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The Facts of Life: Shattering the Myth of Darwinism by Richard Milton
I initially picked up Richard Milton’s 1992 book (since revised in 1997), on the strength of the title, and as an introductory look at the evolution debate. It goes without saying that at present there are many more books for than against evolution, but for two reasons I was interested in this one. I too, believe evolution as taught fatally flawed, but also read both sides of the argument in order to understand more about the physical world, and also how men choose to present evidence (see Darwin on Trial by lawyer Phillip Johnson). This issue is, I believe, of such importance, I welcome a trained journalist examining it.
Questions covered here date from the beginnings of the debate:
Has life on earth really been evolving into ever more complex forms from a few basic molecules millions of years ago?
Can species really evolve by means of genetic mutation and natural selection?
Is there any proof of ‘missing links’ between man and ape, or dinosaur and bird?
Although Darwin may have expressed confidence further discoveries in the fossil record would substantiate the theory, have they?
Although evolutionists often quickly dismiss examples of complexity in the natural world, the fact remains that such examples could be listed almost ad infinitum, whether physical structures, such as the cell, organs of the body, or complex behaviours including the rearing of young, or inter-species dependence ( see Darwin’s Black Box by Michael Behe).
The author is at pains to present his investigations as independent of the tradition of special creation, or the current speculations of creationists. He does say that where he believes there is a scientific basis for their arguments, or the current case for intelligent design, he will examine such arguments with an open mind. I might add one needs to be certain you are not trying to ‘run with the hare and the hounds’.
An excellent quote from page 236: “There is a strong streak of intellectual arrogance and authoritarianism running through the history of Darwinism, from Thomas Huxley and Charles Darwin through to Sir Julian Huxley, the principal architect of the neo-Darwinist theory in the twentieth century..this authoritarian streak is still present in some Darwinists today, and is denoted by the outrage and indignation with which they greet any reasoned attempt to expose the theory to debate and to the light of real evidence.”
There is something to be said as well that today’s creationists are still using the illogical reasoning of early evolution critics such as Bishop Wilberforce in the famous 1860 Oxford debate with Huxley (discussed in the book). Is it not sensible to look afresh at creation as originally presented in the Bible, and dispense with what we may think it says, and religious dogmatists ( for example, a literal six day creation) insist?
“I have no data yet. It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories instead of theories to suit facts.”
– Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930), Sherlock Holmes
For a pro-evolution critique, see http://www.talkorigins.org/foundation/index.html