities and differ...more

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Oct 12, 2011

Peter Frigo rated it

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Why Evolution Is True by Jerry Coyne is the clear and evidential explanation on evolution. It contains more than enough examples that explain evolutionary effects that are present today. If you have always dealt with people who are ignorant and will never change their mind on evolution and you would love to prove them wrong, then read Why Evolution Is True. Jerry Coyne, a professor at the University of Chicago, specializes in evolutionary genetics and the origin of new species and has been doing...moreWhy Evolution Is True by Jerry Coyne is the clear and evidential explanation on evolution. It contains more than enough examples that explain evolutionary effects that are present today. If you have always dealt with people who are ignorant and will never change their mind on evolution and you would love to prove them wrong, then read Why Evolution Is True. Jerry Coyne, a professor at the University of Chicago, specializes in evolutionary genetics and the origin of new species and has been doing so for 20 years.
One reason I really liked this book is that there are many pictures that can give you a better understanding of what Coyne is talking about. The interesting part of the title “true”, is in science nobody ever says an idea is 100% true, or not true. In science if something seems true then it is a basic rule that a person says it’s 99.99% chance that it is true. For some reason today, creationists are fighting back with “Evolution is only a theory”(Coyne 96). Well, scientists are very aware of that. The reason for the title is evolution has passed every test and basically can be considered true. There has never been one thing about it that is too good to be true or does not seem like it could ever occur. Evidence like vestigial structures, common descent and fossils are powerful evidence that evolution is true, but remember it’s a 99.99% chance that it is true.
The best feature of Why Evolution Is True is it answers any question that either an evolutionist or creationist might have about the theory. If you ask me it is basically the atheist version of the bible.
You do not have to be an atheist to read this book. That is not what I am trying to preach to anyone. If you are just fascinated with the study of animals and how they live or what they do to survive, Why Evolution Is True is still a great choice. The coolest thing I read was the way a species of honey bees will defend their hive. Their enemy is the hornet, another stinging insect. When a hornet or group of hornets will try to attack the hive all the bees fly inside the hive. Once the hornet enters a large number of bees will huddle around it. “The bees all heat their bodies up to 120 degrees and literally cook the hornet to death”(Coyne 87). The unique bee defense tactic was only one of the very fascinating things I learned.
If you like to argue with people about creation theories and wish you could debate anyone who disagrees with you then Why Evolution Is True is the most important thing you will read. After reading this you will know all that you need to know. There are more and more examples and studies that have been done that a person can read about. So if you are ever wondering where the evidence is, well, this is why evolution is “true.”(less)

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Jun 30, 2011

David rated it

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Shelves: science

First of all, this is a very well-written book that powerfully makes the case for Darwinian evolution. The author is well-versed in the subject. I would recommend this book to anyone who, like me, has little knowledge of the actual science of evolution but wants to learn.

That said, I am not really bothered by evolution (and I am an evangelical Christian, though not a creationist). Yes there are theological challenges that the science of evolution brings to scripture. I don't th...moreFirst of all, this is a very well-written book that powerfully makes the case for Darwinian evolution. The author is well-versed in the subject. I would recommend this book to anyone who, like me, has little knowledge of the actual science of evolution but wants to learn.

That said, I am not really bothered by evolution (and I am an evangelical Christian, though not a creationist). Yes there are theological challenges that the science of evolution brings to scripture. I don't think these challenges are as much in Genesis 1. Genesis 1 comes across poetically and I highly doubt whomever wrote it was intending to write modern science. The bigger challenge comes in Genesis 2 and 3 which presents Adam and Eve as the first humans and of course, Paul speaks of Adam as the first human in parallel to Christ as the new human. But even there, many Christians have found a way to reconcile evolution and faith.

The rest of this is not so much a review of the book as my thoughts on the real questions at the heart of the debate (which are philosophical, not scientific, questions)

I think part of the problem in the whole debate is the rhetoric both sides use. Throughout the book Coyne attacks creationists. To some degree this is necessary as creationists are the ones most opposed to evolution. But such rhetoric tends to put people on the defensive. I mean, I think everyone has been in an argument where they knew they were wrong but kept arguing anyway to save face. The fact is that whether evolution is true or not is irrelevant to the question of whether God exists.

A parallel to other sciences may help make my point. The Bible talks often about God sending rain and sunshine. Yet when meteorology explains how weather patterns occur naturally, no one blinked an eye. People of faith continued to see that behind those natural processes, God is still involved in the weather. There is no battle to get a creationist view of meteorology taught in schools. But I imagine when you read a meteorology textbook there are no slams on God, there is no argument that because we know how weather arises naturally we know God has nothing to do with it.

When we get to evolution, the dialogue changes. Again, this is not a knock on Coyne for he is specifically defending evolution against creationists, so of course he will attack them. I just wonder how the debate would change if both sides admitted that the science of evolution does not prove God does not exist. Maybe I am idealistic, but if we heard more people in the middle (believers who accept evolution, nonbelievers who accept evolution but admit it does not rule out God) and less extremes (both Richard Dawkins and Ken Hamm see evolution as ruling out God) perhaps the debate would change.

Coyne manages to mostly avoid the problem of moving from science into philosophy. In the last chapter he writes: "How can you derive meaning, purpose, or ethics from evolution? You can't. Evolution is simply a theory about the process and patterns of life's diversification, not a grand philosophical scheme about the meaning of life" (225). Nice. In the next paragraph he notes that finding meaning, purpose and moral guidance are outside the domain of science.

But by the end of the chapter Coyne is talking about "deriving your spirituality from science" (232). That seems muddled. Right before this, he writes: "The world still teems with selfishness, immorality, and injustice. But look elsewhere and you'll find innumerable acts of kindness and altruism. There may be elements of both behaviors that come from our evolutionary heritage, but these acts are largely a matter of choice, not of genes. Giving to charity, volunteering to eradicate disease in poor countries, fighting fires at immense personal risk - none of these acts could have been instilled in us directly by evolution" (230-231). Then where did they come from? Not science.

He goes on to say evolution acts in a "purposeless, materialistic way" (231). This is okay, because people find meaning in all kinds of places, including religion (231). Then he gets to spirituality from science, ending up with a quote from an author lamenting the failure of science to replace conventional religion (232). He ends by assuring us that accepting evolution will not cause us to behave like beasts because, well, look how much great art and literature humans have made.

I do wonder though, earlier he talks about infanticide among lions (122). If humans are just a part of nature, then why is infanticide wrong for us? Likewise, he seems to lament humans introducing foreign species into habitats that then kill native animals off (110). But if humans are part of nature, are we not just playing a role in natural evolution where some animals survive and others do not?

It appears like on one hand he is saying the science of evolution says nothing about religion for science only talks about how. On the other hand, if only we could get rid of religion and just have science. But back to the first hand, science alone gives us no meaning and purpose. Thus, we have some vague "spirituality from science", whatever that is. To me, it seems muddled.

Overall, this is a good book to learn about the science of evolution. But whether this science is true or not (and Coyne makes a strong case that it is) reveals little to nothing about the questions of meaning, purpose and God's existence.
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Jun 24, 2011

Jorge rated it

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Shelves: evolution

Why Evolution Is True by Jerry A. Coyne
Why Evolution Is True is my favorite book on evolution. It starts of course with the prodigious knowledge of Mr. Coyne but it’s his ability to explain such complex topics with ease that sets this book apart from the rest. It’s profound without being unintelligible. It’s always the first book I recommend when I want to convince someone that the theory of evolution is true and supported by converging mountains of evidence. The book is composed of the...more

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Mar 18, 2011

Melanie rated it

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I listened to this as an audio book which was okay for me because I have a lot of prior exposure to evolutionary theory (including a graduate course on the topic) but I would not recommend the audio version for people without this background, even though it was very well read.

This book did a great job of outlining evolutionary theory in a very understandable and entertaining way. It treats the reader with intellectual respect and assumes they can follow scientific reasoning and don't n...more

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Dec 18, 2010

Andrew rated it

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Once again a great scientific mind has stooped to the lowest common denominator; mindlessly bickering with the creationist argument. I was expecting evolution/creationist argument in the preface, maybe even in the first chapter. Unfortunately, It's littered throughout the book. I understand that some readers actually enjoy this mindless drubbing, if so, this book is for you. What I was hoping for was a deeper biological understanding of speciation and specialization, and to Coyne's credit th...more

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Jul 09, 2010

Evanston Public Library added it · review of another edition

Like most high school students in the early ‘80s, I was taught the theory of evolution and natural selection in the classroom. But up until recently, I still found it difficult to comprehend how the sophisticated human could have evolved from ancestral monkeys. Mr. Coyne’s Why Evolution is True not only explains evolution from a 21st-century perspective that far surpasses my high school textbooks, he answered many questions about the evolutionary process that—until I read Coyne’s book—had left ...more

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Apr 10, 2010

Mattmiller rated it

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As a firm believer in the God of the Bible and his work in the creation of all things I picked up this book to try to become better educated on the subject of evolution. Coyne's writing is clear and concise. He is a good communicator and uses plenty of sources and examples for which I was grateful.

Rather than completely contradicting my theistic view, many (yet not all) of his points broadened my appreciation of the immensity and beauty of God's creation. Although his end-of-book thoug...more

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Mar 02, 2010

Mateo rated it

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A nice, solid, thorough case for Darwinism, this book makes a fine companion to Richard Dawkins's The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution (see my review thereof). Where Dawkins lays out the arguments for evolution, Coyne marshals the evidence, and the result is a convincing brief for natural selection. There's some overlap with the two books--giraffe nerves and E. coli make appearances in both, for example--but Dawkins favors the long, detailed argument while Coyne tends toward...more

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Jul 25, 2009

Steven Peterson rated it

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I read this book a while back and really enjoyed it. Note: If you are a creationist, you will doubtless NOT enjoy this. If you are an evolutionist, you'll probably be quite pleased with the book. And there's pity. For many, the book won't be read on its merits but for whether it supports or challenges one's views on the issue of Darwinian evolutionary theory.

In terms of the book itself. . . . The purpose is specified by Jerry Coyne, the author, on page xiv: "This book lays out t...moreI read this book a while back and really enjoyed it. Note: If you are a creationist, you will doubtless NOT enjoy this. If you are an evolutionist, you'll probably be quite pleased with the book. And there's pity. For many, the book won't be read on its merits but for whether it supports or challenges one's views on the issue of Darwinian evolutionary theory.

In terms of the book itself. . . . The purpose is specified by Jerry Coyne, the author, on page xiv: "This book lays out the main lines of evidence for evolution. For those who oppose Darwinism purely as a matter of faith, no amount of evidence will do--theirs is a belief not based on reason. But for the many who find themselves uncertain, or who accept evolution but are not sure how to argue the case, this volume gives a succinct summary of why modern science recognizes evolution as true."

The book unfolds in a straightforward fashion. Chapter 1 summarizes the nature of evolution. He discusses the essence of the concept of evolution--"a species undergoing genetic change over time" (page 3). Also discussed is "natural selection," the process by which the more "fit" individuals tend to be more successful in reproductive terms That is, they leave more offspring than their less fit peers).

Subsequent chapters outline the evidence for evolution, including often jury-rigged adaptations (evolution makes do with the organism/species as it exists and often leaves organisms that are poorly designed--but still capable of successful reproduction: think the lower back of humans!), the fossil record, a more detailed discussion of the process of natural selection, the relationship between sex and evolution, how species arise and develop, and--always an issue that excites passion--the relevance of evolution for humankind.

The book itself does well what it sets out to do. There are things that bother me. As with many, the author claims that evolution is a "fact." I have never understood this allegation. Neo-Darwinian theory is a THEORY--not a fact. Lots of facts support the theory. By itself, though, it is NOT a fact. I think advocates of evolution shoot themselves in the foot with such an argument. Many, of course, would rejoin, "It's ONLY a theory." Such folks also don't know what they're talking about. A good theory is a great thing! Not "just." Quantum theory is terrific; Einstein's relativity is a fine theory. And so on.

All in all, if the reader wants an accessible advocacy of evolutionary theory, this book does the job nicely. If the reader does not accept it, the book, of course, will not be very compelling.
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Mar 05, 2009

Folboteur rated it

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Look, I'm sympathetic with the author. I'm a person who views the world without need of putting a "God" filter in front of my eyes to explain it, and I get tired and frustrated by the continued attempts of creationists trying to push ID a science, or teaching their kids that "Evolution is false" or "Atheists are evil."

But still, I found Coyne's repeated reference to how his points explicitly contradicted creationist points a bit annoying.

I a...more

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Apr 18, 2009

Rebecca rated it

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Shelves: nonfiction

I really enjoyed this book. Basically, it's a several-hundred page review of the major arguments for not only why scientists accept the theory biological evolution, but why it is so well accepted that it is stated to be 'true'. Each chapter breaks down a part of the evidence -- fossils, embryology, genetic evidence, observations of natural selection, the role of sex in evolution, speciation, and so on. Usually the general case is talked about, with examples about specific evidence, though the...moreI really enjoyed this book. Basically, it's a several-hundred page review of the major arguments for not only why scientists accept the theory biological evolution, but why it is so well accepted that it is stated to be 'true'. Each chapter breaks down a part of the evidence -- fossils, embryology, genetic evidence, observations of natural selection, the role of sex in evolution, speciation, and so on. Usually the general case is talked about, with examples about specific evidence, though the author notes that he can't give every case of, say, discovery of transitional fossils where and when transitional fossils should exist, as each topic he discussed was something that books could be written on by their lonesome. I knew a lot of the examples -- Tiktaalik, the fish-with-legs; the signs of human evolution of lactose tolerance but only in populations that herded; the strange geometry of arteries and nerves in the human head and neck that came from gill arches in the embryo very similar to the ones fishes have; etc. -- but I still would often find a specific case that I had never heard of. Even things that would be useful on Ask an Astronomer -- like that corals show that the Earth was spinning faster in the Paleozoic, and this amount matched up with both models of the Moon despinning the Earth and radiometric dating.

The last two chapters were especially interesting. The author singles out humans for a full chapter on their evolution, noting that acceptance of evolution always seems to boil down to whether people are comfortable with the idea that we share an ancestor with chimpanzees (and... well, everything else). The last chapter spoke about the moral implications of evolution -- both that just because something is true does not impose any stance on right versus wrong -- and takes a brief dip into the field of evolutionary psychology.

If you are already convinced by the evidence, you might get a bit weary about the author's insistence on noting that creationism/ID does not have any explanation about why such is so. I mean, for me, he's lecturing to the teaching assistants. But it is the elephant in the room, I suppose -- the idea that ID offers an actual scientific alternative, rather than being a disguised religious belief.

(Completely unrelated, but I find it amusing that the person who recommended this book to me noted that Richard Dawkins was a good biology writer, but the fact he was known for writing on atheism as well as biology meant that the recommender felt like any wavering theist would reject his biology books out of hand, while would take something like this as a way of seeing the evidence. Yet, this book has a blurb from Dawkins, which notes him as the author of The God Delusion, rather than, say, The Selfish Gene. Way to go, marketing department. *eyeroll*) (less)

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Aug 06, 2009

David rated it

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The title of this book could just as easily have been -- "Why Intelligent Design is False". I do appreciate the author's patience with all those who are still questioning some of the basic assumptions of Darwinianism, but for once it would be refreshing to see a biologist actually acknowledge some of their own assumptions. Certainly I "believe" (his word) that much in this field of study is "true", but at the same time I am quite aware of the underlying biases in ...moreThe title of this book could just as easily have been -- "Why Intelligent Design is False". I do appreciate the author's patience with all those who are still questioning some of the basic assumptions of Darwinianism, but for once it would be refreshing to see a biologist actually acknowledge some of their own assumptions. Certainly I "believe" (his word) that much in this field of study is "true", but at the same time I am quite aware of the underlying biases in any human pursuit of knowledge and understanding. I just wish that scientists were as forthcoming as I in admitting to them.

This writer goes to some lengths to show that evolution has lead to many dead ends and imperfect adaptations, thus "proving" there is no "divine creator", whom he (the author) presumes would have only created "whole, perfect beings". Here is where he displays his ignorance of the tenets of monotheism, at least. I am not here advocating for the biblical point of view -- only stating that this author displays a common ignorance endemic in the scientific community concerning what is actually written in the Bible, as well as what it is that many people of faith actually "believe".

One question never answered by Darwinists is the issue of where modern birds came from, since they (evolutionists) insist they are descended from dinosaurs, and the dinos all went extinct 65 million years ago. The basic thesis of this book is that all life on earth has evolved from one organism over the past 3.5 billion years, so the assumption, I suppose, is that the "dino-bird" somehow escaped to live and evolve another day.

I began my study of these two worldviews (evolution vs. creationism) in 1968. I have ended up some 40 years later as an empirical metaphysicist -- or, if you prefer -- a metaphysical empiricist. That is, I greatly value the merits of a scientific worldview while simultaneously maintaining the ability to accept less sense-based explanations for certain phenomena -- all without much cognitive dissonance, I might add. I regret that during my lifetime there have developed these two schisms, apparently unwilling or unable to speak coherently to one another.(less)

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Jan 24, 2011

Beth rated it

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This is a great book if you want a basic understanding of the issues and data behind evolution. He goes into some detail, but not enough to bog you down - like Dawkins can tend towards.

He resolved a lot of questions I had, and left me feeling quite deceived or misled at least by the opposition. Some of that might have been intentional, but I think most of it was from a basic misunderstanding of the facts.

Things I learned:
There are missing link fossils.
Fossi...more

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Apr 10, 2010

Benjamin rated it

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Recommends it for: Anyone who is interested in creationism, evolutionism, or intelligent design.

Shelves: favorites, read-2010-04

This book is a well-structured argument that the process of evolution has occurred and does occur. The author has a remarkably humble tone as he describes both the assertive truth of evolution as well as the ongoing process of unfinished learning of science (e.g., the study of biogenesis, the beginning of the universe, evolutionary psychology, evolution's inability to stand alone as an ethical/moral system, etc.). I believe that this book was well worth the time to read.

Evolution can by no...more

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Nov 21, 2011

John Martindale rated it

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Shelves: science

Well, I know have a new understanding why evolutionist feel so strongly and are so insistent that evolution is true. The evidence in this book is truly staggering, much of which I had never heard before. The book is well written and he seemed like a pretty reasonable guy, quick to mention when something is speculation and when something (according to the scientific community) is established fact. He bent over backwards to show that evolution is science in the fullest sense of the word and is sci...moreWell, I know have a new understanding why evolutionist feel so strongly and are so insistent that evolution is true. The evidence in this book is truly staggering, much of which I had never heard before. The book is well written and he seemed like a pretty reasonable guy, quick to mention when something is speculation and when something (according to the scientific community) is established fact. He bent over backwards to show that evolution is science in the fullest sense of the word and is scientific fact like the law of gravity.

But yeah, one thing that bothered me is how much he fears and derides creationist, as if we let them have even a slight foot in the door, then its not just the end of science, but the end of the world. I think this is an over reaction. He also, refuses to acknowledge that modern science has its foundation on the Christian assumption that the universe is reasonable and discoverable. Secondly, for decades those making the biggest science advances (Like Isaac Newton) were creationist, their believe in God fueled their curiosity to learn about His universe and they believe by showing how it worked, they were bringing glory to God. I don't think the "eeeeeevil" creationist are as dangerous as he thinks.
Though what he shared is extremely convincing, I am sure there are some devils in the details; details that the science community does well to hide or refuses to acknowledge in the first place. Evolution is to most now as it was to Darwin, their beloved child whom no one can question or insult or challenge. Unlike most evolutionist I don't deride those who have a different perspectives and see the evidence in a different light. I think one can learn from Jerry A Coyne and equally from Stephen Meyer. It is obvious that though there may be many interpretations of the data, only one is allowed. I also know the power perspective and how when we go out to prove something, we can find a lot that fits and what does not, we can force until it does fit. So much of the evidence for evolution is in the fossil record, its like we have a bunch of puzzle pieces and they have in their mind a picture of how they're to all go together, so how can they help but arrange the pieces to please the eyes, just like the evil creationist also arrange the pieces to please their eyes. The presuppositions causes them to think the other side absurd. But yeah, evolutionist believe most species are extinct, but are not even open to the possibility that a fossil is from an extinct creature that we knew not of, but rather automatically assumes it is transitional fossil. But yeah, i am sure I am sounding like an idiot. So I'll shut up about this.
The part concerning the genes was the most convincing, especially concerning the pseudo-genes in dolphins. But now i've found a book called "The myth of junk DNA", so I know there is different interpretation of the data. So I look forward to reading this book.
The section about the evolution of creatures on remote islands is hard to propose a reasonable creationist alternative to, yet it has been done, unlike the author said.
He mentions if evolution was just random chance and accidence, then there would be no life, but he says its not just randomness, but we have lawful natural selection that solves everything. But it still is hard for me to follow the logic on how this fixes the problem. I mean he mentions that mutations are rare and beneficial mutations are extremely rare, so even though national selection grabs every positive mutation and carries it on, it still seems like the chances are absurdly low. Imagine a monkey typing on a keyboard (representing the random mutations) and then a man (who acts the part of natural selection) who jots down every intelligible word and throws out every nonsensical letter. This would not resulted in the writings of Shakespeare or even a intelligible sentence. In the DNA its like we have a word over a billion letters long, I just can't be convinced that randomness can produced more orderly information in the cell then information in the Encyclopedia Britannica. So yeah, I still am far from unconvinced of how the extremely rare unguided, random mutations can bring this about, even with the added element of natural selection.
He also does not touch on origins, so yeah how did the molecule evolve the ability to evolve? they think the universe created them, who then created their creator?
There author seems to think the fact of evolution demands a naturalistic/darwinistic explanation, but I disagree and I think Alvin Plantinga's evolutionary argument against philosophical naturalism is pretty good. Plantinga shows if one embraces naturalism, then evolution turns into a defeater to naturalism. As John Lennox put it concerning how naturalism undermines science; "Faith lies at the heart of science, that the universe is accessible to the human mind. What justifies this faith? Why should we believe that the universe is rational?... The materialist says; my mind is my brain, whats my brain? Its the end product of a mindless, unguided processes... Ohh... So why on earth should I believe anything it tells me? Including that it is the end product of a mindless unguided process!"
Finally, I could not disagree with him more, as he is trying to lay people's worries aside that if their kids are taught they are animals, that they'll start acting like ones. He thinks there is absolutely no bad consequence to believing one is just a bunch of molecules with no concrete value, no absolute morality and no ultimate meaning. But a lot of atheist are running on the fums of Christian ethics, but should we not fear that it might dry up? In the 1900s we saw Darwinism taken to its logical conclusions several times throughout Russia, Germany, China and we even saw eugenics happened in the united states. Atheist regimes had part in the murder of 100 million of their OWN people, they evidently did not believe in the value of the individual and they're political drive was in perfect harmony with their godless belief in the origin of the universe.(less)

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Sep 22, 2011

Tanja Seppä rated it

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Shelves: evolution

Belief comes first and then rationalization of those beliefs, according to Michael Shermer. Maybe that is why 72% of Americans believe in angels, 60% in the devil and only 45% in Darwin's theory of evolution. That there is abundant evidence for the latter makes no difference at all to what people believe and this is the main reason I gave this rather dull book four stars: it is important. It does state many truths on where this world's creatures, including us, came from - and why.

Th...moreBelief comes first and then rationalization of those beliefs, according to Michael Shermer. Maybe that is why 72% of Americans believe in angels, 60% in the devil and only 45% in Darwin's theory of evolution. That there is abundant evidence for the latter makes no difference at all to what people believe and this is the main reason I gave this rather dull book four stars: it is important. It does state many truths on where this world's creatures, including us, came from - and why.

This book could as well have been called "Why ID is wrong". The arguments against creationism are strewed all through the book and since I don't need to be convinced, it is sometimes irritating. I have learned a lot more about the mindset for creationism than I have learned new things about evolution. I spent 2/3 of the book wondering why creationists dispute evolution so vehemently. It never struck me, ever, while growing up, that Darwin would be any threat to God. That evolution offers another explanation for "creation", so what. It does not make life or nature any less miraculous nor did I see how it would diminish God in any way. Until I got to the bit about humans - then it dawned on me. OH. Human beings are not the pinnacle of creation. Ooops. I can see how that would irk a lot of people.

Evolution is a scientific theory, which means it has been tested over and over again and there is no evidence to disprove it. It is not a religion. To say you believe in evolution is like believing in gravity: it makes no sense as the evidence is all around us. People believe in atoms, electrons, black holes and billions of galaxies - not to speak of all the things people believe in for which there is not a scrap of evidence - it shouldn't be such a stretch to believe that over eons, life evolves. However, as it seems to be that for many, Jerry Coyne has written "why evolution is true". Not that I actually believe he could convince anyone, as evidence is not an issue. There is plenty of evidence in the book, but if you prefer to believe in something else, of course you will continue to do so regardless. The people who sit down and make hard decisions based on evidence are few and far between. I tip my hat to Mr. Coyne for trying and for writing such a clear and lucid book.(less)

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Feb 25, 2011

xo rated it

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Shelves: 2011

Mutations are changes in traits that already exists: they almost never create brand new features.This means evolution must build a new species starting with the design of its ancestors.

Records in rocks confirm several predictions of evolutionary theory: gradual change within lineage, splitting of lineage, and the existence of transitional forms between very different types of organisms. These traditional forms occur in the fossil record precisely where they should. If evolution was no...more

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Sep 19, 2011

Kerrie rated it

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Shelves: non-fiction, science, audiobook

An excellent introductory text to evolution and the copious amounts of evidence that supports it. Coyne doesn't get into the nitty-gritty of genetics which makes my eyes glaze over (that's a subject I need to read up on and learn!) so it is very easily accessible to a layperson. Coyne concentrates on the science and doesn't veer onto a soapbox with regard to creationism. There are some comments, but it is not hammered at relentlessly. His final chapter about the evolution of man (and all its mys...more

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May 14, 2010

Josh Lovvorn rated it

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Dr. Coyne has a very fluid and meticulous writing style and presents the intricate body of evidence for evolution in a very engaging way. This book is written primarily for the wavering, uninformed person that has neither a strong scientific knowledge base, nor a strong affiliation with the religious right. Like with the issue of climate change, there has been much in the way of smoke screens and red herrings that calls into question the validity of a scientific theory that has amassed such a ...moreDr. Coyne has a very fluid and meticulous writing style and presents the intricate body of evidence for evolution in a very engaging way. This book is written primarily for the wavering, uninformed person that has neither a strong scientific knowledge base, nor a strong affiliation with the religious right. Like with the issue of climate change, there has been much in the way of smoke screens and red herrings that calls into question the validity of a scientific theory that has amassed such a bedrock of evidence. Indeed, unlike climate change, evolution has evolved into the realm of beyond all reasonable doubt. Despite the insistence of some to push the meaning of the word theory into the realm of maybe; this theory finds its contemporaries in such theories as the germ theory, the atomic theory, and the theory of relativity. There is no doubt behind these theories, and there is no doubt behind the theory of evolution, save in certain religious circles.

My only lament derives from the very religion versus science debate I describe above. I would love to read a book on evolution that does feel pressured to spend over 20% of the book trying to debunk outrageous "competing" theories. While Coyne is firm and straightforward in his dealing with the Creationist and Intelligent Design camps in this book, he thankfully does not take it the leaps and bounds forward that his gifted colleague, Richard Dawkins, has chosen to do. He simply presents his evidence, exposes the yawning chasm that is the lack of evidence and logic for the other side, and lets his argument lie. He does not go on to spitefully attack personally his opponents. He does not go on to demean persons with religious beliefs. Indeed, it is this restraint that elevates Coyne above Dawkins, the defacto leader of Evolutionary Biology in the International scene. It is my hope that in all future publications on teh subject, authors can take a page from Dr. Coyne's and keep to the scientific beauty and grandeur of evolution and leave the squabling to Dawkins and his shrill opponents on the far right.(less)

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Jan 22, 2011

Broodingferret rated it

Shelves: biology, non-fiction

While this books does make a fairly concise case for evolution, and also contains quite a few interesting factoids, I've read better introductory texts on the subject. Not having the book on hand, I can't pinpoint specific passages, but there were a few points while I was reading this book that I found myself thinking "Yes, that's true, but this statement could be misconstrued or misinterpreted. I'm aware of the counter arguments and why they're wrong, but only because I already have a wo...more

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Apr 05, 2010

Koen Crolla rated it

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Somewhat contrary to my expectations, WEIT turned out to be considerably better than Dawkins' The Greatest Show on Earth. It still has some very real problems, though, starting with his sloppy use of words (particularly evident early on), which will allow a determined skeptic to take legitimate issue with the book.
Fortunately, it picks up when it moves away from the squishy introductory bits into real data, and the rest of the book is pretty solid.

He glosses over real (and very...moreSomewhat contrary to my expectations, WEIT turned out to be considerably better than Dawkins' The Greatest Show on Earth. It still has some very real problems, though, starting with his sloppy use of words (particularly evident early on), which will allow a determined skeptic to take legitimate issue with the book.
Fortunately, it picks up when it moves away from the squishy introductory bits into real data, and the rest of the book is pretty solid.

He glosses over real (and very interesting) controversies regarding origin and continued popularity of sexual reproduction, though that's somewhat understandable, as a real discussion of the issue would fill (and indeed has filled) several books of its own (my favorite being Matt Ridley's The Red Queen). His discussion of human origins disappointingly doesn't mention neoteny once, but does touch on the aquatic ape crap; and also overstates differences between humans and other apes, for no legitimate reason that I can see.

There's also a subchapter on human race, for which braced myself. Fortunately, Coyne doesn't seem to buy into the Gouldian bullshit that race is entirely a social construct of negligible genetic significance that is so popular among American academics (though he does inexplicably refer to The Mismeasure of Man as "superb", which is a stretch even if you agree with Gould; and Coyne is clearly a disciple of Gould's in some other respects, as is clear from his attitude towards sociobiology in the last chapter), but he does tip-toe around some obvious conclusions.
He mentions that the notion of races (slash subspecies slash ecotypes) among non-human animals is uncontroversial, but then goes out of his way to stress that races in humans aren't unambiguously demarcated, as if that's ever different in other animals. He spends some time discussing very real genetic differences between human races (sickle-cell anemia, Tay-Sachs disease, lactose intolerance, apart from the obvious), and the incredible speed at which sexual selection in particular can work, but then strangely concludes (based on "informed speculation") that the human races are probably too young for there to be significant differences between them.
I don't know if this is genuine confusion of the mind on his part or intellectual hypocrisy brought on by an editor, but I wish American (mainly) authors would stop fucking doing it.

Anyway, apart from that, it's a good book, and one which (unlike Dawkins', really) clearly and systematically lays out a lot of the evidence for evolution; or at least such evidence as is easily accessible to a lay audience. Sometimes he's a bit too careful, sometimes he's a bit too vague and technically inaccurate, but on the whole, it's definitely worth reading.(less)

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Jan 04, 2011

Jesse rated it

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Shelves: science

This one is like the Beak of the Finch: it shows impressive work on Natural Selection, but it doesn't prove that the little changes must lead to the huge changes between people and animals. This book also illustrates how scientists are trying to be historians--a kind of integrating of subjects--and they are failing miserably. If any historian tried to pass of these kinds of arguments as history they wouldn't survive the laughter. Evolutionists reason like this: if these two bone structures look ...more

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Apr 19, 2009

Brendan rated it

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Shelves: 2009, non-fiction, science, politics, evolution

I follow the evolution / ID culture war pretty closely, but it occurred to me a while back that I had very little actual understanding of the science behind evolution. After reading Coyne’s book, I realize that I had more than I knew I did, but that I was missing a lot. Why Evolution is True demonstrates with strong clarity why evolution has proven itself to scientists as broadly and throughly as gravity. Unlike Miller’s Only a Theory, which focuses specifically on creationist arguments and why ...moreI follow the evolution / ID culture war pretty closely, but it occurred to me a while back that I had very little actual understanding of the science behind evolution. After reading Coyne’s book, I realize that I had more than I knew I did, but that I was missing a lot. Why Evolution is True demonstrates with strong clarity why evolution has proven itself to scientists as broadly and throughly as gravity. Unlike Miller’s Only a Theory, which focuses specifically on creationist arguments and why they’re bogus, Coyne explores evolution from the perspective of “how has this convinced us,” and he does so thoroughly. A few fun facts and good quotes:

* Evolution depends on six concepts: “evolution, gradualism, speciation, common ancestry, natural selection, and nonselective mechanisms of evolutionary change.” Coyne explains each.
* Whales descended from land animals. Their closest living relative is the hippo. They have hip and leg bones and occasionally one will be born with a leg.
* The number of spots on the male peacock helps determine how sexy he is to the female peacock. One theory about this is that evolution to appreciate a certain color for unrelated reasons leads to sexual selection. Coyne writes “Suppose, for example, that members of a species had evolved a visual preference for red color because that preference helped them locate ripe fruits and berries. If a mutant male appeared with a patch of red on his breast, he might be preferred by females simply because of this preexisting preference.” (167) In other words, the females would select males because they look tasty.
* The lineage of ape to human evolution is astonishingly well defined. The “hobbit” species, Homo floresiensis, an offshoot protected from worldwide species evolution by geographic barriers, lived as recently as 18,000 years ago.
* The best argument against intelligent design is the bad design we find throughout complex life forms. By contrast, if we follow clues to explain development of one trait through adaptation from another, most of these bad designs make sense.

One extended quote I really like.

[Creationists argue:] that all the perceived evils of evolution come from two worldviews that are part of science: naturalism and materialism. Naturalism is the view that the only way to understand our universe is through the scientific method. Materialism is the idea that the only reality is the physical matter of the universe, and that everything else, including thoughts, will, and emotions, comes from physical laws acting on matter. The message of evolution, and all of science, is one of naturalistic materialism. Darwinism tells us that, like all species, human beings arose from the working of blind, purposeless forces over eons of time. As far as we can determine, the same forces that gave rise to ferns, mushrooms, lizards, and squirrels also produced us. Now, science cannot completely exclude the possibility of supernatural explanation. It is possible– though very unlikely—that our whole world is controlled by elves. But supernatural explanations like these are never needed: we manage to understand the natural world just fine using reason and materialism. Furthermore, supernatural explanations always mean the end of inquiry: that’s the way God wants it, end of story. Science, on the other hand, is never satisfied: our studies of the universe will continue until humans go extinct.
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Nov 18, 2008

Rob rated it

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Anyone with any doubts (particularly of the creationist variety) about the veracity of evolutionary theory should read this. It also works if you're just curious about the topic and haven't been exposed to it since high school biology or newspaper articles concerning the intelligent design "controversy." It's well written, accessible, and thorough.

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Jul 31, 2011

Steve Mitchell rated it

If you do not accept that Darwinian evolution is the driving force behind the diversification of life on Earth then you just have not read the right books; so put that Bible down and read this one. If you are not familiar with the theory of evolution then you will not be swamped in a flood of jargon when you read this book; but if you are not a newcomer to the theory, then equally this book should not bore you.
I think that the theory of evolution is amazing in its simplicity and is really a...more

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