In the Beginning: A Scientist Shows Why the Creationists Are Wrong

by Christopher McGowan

Book Overview

"The creationists are eager to inflict their particular brand of 'science' upon our children," writes Chris McGowan, "and this is where responsible scientists must draw the line. The creationists say... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0879752408
• ISBN13: 9780879752408
• Release Date: March 1984
• Publisher: Prometheus Books
• Length: 221 Pages
• Weight: 0.72 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

some parts too technical

Most of the book is interesting. As the above reviewers noted, there is a section on each of the major transitions which Creationists say don't exist. There is a synopsis of the history of Creationism and Evolutionism. There is also a synopsis of the geological column. Like Frank Zindler, McGowan goes along with the Flood myth and describes the overwhelming task entrusted to Noah and his seven trusty assistants. When McGowan tries to describe skeletons in simple layman terms, however, he didn't make it simple enough for me. Rather, I used the occasion for speedreading practice. For those who are unwilling to aceept transitions on faith, he should probably have relegated such discussion to the appendix. It's a good book. The most thorough books on C/E that I know of are "The Counter-Creationism Handbook" by Mark Isaak and "Science and Earth History" by Arthur N. Strahler, but this is still a good one.

"There are no transitional fossils"

Without a doubt, the author gives the strongest evidence I've read that the typical creationist barb "there are no transitional fossils" is rubbish. Usually right after they say this, they quote some mainstream scientist to prove their point. However, that's clearly not the case, as McGowan shows. Covering reptile-mammal, dinosaur-bird, fish-amphibian, amphibian-reptile, unicellular-multicellular, invertebrate-choradate, ape-human, horse, and other transition fossils, the author leaves no group behind and provides demonstrable proof that there is a visible transition in things both living and fossilized. I subtract a star since the author does not argue against many other creationist claims (which are covered adequately elsewhere, but it wouldn't hurt to have a few more mentioned) and because the author's work is mainly a response to Morris' and Gish's books published in the 70s.

Presents scientific case for evolution & debunks creationism

Chris McGowan does an outstanding job of presenting the evidence for the occurrence of evolution. Where applicable, he demonstrates the inadequacy of creationism to account for evidence and how creationists must ultimately invoke divine causes to complete their model of origins

Does a great job debunking creationist nonsense.

Denton covers most of the major creationist claims, and shows why creationism is bunk. Those who detest creationists for trying to force their pseudoscience into schools will find this book invaluable, and those who are unfamiliar with the subject will find this a good introduction