What Darwin Didn't Know

by Geoffrey Simmons and William A. Dembski

Book Overview

Endorsed by William Dembski, Ph.D., the scientist at the forefront of the intelligent-design movement. Darwin might have thought twice about publishing his theories if he had had access to today's medical and microbiological discoveries. Drawing on years of research, Dr. Simmons demonstrates that the almost infinite complexity of the human anatomy simply could not have developed by chance. For example: the body runs on "battery power"...from the hundreds...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0736913130
• ISBN13: 9780736913133
• Release Date: January 2004
• Publisher: Harvest House Publishers
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 0.86 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.6" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Fascinating journey into the human body.

The ancients had it all wrong. They dubbed the Pyramid of Giza, and Hanging Gardens of Babylon, Colossus of Rhodes, etc to be the Seven wonders of the world. Little did they know that to find the biggest wonder in the world, all they had to do was look inside themselves. That ability had to wait for the technology that would allow humans to discover what a marvel they really are. As the wonders of what transpires under my skin were skillfully unfolded, my mind was filled with awe. There is no part of the body I will take for granted again. Who can not be impressed that their blood vessels laid out end to end would circle the globe twice? How about the fact one cell is more complex than the space shuttle? Those stories and more await discovery between the covers. Dr. Simmons tells the story with humor and clear, precise language. He is the tour guide on this ultimate, incredible journey. At each stop in the human machine, he reveals in detail the complexity of that particular part of the body and how it relates to the whole. The chapter on reproduction is absolutely mind boggling. The chapter on the development of an embryo gives the reader a play by play account of the development of a new human being. All the major systems of the body are explained in language that makes it fun to read this book. Dr. Simmons is a writer who is also a scientist. This is one of the most edifying books I have ever read. If you home school your children or teach science in a private school, this book is an excellent resource to augment your curriculum.

Evolution: chance or necessity?

The problem is not so much what Darwin didn't know, since it is clear by now that most of what he said about evolution has really nothing to do with it, much less is able to explain it. Actually this applies, "mutatis mutandis", to all present evolutionists. Let me tell you what Darwinists still don't know. Although they have lots of models and theories, they really can't explain: 1) the origin of the Universe; 2) the origin of the first stars; 3) the origin of the first galaxies; 4) the origin of the solar system; 5) the origin of the Earth and the Moon; 6) the origin of the oceans; 7) the origin of life; 8) particles-to-people evolution; 9) the origin of the sexes; 10) the origin of language, etc, etc. They can't even demonstrate that random mutations and natural selection are responsible for all the complex specified information we see all around us. So don't ask only what Darwin didn't know; ask also what Darwinists still don't know. The real problem is that universities have been "programmed" with the wrong "software" ever since the historical emergence of "scientist anti-metaphysical positivism". How can universities detect design if they were "programmed" not to do so? The main reason why all scientific disciplines agree with evolution is because they cannot but agree with evolution. They have no choice. The "system" doesn't allow any other option. This is not a scientific problem: it is a systemic problem. Most modern universities have excluded arguments based on design and teleology a priori, as non scientific. Because of that, their "systemic code" can only detect random, natural and accidental causes and processes. Agreement with evolution has been pre-programmed into the system, and as the saying goes: garbage in, garbage out. That's why I am not really impressed with the argument according to which all disciplines of science agree that evolution took place. That should not be considered a valid argument in favour of evolution, since that "conclusion" is really nothing more than the assumption from which they start reasoning in the first place and from which they approach the facts. No alternative assumptions or interpretations are allowed, no matter how well they are able to explain and predict. This means that all current certainties about evolution are nothing more than circular reasoning. In fact, that translates in to the methodologies and arguments of all the scientific disciplines: when they deal with evolution they do so in terms of tautology and fallacy. We see that in geology, palaeontology, biology, genetics, chemistry, astrophysics, etc. The conclusion in favour of evolution is necessary, because the assumption of evolution is mandatory. In "scientific" circles evolution is not so much a matter of chance, but a matter of necessity. The Dover trial on evolution and intelligent design is a good example: if scientists dismiss design arguments a priori as non scientific, it should be no surprise to anyone that

Well done from a medical point of view

This book is unique in that it comes from a medical/physiological point of view. It is the first book in over 30 years that looks at the complexity of the human body as it pertains to evolution. In the early 70's a book entitled The Body has a Head was published. It was virtually unreadable. Dr. Simmons book is eminently readable and very interesting. Furthermore, Darwin had several doubts about his own theories and Dr. Simmons points out these areas of weakness. If you want to learn something about the arguments surrounding evolution and don't want to have to read a scientific tome, this is the book for you.

Excellent!

The author, a medical doctor, in this book recounts his conversion from a Darwinist to an Intelligent Design advocate. He also goes into detail about his indoctrination into Darwinism in school and why he began to doubt Darwinism in later life (as have more and more intellectuals today). What Darwin Didn't Know is an excellent, very readable, work about how little Darwin knew about biology, especially cell biology, because so little was known when he lived and worked. If he lived today in a nonDarwinian world, his theory would have difficulty getting published in a mainline journal. For example, in the middle 1800s cells were thought to be simple globs of protoplasm that served as mere building blocks of a body much like bricks are used to construct a house. Now we realize that cells are the most complex machine in the known universe that can live on their own in the right environment. Over 200 very different types are known. Much of the book is on human anatomy and physiology and why our modern knowledge has proven Darwinism wrong. As I teach Human Anatomy and Physiology at the college level, I found the book fascinating and found much insight to enrich my classes. This book is also an excellent introduction to anatomy and physiology that covers all 10 organ systems plus cell biology. I wish I had a book like this when I was an undergraduate (or even a graduate student in medical school). My first text was boring, to say the least. Students today are fortunate to have such excellent material as this available.

How the body works

When I went through medical school, I remember learning the amazing intricacies of the human body. "Someone needs to make this accessible to people not going through medical school," I thought at the time. Dr. Simmons, in this book, has done just that.This book does a lot more than give a strong argument for "Intelligent Design" -- though it certainly does that. In fact, I ended the book impressed that it takes quite a bit more faith to believe in evolution than it does to believe in a purposeful creator. But this book also explains the body's complex inner workings in a way that is easy to understand, and to remember.