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Top Ten books to read on the intelligent design controversy, 2009 #3

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(Note re posting to Uncommon Descent Contest 21: There was a problem posting entry comments when the contest was announced Saturday, so this contest has been reposted: Go here to enter. All previous entries will be judged, so no need to repost. Go here to view contest.)

3. Seeking God in Science: An Atheist Defends Intelligent Design by Bradley Monton. In the breakthrough book of the year, an atheist professor of the philosophy of physics at a secular university has written a book to defend intelligent design. As Professor Monton would admit, it’s a partial defense, as he does not find ID arguments overwhelmingly convincing, but he also does not find them trivial, and he believes they should be allowed on the table and in the classroom for discussion. He even went so far as to defend intelligent design in a public debate in 2008, and his position as a true educator seeking truth has brought the wrath of Darwinists and fellow atheists down on his head. But that did not prevent him from publishing his position in Seeking God in Science. Monton’s work on a rigorous definition of intelligent design in chapter one is worth the price of the book alone. The good news is you don’t have to be a philosopher to understand this book. Monton has done a great job of making his arguments accessible to the general reader.

[From Denyse: This demonstrates a key point: Design in nature could be correct or incorrect. Darwinists – whose living depends on institutional support for denying design, despite evidence – have laboured long and hard to make design impossible to discuss intelligibly. Once they were reduced to marketing urban folklore about conspiracies to introduce religion into the school system, etc., the way opened for Monton to initiate an intelligent debate.]

Here’s a podcast with Monton.

Top Resource #4 is here.

Comments
None of this changes the fact that Monton's book is a "godddidit" version of ID and hardly qualifies as a top 3 book on ID.Mung
March 20, 2010
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When being taught evolution in biology class, the teachers would always drag out the old chestnut about how all scientists agree on evolution occurring in the past and in the present. Reading Denton's and Behe's books made me realize that not all scientists were a part of this consensus.Barb
March 16, 2010
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#4 Very good point Sal. Even more, I would say that you have just stated a very convincing argument about the fact that darwinism will be finally defated by its own main weapon: natural selection after a more prolific generationkairos
March 16, 2010
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By “Top 10 books to read on ID,” you mean “Top 10 pro-ID books,” right? Or is it just that the only books worth considering happen to be pro-ID
Fair point. Myself, I recommend to people interested in hearing both sides visit Pharyngula. It's free and it's fun. Although I must admit, not one ID sympathetic person I've met has ever changed his mind in favor of Darwinism after reading PZ Myers. Myers usually has the effect of persuading visitors that Darwinists are on the wrong track. I wonder why. :-) There are former non-ID people persuaded by ID literature: 1. Michael Behe (after reading Denton) 2. Phil Johnson (after reading Denton) 3. Dean Kenyon (after reading AE Wilder-Smith) 4. Stephen Meyer (after hearing Dean Kenyon) 5. John Sanford (after reading Behe) 6. Caroline Crocker (after reading Behe and Dembski) 7. Donald Johnson (after reading various) Most of the above listed were converted after they had successful careers in the sciences. What book changed my mind? 1. Denton's Evolution a Theory in Crisis 2. Mystery of Life's Origin by Thaxton, Bradley, Olsen. The best non-exclusive-ID book? Debating Design. Edited by Michael Ruse and Bill Dembski.scordova
March 14, 2010
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Or is it just that the only books worth considering happen to be pro-ID?
I've yet to come across an anti-ID book worth reading. You have one you'd like to recommend?Mung
March 14, 2010
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By "Top 10 books to read on ID," you mean "Top 10 pro-ID books," right? Or is it just that the only books worth considering happen to be pro-ID?David Kellogg
March 14, 2010
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Wow. I certainly wouldn't have put Monton's book at #3. He's off-base on a number of points, doesn't really address the modern argument as we all know it through Behe, Dembski, et al, and he makes it clear that his designer is God. Here's a quote from his book:
In this section I will grant that intelligent design does postulate supernatural causation.
Basically, his entire book is written based upon this view of ID.Mung
March 14, 2010
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