Some Mistakes of Darwin and a Programmer's Theory of Life

by Daniel G. Vintner

Darwin’s theory of evolution has been widely regarded as one of the greatest accomplishments of science. Except for a few individuals, most scientists have dismissed the issues that have crept up in the last century related to and in opposition to the theory of evolution. However, developments in molecular biology and genetics have failed to address some of the original concerns with the theory and also exposed even more significant flaws that should not be overlooked.

The evolution debate has been raging on the outskirts of academia for two centuries, and the sides have never been further apart than they are now. “Science versus religion” and “evolution versus creationism” was what the audience heard for a long time. In the twentieth century, God was brought down into the fighting pits of scientific society to duke it out with Charles Darwin, and for the longest time, it seemed he had lost the match for good. In recent times, though, God has put his gloves back on and seems to have managed to insert himself back into the debate.

Or has he? Has anything really changed in this debate, which is as old as debates themselves? Did evolution change, or science, or God himself? What is true from the grandiose claims of those who claim to have resurrected God by virtue of their arguments? And what truth is there in the words of the scientists who claim to have buried him?

Some Mistakes of Darwin goes back to the beginning of evolutionary thought and verifies every claim made by Darwin and his successors. Everything is put to the test, and nothing is off limits. No claim is accepted without verification and no argument is beyond questioning. Travel from the birth of genetics and molecular biology, through the advances in software engineering, to the far ends of space and time and beyond. By the last chapter, the book goes full circle and reaches the same conclusion as the philosophers of old have, from the same facts but a different perspective, arguing from science, not from scripture, for a new theory of life.

263 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 24, 2022

Reviews

[Heena Rathore Rathore-Pardeshi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some Mistakes of Darwin and a Programmer's Theory of Life by Daniel G. Vintner is a very interesting book to read that will leave you thinking really hard about the age-old debate of 'science vs religion.'

This book had a very unique premise and to say that I was intrigued by this book would be a huge understatement. After reading the book I was really impressed by the author's arguments presented in the book and believed them to be true, finding myself leaning toward his explanations and thus, his side, more than I thought was possible. Without giving away any spoilers, I would just like to say that be prepared to be swayed from your one-sided stand after reading this book because the author might just be able to convince you to agree with his arguments.

I would strongly recommend this book to everyone who likes to explore and read about Darwin's Theory of evolution.

You can also read this review on my book blog - www.thereadingbud.com

[Emma Hinkle · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this book, Vintner walks through some of the theory of evolution and does so through the lens of a computer programmer which offers a unique perspective.

I'm always intrigued by books that delve into the philosophy of science and feel free to ask bigger questions of science then scientists sometimes feel free to ask. Vintner does a great job making science accessible and interesting.

[Book Reviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Evolution theories have always sparked unending debates. Human beings have different beliefs about how life was created and how we have developed. In Some Mistakes of Darwin and a Programmer’s Theory of Life, author Daniel G. Vintner compares old and new evolution theories, alternative theories, and everything in between. Daniel G. Vintner starts by discussing Darwin and his original theory of evolution. As you keep reading, the author gets to more complex topics like how accurate the theory is and how Darwin came to his conclusions. The concepts may appear a bit puzzling for starters, but one soon catches up thanks to the author’s brilliant way of breaking down his points.

Following the author as he expounds on the theory of evolution over the centuries, was exciting. I like that Vintner is detailed and diverse in his discussions. The author combs through more than a dozen theories and explains the hard stuff to the reader’s satisfaction. Daniel G. Vintner may be a bit radical, but I like the author’s attitude and firm stand on his philosophies and views.

Some Mistakes of Darwin and a Programmer’s Theory of Life is a great read, not just because of how thorough the author is but also because of how convincing he is. He quotes renowned icons and supports his findings with facts and research. Reading this book made me elated and increased my curiosity about evolution. After reading this book, you will question life and concentrate on the creation story and the origin of species.

This informative book may have been about Darwin and the theory of life, but at no point was it monotonous. Daniel G. Vintner knows how to blend the various sub-topics and how to introduce a new topic even while still discussing the main subject. I enjoyed his personal tales of being a programmer. Learning about the various historical figures and their theories was eye-opening and exciting. I learned more about evolution and got to understand why some problems of evolution not solved by Darwin still have no answers even with the modern advancement.

This book is not for the close-minded; some views by the author may seem extreme, but that only improves the reading experience. The author is an excellent narrator and an even better interpreter. His strength in convincing skeptics to subscribe to specific theories and beliefs is admirable. The technical terminology was easy to understand as the author gives a clear definition and extra description when introducing complex terms. Some topics that were most touched on were Genesis of Genetics, Mutating Randomness, and the Story of Creation. The author leaves readers with an understanding that nature is a bit more complex than we may think and that most things do not happen by chance.

[Gary Jones · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't expect much of this book (I'm a microbiologist and veterinarian, this book about a major tenet of biology is written by a computer programmer,) so I wasn't surprised.

Let's take the opening of the 2nd chapter. The author implies that Darwins theory is not falsifiable, and is therefore not really science. He takes a long and involved paragraph to say that. This is total hogwash. There are many things that would prove Darwins theory false--modern mammal fossils intermixed with fossils of dinosaurs or earlier reptiles in undisturbed fossil beds, for one. That would blow Darwin's theory out of the water, but it has never happened. Darwin even worried over how the eye could develop slowly as something his theory couldn't explain in the 1800s. It is explained wonderfully now with the finding of light-sensitive areas of some bacteria to ever more complex development allowing focus and control from crustaceans, insects, worms, and primitive amphibians.

Scientists have shed more and more light on the development of traits over the last 150 years. From newly discovered fossil beds to molecular biology, new developments have only strengthened Darwins theory.

[Sam Guptill · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was so hopeful to hear a new perspective bridging the gap between Darwin's theories and that of a modern computer programmer. Seemingly able to see the gaps Darwin could not explain through computer analysis, this was such a refreshing concept for a book.

Unfortunately, the work itself became so clogged with tangential discussions and scientific data from other subject areas, the truly unique viewpoint as a programmer didn't appear until well over halfway through the book when the reader was already overloaded with information.

In my perspective, many of the chapters became too cerebral, making this book more of a required reading for a master's program than a book for a mainstream audience. Which is great...unless you want to sell it to the public.

[Χριστός Φαίακες · Rating 1 out of 5]

I came in with an open mind, as a computer scientist I know that today we often work on the forefront of modeling other scientific disciplines, and so I didn't assume a programmer would have nothing to say about biology. Certainly, Vintner DOES have plenty to say about biology, but his is not necessarily a well informed position!

There is cursory exploration of Darwin's more famed mistakes, juxtaposed with argument and quote from baseless positions. A loop or two of straw man fallacies and inductive logic later, and you'll either find yourself back where you started, or you'll have been drawn in by your own confirmation bias, as the author clearly was.

[Deborah Pendleton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some Mistakes of Darwin and a Programmer’s Theory of Life by Daniel G. Vintner provides a lengthy opinionated account of the Theory of Life and Some Mistakes of Darwin from the perspective of a Programmer.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

For the most part, I liked this book. I got lost in a couple of chapters. One being about DNA and genetics. It was a little over my head. But I did like how the author brought in God and how it wasn't all science.