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Inside the Human Genome: A Case for Non-Intelligent Design
Humanity's physical design flaws have long been apparent--we get hemorrhoids and impacted wisdom teeth, for instance--but do the imperfections extend down to the level of our genes? Inside the Human Genome is the first book to examine the philosophical question of why, from the perspectives of biochemistry and molecular genetics, flaws exist in the biological world. Distinguished evolutionary geneticist John Avise offers a panoramic yet penetrating exploration of the many gross deficiencies in human DNA--ranging from mutational defects to built-in design faults--while at the same time offering a comprehensive treatment of recent findings about the human genome. The author shows that the overwhelming scientific evidence for genomic imperfection provides a compelling counterargument to intelligent design. He also develops a case that theologians should welcome rather than disavow these discoveries. The evolutionary sciences can help mainstream religions escape the shackles of
Intelligent Design, and thereby return religion to its rightful realm--not as the secular interpreter of the biological minutiae of our physical existence, but rather as a respectable philosophical counselor on grander matters of ultimate concern.
Intelligent Design, and thereby return religion to its rightful realm--not as the secular interpreter of the biological minutiae of our physical existence, but rather as a respectable philosophical counselor on grander matters of ultimate concern.
222 pages, Hardcover
First published February 1, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
June 24, 2010
the book is two things, one design flaws on the molecular level in the human genome, and thinking about how intelligent design misunderstands the complexity and problems of human genetics.
I found the science interesting but a little disorganized, the philosophy unconvincing but in the right direction. the book is worth a look if this is your major field of interest.
I found the science interesting but a little disorganized, the philosophy unconvincing but in the right direction. the book is worth a look if this is your major field of interest.
March 25, 2022
One damn list after another. Extremely time-bound to the intelligent design debate. Essentially a book-length rebuttal to intelligent design.
Useless for learning actual genetics thinking. I suggest reading "Genes in Conflict: The Biology of Selfish Genetic Elements" instead.
Useless for learning actual genetics thinking. I suggest reading "Genes in Conflict: The Biology of Selfish Genetic Elements" instead.
May 8, 2010
This book takes a hard look at "intelligent design" from the point of view of the human genome.
As the author documents in great detail, humans are subject to over 500 genetic disorders, and doubtless many more will be identified in the coming years with the explosion of genome sequence data. Cystic fibrosis, a debilitating and often lethal disorder, typically involves one or more mutations (substitutions or deletions) in a handful of nucleotides. Similarly, Huntington's disease, a fatal neurological disorder resulting in uncontrollable body movements and dementia, has been narrowed down to errors at a specific spot on chromosome four. Did God "design" humans with these specific vulnerabilities, or is it our religious duty to seek ways (via the scientific method) to eliminate this type of suffering?
Avise states his conclusion quite forcefully [pg. 158-159:]:
"Evolution by natural causes emancipates religion from the shackles of theodicy. No longer need we agonize about why a Creator God is the world's leading abortionist and mass murderer. No longer need we query a Creator God's motives for debilitating countless innocents with horrific genetic conditions. No longer must we anguish about the interventionist motives of a supreme intelligence that permits gross evil and suffering in the world. No longer need we be tempted to blaspheme an omnipotent Deity by charging Him directly responsible for human frailties and physical shortcomings (including those that we now understand to be commonplace at molecular and biochemical levels). No longer need we blame a Creator God's direct hand for any of these disturbing empirical facts. Instead, we can put the blame squarely on the agency of insentient, natural evolutionary causation."
But lest anyone reads Avise's comments as a blanket dismissal of God or religion, Avise tempers his comments with the following [pg. 161:]:
"The evolutionary-genetic sciences thus can help religion to escape from the profound conundrums of Intelligent Design and thereby return religion to its rightful realm -- not as the secular interpreter of the biological minutiae of our physical existence but rather as a respectable philosophical counselor on grander matters including ethics and morality, the soul, spiritual-ness, sacredness, and other such matters that have always been of ultimate concern to humanity."
As the author documents in great detail, humans are subject to over 500 genetic disorders, and doubtless many more will be identified in the coming years with the explosion of genome sequence data. Cystic fibrosis, a debilitating and often lethal disorder, typically involves one or more mutations (substitutions or deletions) in a handful of nucleotides. Similarly, Huntington's disease, a fatal neurological disorder resulting in uncontrollable body movements and dementia, has been narrowed down to errors at a specific spot on chromosome four. Did God "design" humans with these specific vulnerabilities, or is it our religious duty to seek ways (via the scientific method) to eliminate this type of suffering?
Avise states his conclusion quite forcefully [pg. 158-159:]:
"Evolution by natural causes emancipates religion from the shackles of theodicy. No longer need we agonize about why a Creator God is the world's leading abortionist and mass murderer. No longer need we query a Creator God's motives for debilitating countless innocents with horrific genetic conditions. No longer must we anguish about the interventionist motives of a supreme intelligence that permits gross evil and suffering in the world. No longer need we be tempted to blaspheme an omnipotent Deity by charging Him directly responsible for human frailties and physical shortcomings (including those that we now understand to be commonplace at molecular and biochemical levels). No longer need we blame a Creator God's direct hand for any of these disturbing empirical facts. Instead, we can put the blame squarely on the agency of insentient, natural evolutionary causation."
But lest anyone reads Avise's comments as a blanket dismissal of God or religion, Avise tempers his comments with the following [pg. 161:]:
"The evolutionary-genetic sciences thus can help religion to escape from the profound conundrums of Intelligent Design and thereby return religion to its rightful realm -- not as the secular interpreter of the biological minutiae of our physical existence but rather as a respectable philosophical counselor on grander matters including ethics and morality, the soul, spiritual-ness, sacredness, and other such matters that have always been of ultimate concern to humanity."
February 21, 2016
This book had its heart in the right place, but was a bit of a disappointment.
The basic premise is that recent discoveries in genetics, which show the human genome to be built in ways that are often flawed and inefficient, are inconsistent with the theory that we are the product of intelligent design, but can be adequately explained as the results of gradual development through the mechanism of natural selection. The author argues that an intelligent designer would have been likely to build a system that would have been simpler and less prone to failures that make innocent people suffer. He points out a number of inconsistencies and logical flaws in the argument from design, such as problems with the idea that various features of human and animal anatomy are "irreducibly complex" and therefore, say the advocates of intelligent design, could not have been the product of gradual step by step evolution.
My disappointment with the book was in two areas. First, the author presents his description of flaws in the human genome by providing long lists of genetic diseases and malfunctions; the presentation of the concept with a couple of examples in each category would have been enough for me without the lists. Second, he hammers home his basic point relentlessly and repetitively. The structure of the book would have been more elegant and persuasive if the author had focused on the presentation of the scientific material in the body of the book and then devoted a final section of a few chapters to the explication of the philosophical conclusions that he draws from the science instead of having each chapter end with a restatement of the basic idea that he has a identified a number of flaws in the design of the human genome that an intelligent designer would probably not have built into his system, so intelligent design is a flawed explanation.
The theory of intelligent design has never appealed to me, and this book reinforced my opinion that people who subscribe to the theory of intelligent design are only undermining their religious position, rather than supporting it. It is certainly possible to have coherent and sincere belief in God as presented by any of the world's major religions without carrying the baggage of intelligent design. The theory isn't needed, it is flawed, and therefore it is better discarded.
The basic premise is that recent discoveries in genetics, which show the human genome to be built in ways that are often flawed and inefficient, are inconsistent with the theory that we are the product of intelligent design, but can be adequately explained as the results of gradual development through the mechanism of natural selection. The author argues that an intelligent designer would have been likely to build a system that would have been simpler and less prone to failures that make innocent people suffer. He points out a number of inconsistencies and logical flaws in the argument from design, such as problems with the idea that various features of human and animal anatomy are "irreducibly complex" and therefore, say the advocates of intelligent design, could not have been the product of gradual step by step evolution.
My disappointment with the book was in two areas. First, the author presents his description of flaws in the human genome by providing long lists of genetic diseases and malfunctions; the presentation of the concept with a couple of examples in each category would have been enough for me without the lists. Second, he hammers home his basic point relentlessly and repetitively. The structure of the book would have been more elegant and persuasive if the author had focused on the presentation of the scientific material in the body of the book and then devoted a final section of a few chapters to the explication of the philosophical conclusions that he draws from the science instead of having each chapter end with a restatement of the basic idea that he has a identified a number of flaws in the design of the human genome that an intelligent designer would probably not have built into his system, so intelligent design is a flawed explanation.
The theory of intelligent design has never appealed to me, and this book reinforced my opinion that people who subscribe to the theory of intelligent design are only undermining their religious position, rather than supporting it. It is certainly possible to have coherent and sincere belief in God as presented by any of the world's major religions without carrying the baggage of intelligent design. The theory isn't needed, it is flawed, and therefore it is better discarded.
April 10, 2011
The author lays out his purpose for this book early on (Page ix): "Here I hope to introduce readers with diverse educational and philosophical backgrounds to astounding and often unsuspected molecular features of the human genome and the relevance of these scientific findings to the question of underlying deign."
Using genetic data, he raises questions about the extent to which intelligent design or non-intelligent design reigns. He notes the messiness of the genome and the many defects associated with it. He attempts to demonstrate how natural selection can readily explain the genome.
A reasoned argument, and it is made reasonably. Unlike Dawkins, he does not spend a great deal of time criticizing religion. And that is to the good, in my view. Still, proponents of Intelligent Design are unlikely to change their views as they read this book. But it is accessible to nonscientific readers and will prove a useful resource to understand the genome.
Using genetic data, he raises questions about the extent to which intelligent design or non-intelligent design reigns. He notes the messiness of the genome and the many defects associated with it. He attempts to demonstrate how natural selection can readily explain the genome.
A reasoned argument, and it is made reasonably. Unlike Dawkins, he does not spend a great deal of time criticizing religion. And that is to the good, in my view. Still, proponents of Intelligent Design are unlikely to change their views as they read this book. But it is accessible to nonscientific readers and will prove a useful resource to understand the genome.
June 11, 2010
An excellent and concise overview of genetics - especially the findings of the past decade. The central thesis of the book is that the inefficiency, redeundancy and frequent mutations of the human genome are evidence for evolution through natural means and not intelligent design. Avise makes his arguments forcefully and clearly. However, it might be helpful for the reader to have some basic knowledge of genetics.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews