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Signature In The Cell: DNA And The Evidence For Intelligent Design (2009)

by Stephen C. Meyer(Favorite Author)

4.28 of 5 Votes: 3

ISBN

0061472786 (ISBN13: 9780061472787)

languge

English

genre

Nonfiction

publisher

HarperOne

series

Signature in the Cell

review 1: It would be easy to dismiss any review as advocating or rejecting this book based on a preconceived worldview. That is unfortunate. Dr. Meyer presents a rather painstaking historical review of genetic science. At times, the reader can feel both appreciation for the careful thoroughness and a sense that Meyer is over-documenting his case. His storytelling is more than readable without breaking the seriousness the topic requires.Meyer is careful to leave theology and religion out of the book. While he admits to philosophical and theological implications for his thesis that the necessary genetic information for both the origin of life and macroevolutionary adaptations do not arise from natural selection and randomness, he keeps to a scientific approach throughout. His chapter... mores, "But is it science?" and "Sauce for the Goose" reveal that the refutations of Intelligent Design Theory which reject it as "unscientific" do not hold. The self-imposed limitation Meyer has decided to work within lead him to conclude that a Designer was/is involved in certain aspects of genetic information, but he will not then defend the obvious conclusion of this claim. In the current, hostile environment, which claims a false unanimity to prevent honest discussion it is perhaps wise for Meyer to restrict himself to the more direct, evidential aspects of his topic. Antony Flew, a noted atheist, cited informational aspects in genetics as one reason for his conversion to theism. Thomas Nagel remains an atheist and attempts in his book "Mind and Cosmos" to open up a discussion for a philosophical approach that he hopes will prevent a shift to theism, but he clearly admits that Meyer's book and others are not to be dismissed lightly. He states that information, consciousness, and morality appear as aspects of the universe which are inexplicable from a pure methodological naturalism.For me, as a believer in God and one who has long been an opponent of both Methodological Naturalism as well as the ridiculous lack of reason and science in Creationism that requires an unnecessarily Literal Biblicalism, Meyer's approach is refreshing and, admittedly, convenient for me to agree with. This book, as well as Meyer's follow up, "Darwin's Doubt", are well worth the read, no matter what you believe about the topic. In "Darwin's Doubt" Meyers tells a story about a Chinese paleontologist named J. Y. Chen. He was speaking at a conference at the University of Washington geology department about Cambrian fossils found in China. He pointed out that the evidence contradicted the orthodox, Darwinian position. A professor in attendance asked Chen if he was nervous expressing doubts about Darwinism so freely. Chen replied, "In China we can criticize Darwin, but not the government. In America, you can criticize the government, but not Darwin."If we are to avoid orthodoxies which stifle dissent, it is important to entertain reasonable objections to current views. While admitting my bias, I conclude that Meyers has presented not merely a reasonable objection to Darwinism that insists on Methodological Naturalism, but has shown that position to be wholly untenable given the evidence and the requirements for intelligent intervention in the processes of both life's origin and macro-adaptations. It is the opinion of this reviewer that Intelligent Design is the only philosophical foundation which is compatible with the Intelligence, Consciousness, Morality, Consistency, and Continuity evidenced in the universe. All other worldviews fail at one point or another in establishing a sufficient foundation for the evidence.Here I have gone beyond Meyers' self-imposed limitations within "Signature in the Cell". I hope the book has a wide audience.
review 2: this tone was roughly 500 pages long. The first thing that should be said is that anyone completes this book deserves an honorary PhD in biochemistry. The author of this book wonders between autobiography, philosophy, and science. The author's material on dysteleology in relation to the goodness of God is useful. In fact, much of the scientific evidence for design in the universe is useful also. However, the arguments that the author uses for Intelligent Design could just as easily be used for creation science in many cases.the author also seems to fail to distinguish in any reasonable or logical manner between philosophy and science. Maybe because in these days and among scientists now there is no definition of science. This book is a case of information overload meeting autobiography along with an attempted a crash course in philosophy. It is interesting if you have a lot of time on your hands and do not mind a level of repetition and too much detail. There may be better books in the field than this for simple explanation of the evidence for design. Beyond this, the author should have been more friendly to the kinship between creation science and intelligent design. One can see why he does not want the association with the Association is clearly there. He is wise to point out that the first scientist were creationists, and should point out that creationism has been part of the foundation for scientific thinking with a mind to create some credibility for Intelligence Design relationship to Creation Science less

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