Darwin's Black Box: The Biochemical Challenge to Evolution
Author:
Genres: Science & Math, Engineering & Transportation
Book Type: Paperback
Author:
Genres: Science & Math, Engineering & Transportation
Book Type: Paperback
Eric M. reviewed on
Helpful Score: 1
The issue of man's origins remains a debated topic. This book does stake out a position, it is by no means a neutral source of information. But it is loaded with information that is interesting whether you agree with the author's conclusions or not.
Michael Behe is a microbiologist who makes the case for more than the appearance of design in life on this planet. Many agree there is at least the appearance of design, but Behe goes on to say there is design. He does not take up who or what that intelligence might be, but does take aim at the prevailing opinion that random events over millions of years explains the life we observe in the fossil record and in the biosphere.
The approach is a combination of proof of complexity in life and data from information science to make the case that the diversity of living things could not have happened with random events, no matter how many millions or billions of years are allowed. The complexity he brings into focus are the "miniature machines" that make up a living thing and the proteins that compose them. His proof is what can be plainly seen under a scanning electron microscope.
I loved the style he used because I love details. But a book loaded with factual details often confuses the reader resulting in the reader missing the point. Behe places the details in specially-marked sections that the reader knows are optional reading. You can follow the logic and assume he knows what he's talking about, or follow the logic and dive into the microscopic world of structures such as cilia, or processes such as blood clotting in mammals to see why he makes the point. Even though I had to re-read these sections slowly, the information was fascinating to me.
I found it a great read, especially considering a scientist wrote it. But you need not worry that it moves along the way a textbook does. It read to me more like the results of investigation and the implications of those results. It is largely a work for those who care about the debate over the origin of life and want to know more about a relatively new aspect to the debate.
Michael Behe is a microbiologist who makes the case for more than the appearance of design in life on this planet. Many agree there is at least the appearance of design, but Behe goes on to say there is design. He does not take up who or what that intelligence might be, but does take aim at the prevailing opinion that random events over millions of years explains the life we observe in the fossil record and in the biosphere.
The approach is a combination of proof of complexity in life and data from information science to make the case that the diversity of living things could not have happened with random events, no matter how many millions or billions of years are allowed. The complexity he brings into focus are the "miniature machines" that make up a living thing and the proteins that compose them. His proof is what can be plainly seen under a scanning electron microscope.
I loved the style he used because I love details. But a book loaded with factual details often confuses the reader resulting in the reader missing the point. Behe places the details in specially-marked sections that the reader knows are optional reading. You can follow the logic and assume he knows what he's talking about, or follow the logic and dive into the microscopic world of structures such as cilia, or processes such as blood clotting in mammals to see why he makes the point. Even though I had to re-read these sections slowly, the information was fascinating to me.
I found it a great read, especially considering a scientist wrote it. But you need not worry that it moves along the way a textbook does. It read to me more like the results of investigation and the implications of those results. It is largely a work for those who care about the debate over the origin of life and want to know more about a relatively new aspect to the debate.
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