Evolution vs. Creationism: An Introduction

by Eugenie C. Scott

Overview

More than eighty years after the Scopes trial, the debate over teaching evolution continues in spite of the emptiness of the creationist positions. This accessible resource, now completely revised and updated, provides an essential introduction to the ongoing dispute’s many facets—the scientific evidence for evolution, the legal and educational basis for its teaching, and the various religious points of view—as well as a concise history of the evolution-creationism controversy. This second edition also contains a discussion of the legal history, updated to include the seminal case of Kitzmiller v. Dover as well as a new chapter on public opinion and media coverage.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780520261877
Publisher:	University of California Press
Publication date:	08/03/2009
Edition description:	Second Edition
Pages:	384
Product dimensions:	6.90(w) x 9.90(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Eugenie C. Scott is Executive Director of the National Center for Science Education. She has written extensively on the evolution-creationism controversy and is past president of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists. Scott is the 2010 recipient of the National Academy of Science's Public Welfare Medal.

Table of Contents

FOREWORD:The Unmetabolized Darwin by Niles Eldredge
FOREWORD TO THE SECOND EDITION by Judge John E. Jones III
PREFACE
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
INTRODUCTION: The Pillars of Creationism

PART I: Science, Evolution, Religion, and Creationism
CHAPTER 1. Science: Truth without Certainty
CHAPTER 2. Evolution
CHAPTER 3. Beliefs: Religion, Creationism, and Naturalism

PART II: A History of the Creationism/Evolution Controversy
CHAPTER 4. Before Darwin to the Twentieth Century
CHAPTER 5. Eliminating Evolution, Inventing Creation Science
CHAPTER 6. Neocreationism
CHAPTER 7. Testing Intelligent Design and Evidence against Evolution in
the Courts

PART III: Selections from the Literature
CHAPTER 8. Cosmology, Astronomy, Geology
CHAPTER 9. Patterns and Processes of Biological Evolution
CHAPTER 10. Legal Issues
CHAPTER 11. Educational Issues
CHAPTER 12. Issues Concerning Religion
CHAPTER 13. The Nature of Science
CHAPTER 14. Evolution and Creationism in the Media and Public Opinion

REFERENCES FOR FURTHER EXPLORATION
NAME INDEX
SUBJECT INDEX

What People are Saying About This

Niles Eldredge-The American Museum of Natural History-From the Foreword

Perhaps someday schools in the US will catch up to those in other developed countries and treat evolution as a normal scientific subject. Before that happens, though, people need to understand evolution, and also understand the creationism and evolution controversy. Evolution vs. Creationism: An Introduction is a step towards this goal, and readers will indeed learn a great deal about the scientific, religious, educational, political and legal aspects of this controversy.

Niles Eldredge: The American Museum of Natural History: From the Foreword

Perhaps someday schools in the US will catch up to those in other developed countries and treat evolution as a normal scientific subject. Before that happens, though, people need to understand evolution, and also understand the creationism and evolution controversy. ^IEvolution vs. Creationism: An Introduction^R is a step towards this goal, and readers will indeed learn a great deal about the scientific, religious, educational, political and legal aspects of this controversy.

Editorial Reviews

…no book does a better job than Evolution vs. Creationism of covering with the entire evolution-creationism controversy…Evolution is one of the greatest ideas of modern times. If you want to defend evolution, read Evolution vs. Cretionism.” —Springer

From the Publisher