The Scientific Approach to Evolution: What They Didn't Teach You in Biology

by Rob Stadler

For more than 150 years, continuous debate has swirled around the topic of evolution. From Darwin to Dawkins, extensive scientific evidence has been presented for evolution, yet almost half of contemporary society still isn’t convinced. The Scientific Approach to Evolution provides a rational new perspective on this debate. Scientific evidence is not all created equally. Some forms of evidence provide only low confidence, while other forms of evidence provide high confidence. Rob Stadler describes a compelling approach to determine the level of confidence and applies it to the commonly cited evidence for evolution. When high-confidence evidence is appropriately prioritized over low-confidence evidence, the result is a profound new view of evolution—one that they did not teach you in biology.

Genres: Biology, Science, Evolution, Nonfiction

212 pages, Paperback

Published September 14, 2016

About the author

Rob Stadler received a BS in biomedical engineering from Case Western Reserve University, an MS in electrical engineering from MIT, and a PhD in medical engineering from the Harvard/MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology. As a scientist in the medical device industry for over twenty years, he has obtained more than 140 US patents, has been elected fellow of the American Institute of Medical and Biomedical Engineers, and has contributed to medical devices that are implanted in millions of patients worldwide.

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a clearly presented, thought-provoking review of the science behind evolution. It could be the impetus for a paradigm shift in open-minded individuals willing to honestly evaluate their understanding of science. The author certainly has a thorough understanding of the "inner workings" of the field of scientific investigation and his thoughts and conclusions deserve acknowledgement and sober consideration. I personally found this book very approachable and I believe those in the field of science, along with the average layman, would find this book both easy to read as well as challenging. It's a short read, but provides an interesting unique perspective on the topic. In short-it's worth reading.

[Tommy Rodriguez · Rating 1 out of 5]

Biased. And riddled with inaccuracies.

Initially, the book has the appearance of being scientifically literate in nature. As I read through the late chapters, it became apparent that an agenda begins to unfold. The author should clearly stick to writing about his professional field of study; which is obviously not evolutionary biology.

[Samuel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic book. It is a short read, but still I found it enormously clarifying and helpful in providing a framework for separating the vastly different kinds of science (broadly categorized into high-confidence, and low-confidence science) that have been applied to different areas of the origins issue.The criteria for high-confidence science being (I want to provide these here, to hint at where the discussion in the book is going), that it is: 1. Repeatable, 2. Directly measurable and accurate results, 3. Prospective, interventional study, 4. Careful to avoid bias, 5. Careful to avoid assumptions, 6. Sober judgment of results.

It then takes a hard look at both types of science regarding the theory of evolution, and comes with interesting results.

Though probably not everyone will agree with the conclusions of the book, and while certainly this book by no means could be expected to be perfect either, I think it should be extremely helpful to both sides of the origins discussion, in clarifying a lot of things that are very often very very confused, and think more clearly at what hard facts we do have available. I think it has the potential to make further discussions about the origins issue a lot more constructive and less heated, regardless of your viewpoint.

I personally place this book among the top three I've read on the origins issue, together with John C Sanford's "Genetic Entropy" and Gerhart and Kirschner's "The Plausability of Life".

I highly recommend anyone who sometimes gets into discussions about the origins issue to read it. It is such a short read anyway (I, a slow reader, read it in approximately two 2 hour sittings). I'm sure your next origins discussion will be helped by it.

[Edgar · Rating 1 out of 5]

It's blatant creationist propaganda. Written with the purpose of misrepresent how fundamental science works and how scientific research is practiced.

It lies right out of the gate with the criteria for confidence in evidence, by proposing "six criteria for confidence evidence" which is completely made-up list that doesn't apply in any scientific field. Any one who has graduated with a bachelor degree will be able to pick up on that.

It's so ignorant about the scientific method that not once is mentioned how designing hypothesis works and how observations are actually made.

Then it gets worse, because it conflates that with an ever more absurd "low to high" confidence spectrum (something made up that is not part of science in any way) to conveniently rule out entire fields of science, from anthropology to genomics, because they provide evidence that contradict abrahamic religion's scriptures.

If you pick up this book because you are curious of how science uncovers the mysteries of evolution, pass. Because this will make you dumber and and completely clueless.

[Nicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was very repetitive at times (you will know the 6 criteria by the end of this book, if not by the end of chapter 2), and maybe a bit technical for someone without​ a science and/or medical background, but the content is sound, and I appreciate Rob putting into words (with supporting evidence) the perspective I have long held on evolution. Faith is required in either camp (grand evolution or creationism). The difference is what you are putting your faith in.

[BlindFoldedReader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I heard about this book from Standing For Truth and Rawmatt interview on YouTube and what a treasure this is! How he explains how medicine today has a criteria it follows that is rigorous and strict to determine if it is high confidence or low which evolution doesn't do at all. He exposes how evolution is basically an assumption based and the major lines of evidence they use is based on low confidence evidence.

[Rick · Rating 4 out of 5]

In agreement

Because I agree with the author, and am thoroughly disappointed with people and teachers lying to our children. From what I've read on this subject, intelligent design is the only way. How do scientists not see it, their smarter then I am. When I was ten I asked "where are the half man, half ape bones?"

[Michael A. Simmons, Sr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good info within

Sometimes rather dry but always informational. The book is an excellent resource for those interested in debunking the evolutionist theory of life on earth.

[Creation Newsletter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adding to my bookshelf.

[Alex Inouye · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super helpful. Outlines the difference between high confidence and low confidence science as well as gives many examples. The examples can get pretty technical, but that is my only concession.