Why Evolution Is True

Apr 05, 2009 David rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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 these corals, since the le...more

like 12 likes · see review

Dec 04, 2012 John Martindale rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: science, audiobook

Well, I now 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 scie...more Well, I now 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, 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 of 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)

like 4 likes · see review

Jan 12, 2010 Richard rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: creation-evolution-id, science

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 for neo-darwinian evolution...more 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 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)

like 7 likes · see review

Sep 13, 2009 Claudette rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction, reviewed, favorites

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, should...more

like 14 likes · see review

Nov 06, 2012 Gendou rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: atheism, biology, non-fiction

This book avoids bickering over details and goes right for the throat; exposing Creationism and Intelligent Design for the unworkable, unscientific ploys that they are. It does so without being too aggressive, a la Dawkins, because such heavy hitting really isn't necessary, when there's so much evidence to be presented. Instead, the chapters cover fossils and a little bit of genetics. The reader is walked through the process of how we came to know what we know. It's not a challenging book, nor a...more

like 2 likes · see review

May 21, 2012 Elaine rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was such an awesome book. I have read a lot of books on evolution, but this is the first that actually made me interested in fossils. Very, very cool. Of course it wouldn't convince a dummy that evolution is true because you actually have to have some reading comprehension and be able to understand what you read, but for anyone with a brain that doesn't believe in evolution (I still can't undertand how there are people out there that fit that bill, but I digress), this book will remove all...more

like 4 likes · see review

Jan 11, 2012 John rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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 conservation...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.
(less)

like 1 like · see review

Feb 19, 2009 Thomas rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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 differences among livin...more

like 1 like · see review

Mar 31, 2013 Tony rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: science

WHY EVOLUTION IS TRUE. ((2009). Jerry A. Coyne. ****.
The author is a professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolution at the University of Chicago, and has been there for over twenty years. The purpose of his book is to present the arguments for the validity of evolution and against the concept of intelligent design. The work is full of examples and references of the ability of Darwin’s theory to make predictions and tests which have been made that show its validity. No such capabilities are...more

like 1 like · see review

Jan 18, 2013 Linda Munro rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is probably a book I would never have normally looked through let alone read; however I signed up for a free class on evolution and genetics (Duke University) through coursera.com and this was on the suggested reading list.

While I still would never look to read this book again, I do have a few things to say about the book. First and foremost, I think everything concerning Coyne’s arguments went stated in the first couple of chapters, after that there started redundancy and simply too much...more

like · see review

Dec 03, 2012 Nathan rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I picked this book after reading Dawkins' Greatest Show on Earth. After a series of conversations I had with some young-earth creationists, and in light of what is occurring in the battle for science curriculum here in Texas, I wanted to find a book that I could recommend to creationists, since most creationists have absolutely no clue about the actual science. Dawkins' book is not that book because he is unable to keep his contempt for young-earth creationists out of the conversation. I think t...more I picked this book after reading Dawkins' Greatest Show on Earth. After a series of conversations I had with some young-earth creationists, and in light of what is occurring in the battle for science curriculum here in Texas, I wanted to find a book that I could recommend to creationists, since most creationists have absolutely no clue about the actual science. Dawkins' book is not that book because he is unable to keep his contempt for young-earth creationists out of the conversation. I think the book would only insult those people who I wish would open up their worldviews a bit. To that end, Dawkins defeats his own purpose for writing the book in the way he delivers the material.

This book has a far more neutral tone, and is a a nice succinct look at the science of evolution. He chases less rabbits than Dawkins also, and he presents the evidence with a less impassioned tone than Dawkins, which I think is real plus if you're actually hoping to get those who disagree with you to listen to what you're saying.

You can see the differences in these two books just by looking at the titles. Dawkins' Greatest Show on Earth is an impassioned case for evolution. It's practically a love letter to the natural world. Why Evolution is True is a far drier presentation of much of the same evidence. I personally enjoy Dawkins clever writing and all his rabbit chasing, and the passion for the subject that he can not hide, so personally I didn't enjoy this book as much as The Greatest Show on Earth. But it's a very good general-interest overview of the science of evolution. Reading these two books together, I realize how much my education as a child failed me, largely because my science teachers were clearly afraid of wrath of the religious influences in our community if they really taught the facts of evolution. To me that this is still going on is a travesty.

Since I started the quest for a book that I could share with young-earth creationists, I've realized the search is a futile one. Once you realize where creationists begin their argument, you realize there's no point in trying to have a reasoned conversation with them. They start by stating their hypothesis is fact, and indeed is revealed through God's own words. Then they work in reverse. Anything that doesn't support this conclusion is suspect, and is thrown out, or otherwise ignored. They aren't looking at the evidence to see where it leads, they are looking at the evidence to figure out how to discredit it, or how they can possibly warp it into a way in which it might lend some kind of credibility to what they already believe. Their minds are already made up. They have no respect for the scientific process, and consider the academic process of peer reviewed publication--probably one of the greatest things to happen to the process of learning--to be a conspiracy. I don't know how I forgot this, but i'm grateful for the reminder. Far greater minds than me have been unable to get these people to see how flawed this worldview is. It's certainly not something I'm going to cure. So I think this book concludes my quest. I don't think it will sway many minds that are already made up, But if you're someone out there just looking for a great overview so you can learn more about about the massive evidence used to understand the process that got us here, or if you genuinely don't know what to believe, because science education in this country has failed you miserably, this is a great place to start.

One more thought. I think he should have left the final chapter out. I understand why he feels like he needs to assuage fears that if society in general accepts evolution is true, we'll quickly de-evolve into a pack rabid dogs, but i don't think the argument is something that can be tacked on to this conversation and dealt with fairly in a few pages, and I don't think it has any place in a book about the science itself. It's the job of science to excavate the truth about how the world around us works. It's up to philosophers and religious leaders and the like to figure out what to do with that information. I think the fear of evolution destroying religious world views is about as rational as the fear that the entire universe doesn't revolve around the earth will end the Christian world view. When religion and science spar, historically, religion always loses, and it always finds a way to bounce back. I think the best way to forward for science is to continue to present the evidence and let the religious leaders work out how they're going to work it into their wordview, though I see why Coyne and Dawkins and others feel that to this point, that approach hasn't worked out so well. Still I think the important point that should be hammered relentlessly is that science makes no commentary on faith. Evolution makes no true commentary on God. It isn't even a theory on origins, merely a theory on how life adapted over time. Faith deals with the super-natural. Science stops at the natural world. I think the scientific world would make better progress if they continue to make this point with the religious communities. (less)

like 1 like · see review

Nov 12, 2012 Gary rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: science

I hesitated before buying this book because I was a little put off by the title. I already assumed evolution was "true" (as much as any scientific knowledge can be considered "the truth"), and I was more interested in knowing how it works, and the history of it all, from the first micro-organisms to now.

The "how" part is covered pretty well, and by covering the "how" the author addresses creationist or "intelligent design" arguments and provides a clear, rational, and most importantly scientifi...more I hesitated before buying this book because I was a little put off by the title. I already assumed evolution was "true" (as much as any scientific knowledge can be considered "the truth"), and I was more interested in knowing how it works, and the history of it all, from the first micro-organisms to now.

The "how" part is covered pretty well, and by covering the "how" the author addresses creationist or "intelligent design" arguments and provides a clear, rational, and most importantly scientific answer.

To be fair, the idea of natural selection and evolution seems simple enough, but how it leads to complex devices like an eyeball seems inexplicable... until it is explained. The creationist arguments are all fair, in the sense that they are perfectly valid questions to ask- until they are answered. But a perfectly valid question isn't the same as a valid objection. The book does a very good job at answering questions and debunking creationist objections in the process of explaining how evolution works, although this isn't the main focus of the book. At points along the way the author pauses to address a creationist objection- debunks it- and moves right along. And its done with such convincing ease that by the end the question is not "How could evolution be true?" but "How could it be otherwise?"

I don't think this book will change a creationist's mind, because if mere logical, rational, scientific explanations were all it took, creationism (an appeal to the supernatural rather than the natural) wouldn't exist in the first place. But I don't think that was the intent with this book. The book's title isn't "Why creationism is wrong."

There is no point in arguing with a creationist whose faith feels threatened by science. If somebody isn't threatened by science then "more science" isn't going to change anything. But for the rest of us, laypeople who occasionally hear a creationist argument and think "Oh, well that seems like a good point, I wonder how Darwanism answers that?" the answers are here. And eventually, by the end of the book, with a good understanding of how darwanism works, any creationist question no longer seems like a good question- but more of an admission of "I don't understand how this works."

There is nothing wrong with the statement "I don't understand how this works" as long as it is not followed with "Therefore it can not be true." Is it any better than saying "I don't understand how this works, but I'll assume it's true"? No- unless that statement is followed by "Because I understand the method by which this conclusion was reached."

If you understand the scientific method and think that observation, hypothesis, prediction, experimentation, and comparison are really good ways to arrive at a conclusion about something then you will readily accept conclusions reached by those methods without knowing the details. So by understanding and accepting this method as a valid way to understand the world, it is perfectly reasonable to accept knowledge as being "true" that was achieved using these methods.

You can't, however, argue one way or the other for something without knowing anything about it. I believed evolution to be true because I trusted the method by which the theory was developed, but I wanted to be able to understand the theory itself, and this book did a great job of it.

One final note. The author did a great job at addressing the "Just a theory" argument. It isn't "just a theory", but a "scientific theory" which is completely different than "a random guess with no way of testing it". There is no point arguing it in a book review. Suffice to say the book spells it out and does a great job. Enough so that I underlined the entire thing.

If you want to understand Darwinism, don't be put off by the title. By the end of the book you will understand how it works. The books isn't a defense of the theory but an explanation that is so thorough that it defends itself.

I subtracted one star because I wish there was a little more about the timeline of evolution and the different eras of the earth's history. Another chapter would have been nice. (less)

like · see review

Sep 30, 2012 Nicole rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Oh, I am such a cheater this month! I totally started this book a couple of days ago but, in my defense, I finished it up this morning....I just couldn't help myself.

Evolution. Very few words in science can raise the religious hackles and get the debate juices flowing like this one. Even numerous court trials have become involved to help decide if evolution is science fact or fiction and whether the opposing viewpoint - creationism - deserves to be taught and considered on the same academic leve...more Oh, I am such a cheater this month! I totally started this book a couple of days ago but, in my defense, I finished it up this morning....I just couldn't help myself.

Evolution. Very few words in science can raise the religious hackles and get the debate juices flowing like this one. Even numerous court trials have become involved to help decide if evolution is science fact or fiction and whether the opposing viewpoint - creationism - deserves to be taught and considered on the same academic level.

Granted, I went into this book a full-fledged supporter of evolution but I was still struck (again) by the beauty and elegance of this biological process that was thought of hundreds of years ago. Coyne logically and concisely went through the evidence for evolution - tracing his way through the fossil record to show dinosaurs evolving into birds, fish invading the land as terrestrial tetrapods, and terrestrial mammals going migrating back into the oceans. He not only shows fossil evidence and supports it with rigorous hypothesis testing (the hallmark of robust science) and examples from nature, but also brilliantly illustrates evolution rapidly occurring during a human lifetime. The vast majority of the book focuses on evolution in general - single-celled organisms up through mammals - but the final chapter focuses on humans evolution from primates and, what I feel is, irrefutable evidence that this process is the best explanation we have for how Homo sapiens came to be.

Sometimes science books can be a little tedious (shock, I know) but Coyne's writing style had me anxiously awaiting to pick the book back up! His words were illustrated by lovely drawings that I prefer so much more to pictures because it brings uniformity to book. And, possibly my favorite part, is that Coyne didn't attack any other belief system - he occasionally brought up the creationist argument against a specific evolution viewpoint but I didn't feel like he was hostile in any way, he simply laid out the facts and let them speak for themselves.

If you are a supporter of evolution but want to learn more, are unsure on the issue but would like more facts, or are even staunchly against evolution but think it's important to know the opposition, then I would highly recommend this book.(less)

like · see review

Jul 25, 2012 Daniel rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

More or less a modern, updated version of Darwin's The Origin of Species, as it presents the conventional several main pillars of evidence for evolutionary theory: the discovery of fossils and their arrangements (including transitional forms), embryology, vestigial organs and "bad" design, biogeography, sexual selection, plus a good chapter ("The Engine of Evolution") explaining the mechanics of natural selection in convincing detail. If you have read both this book and Darwin's Origin, you woul...more More or less a modern, updated version of Darwin's The Origin of Species, as it presents the conventional several main pillars of evidence for evolutionary theory: the discovery of fossils and their arrangements (including transitional forms), embryology, vestigial organs and "bad" design, biogeography, sexual selection, plus a good chapter ("The Engine of Evolution") explaining the mechanics of natural selection in convincing detail. If you have read both this book and Darwin's Origin, you would probably conclude that the bulk of the case for evolution was already set in stone in the latter (especially the evidence from biogeography). An important modern addition to the case is the success of evolutionary theory in predicting where we should find fossils (e.g. the Tiktaalik roseae). However, convincing it may be to those who are already leaning towards accepting evolution, this can only become a truly powerful argument were Coyne to give the ratio of successful to failed predictions, which he doesn't. Of course, it's not as if we have a cogent framework to assess the correctness of a scientific theory based on that number.

Throughout the exposition of his case, Coyne scatters comments about the impotence of creationist theory compared to evolutionary theory to accommodate many findings in nature. There are many variants on "A Creator wouldn't have done X" and "There is no reason a Creator were to create Y". However, what I think Coyne misses is the fact that it is impossible to scientifically conjecture what a Creator or Designer should have done in a particular situation. This, in my view, is the reason why Intelligent Design theory is unscientific. It is impossible to truly refute ID conclusively, because its advocates can simply harp on with variations of "But Z is the result of a Creator's whimsical plans!" Nothing in science can say anything against that kind of reply. Coyne would differ with me, as it seems that he regards ID as bad or wrong science, as opposed to un-science. But that does little to detract from the value of the book, which is generally a good, modern reference to arguments for evolution, with literally only a page or two of unscientific soothing prose about free will, morality, religion, and typical left-liberal ideas of "justice" and "equality".(less)

like · see review

Jun 15, 2012 Ravic rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: biology, non-fiction

Shocking and sad

Here in Europe we tend to forget that the USA are not exclusively a country of reason and progress. Books like this remind us that there is also religious fundamentalism and that uneducated people who believe that the world is 6000 years old and favour „intelligent design“ can rise to the highest political offices.

The shocking thing is what this book reveals about the condition of our society. What kind of society is it where brillant scientists feel compelled to waste valuable...more Shocking and sad

Here in Europe we tend to forget that the USA are not exclusively a country of reason and progress. Books like this remind us that there is also religious fundamentalism and that uneducated people who believe that the world is 6000 years old and favour „intelligent design“ can rise to the highest political offices.

The shocking thing is what this book reveals about the condition of our society. What kind of society is it where brillant scientists feel compelled to waste valuable time writing serious books to refute harebrained nonsense like a flat earth, geocentrism or creationism / intelligent design?

In Europe creationism is usually perceived as a minor problem, at least one not affecting the educational system. In America it seems that creationists are able to gain influence in schools, so much so that in some cases they have to be subdued in court. The introduction to this book detailing a recent court case is enough to make your skin crawl. How far have we actually come since the times of the Scopes trial? If the „Untergang des Abendlandes“ should come it will begin like this. With the rise of religious fundamentalism and the abolishment of reason in education.

The saddest aspect of this book is the realization that those who are really in need of learning the facts will not read it. People already interested in life, in biology or in evolution will read ist. People who want to know, people who wish to learn, people who have an open mind will read this book.

Religious fundamentalists are not interested in facts. They cannot be convinced by facts because they have an entirely different outlook on life. They cannot be reached by the truth because they have chosen to ignore it, fabricating their own twisted and bigoted versions of truth.

So, sadly, this excellent treatise on evolution, lucid and compelling, will benefit only those who are already open-minded and critical. It makes for a great introduction to the subject for younger readers or for people with little previous knowledge in biology. It may be less suitable for Europeans as the frequent references to creationism would probably be considered distracting and unnecessary by most readers. But take out these parts and you have a wonderful introduction to evolution ready for translation into French or German, Italian or Greek, Polish or Swedish.

Weathermen say that with the prevailing currents it usually takes three weeks for heavy weather from North America to reach Europe. Creationism is decidedly slower and it has not yet gained a strong foothold in most European countries. Let us hope that it does not act like the weather and that it can be vanquished before it spreads and pollutes the world.

If anything it will be books like this which may help to teach and enlighten at least those who are willing to learn.
(less)

like 9 likes · see review

May 31, 2012 JulesQ rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Anyone

Recommended to JulesQ by: LeRand

Shelves: 2012

I would have liked to give this book five stars. Coyne does a really good job about laying out the evidences for natural-selection driven evolution in a clear and generally respectful manner. He assumes a certain level of intelligence of the reader, which was refreshing. Overall, an excellent overview of the evolution and its abundant (?) support.

However, at the beginning and end of each section, Coyne makes stupid comments which for me detracted from an otherwise strong argument. Perhaps the mo...more I would have liked to give this book five stars. Coyne does a really good job about laying out the evidences for natural-selection driven evolution in a clear and generally respectful manner. He assumes a certain level of intelligence of the reader, which was refreshing. Overall, an excellent overview of the evolution and its abundant (?) support.

However, at the beginning and end of each section, Coyne makes stupid comments which for me detracted from an otherwise strong argument. Perhaps the most egregious was on pg. 122 following Coyne's excellent explanation of the mechanism of natural selection. Says he "As evolution predicts, we never see adaptations that benefit the species at the expense of the individuals -- something that we might have expected if organisms were designed by a beneficent creator." Seriously? There's no reason to assume that a beneficent creator would favor a species over an individual. In fact, there's really little we can assume about how a creator would behave. Anyway, many of Coynes stupid statements are framed in that "That's not what you would expect to see with an intelligent designer" way, and are more often than not simply throw away statements. The book would not have suffered at all from an editor going through and deleting every one of them. Granted, Coyne is using "design" and "creation" in a very specific way to mean species created ex nihilo that have remained more or less unchanged since creation, but still. Minus one star for you Dr. Coyne!

That said, I did not expect to pick up a book called "Why Evolution is True" that was completely free from silly rhetoric. Obviously, the topic is hugely divisive and I think Coyne's is about as respectful a treatment as you can reasonably expect to find. He makes very few actually disparaging comments about "creationists" and mostly focuses on laying out the case for natural-selection driven evolution, so I would readily recommend this to anyone looking for a good overview of the most recent (more or less) evolutionary science. (I was somewhat surprised actually, to find myself more or less current on evolutionary evidence, given that I haven't seriously studied it since AP Biology.)

Coyne also won serious points with me when, in the last chapter, he dismissed evolutionary psychology as "not science" because they are "untested -- and probably untestable -- speculations." Go Coyne! Way to not extrapolate from what the evidence actually says! However, like many other reviewers, I found his discussion of spirituality and evolution mushy (as in not well formed) and a bit contradictory.(less)

like · see review

Oct 12, 2011 Peter Frigo rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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...more 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 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)

like · see review

Jun 30, 2011 David rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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 think these challen...more 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 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.
(less)

like 7 likes · see review

Jun 24, 2011 Jorge rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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 followin...more

like · see review

Mar 18, 2011 Melanie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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 need to be...more

like · see review

Dec 18, 2010 Andrew rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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 there...more

like 3 likes · see review

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 m...more

like 1 like · see review

Apr 10, 2010 Mattmiller rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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 thoughts on evo...more

like 2 likes · see review

Mar 02, 2010 Mateo rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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 th...more

like · see review

Jul 25, 2009 Steven Peterson rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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 the main lines of...more 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 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.
(less)

like · see review

Mar 05, 2009 Folboteur rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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 also felt that, even though he explicitly states that ev...more

like · see review

Apr 18, 2009 Rebecca rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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 au...more 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 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)

like 1 like · see review

Aug 06, 2009 David rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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 any human pursuit of knowledge a...more 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 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)

like 1 like · see review

Jul 06, 2012 Arvind Balasundaram rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In this deeply passionate account of evolution, scientist Jerry Coyne provides a wonderful and lucid argument for why a spate of mounting evidence, both confirmatory and predictive, lay claims for major tenets of evolution to be no longer tossed around as a "theory" but to be considered as "fact". Coyne begins with outlining the six fundamental tenets of evolutionary theory:
(1) the idea of evolution - a species undergoes genetic change over time
(2)gradualism - substantial evolutionary change tak...more In this deeply passionate account of evolution, scientist Jerry Coyne provides a wonderful and lucid argument for why a spate of mounting evidence, both confirmatory and predictive, lay claims for major tenets of evolution to be no longer tossed around as a "theory" but to be considered as "fact". Coyne begins with outlining the six fundamental tenets of evolutionary theory:
(1) the idea of evolution - a species undergoes genetic change over time
(2)gradualism - substantial evolutionary change takes many generations to produce
(3) speciation - splitting occurs in evolving chains that creates multiple species
(4) common ancestry - we can always look back in time and find descendants joining at their ancestors
(5) the idea of natural selection - the nonrandom, differential reproduction of alleles (particular forms of mutated genes) from one generation to the next, and
(6) processes other than natural selection that can cause evolutionary change, like genetic drift in populations
He then provides evidence from multiple domains - the fossil record, biogeography, embryology, vestigial structures (a feature of a species that was an adaptation in its ancestors, but has lost its usefulness now or been co-opted for some unrelated use, like ostrich wings), atavisms (anomalies that look like the appearance of an ancestral trait, like some babies born with a tail), dead genes (the GLO pseudogene for Vitamin C production completely inactive in the human genome)and poor design (the recurrent laryngeal nerve, for example). All this evidence, argues Coyne, shows conclusively that organisms have evolved.

Throughout this book, the author provides examples of predictions that scientists made about the likely course evolution would take, only to have evidence uncovered many years later that proved them right - notable examples include the discovery of the early land fish Tiktaalik and the discovery of marsupials in Antartica.
The main takeaway here is that the main tenets of Darwinism are continuously being verified with scientific advances in related fields like genetics, molecular embryology, etc. Why then, Coyne asks, is there continued ambiguity about these tenets, though the very same folks accept the existence of electrons and black holes, although these notions are also removed from everyday experience? He makes the argument, rather convincingly, that this is because the "naturalism" of evolution gets erroneously extended to the domain of ethics and morality...that somehow the "selfishness" of Dawkins' The Selfish Gene provided a legitimacy to all selfish behaviors, which is misplaced. In the last chapter, Coyne makes his case of why it is important to separate the purposeless, materialistic way in which evolution operates from the notion that our lives have no purpose. Religious or secular thought, he argues, can assist in framing our purposes, meaning and morality.

This book is a must-read. Most importantly, it reinvigorates in the reader the wonder of the universe and its myriad processes, and provides a brilliant and systematic account of how the scientific endeavor has helped us make empirical sense of it..(less)

like · see review

Jan 24, 2011 Beth rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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.
Fossils are always found in the correct s...more

like 1 like · see review

topics	posts	views	last activity
The Challenge Fac...: Camille & Clémentine•Why Evolution Is True	12	11	Feb 12, 2013 10:59am
Terrible, terrible audiobook - DO NOT BUY	4	52	Mar 14, 2012 07:23am

title link	preview: Why Evolution Is True
avg rating	preview: Why Evolution Is True Goodreads rating: 4.19 (4722 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8101290-why-evolution-is-true?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1347430540l/8101290.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8101290-why-evolution-is-true?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Why Evolution Is True by Jerry A. Coyne[/url]

Why Evolution Is True

Friend Reviews

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topic
Discuss This Book

combine
Other Editions (19)

Genres

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Jerry A. Coyne

Books by Jerry A. Coyne

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website

Trivia About Why Evolution Is ...

Quotes from Why Evolution Is True