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Evolution and Belief: Confessions of a Religious Paleontologist
Can a scientist believe in God? Does the ongoing debate between some evolutionists and evangelicals show that the two sides are irreconcilable? As a paleontologist and a religious believer, Robert Asher constantly confronts the perceived conflict between his occupation and his faith. In the course of his scientific work, he has found that no other theory comes close to Darwin's as an explanation for our world's incredible biodiversity. Recounting discoveries in molecular biology, paleontology and development, Asher reveals the remarkable evidence in favor of Darwinian evolution. In outlining the scope of Darwin's idea, Asher shows how evolution describes the cause of biodiversity, rather than the agency behind it. He draws a line between superstition and religion, recognizing that atheism is not the inevitable conclusion of evolutionary theory. By liberating evolution from its misappropriated religious implications, Asher promotes a balanced awareness that contributes to our understanding of biology and Earth history.
324 pages, Hardcover
First published January 23, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
April 2, 2016
This topic has been debated extensively since Darwin, so is another book needed? Having read broadly on both 'sides', I thought this book was worth a read, mainly because the author proposes to present paleontological evidence for evolution (something often done for adaption rather than complete speciation), whilst 'confessing' this is consistent with his belief in a Christian God.
I was disappointed that the first two chapters were largely philosophical, repeating much that I have read previously, but important for providing context: necessary for a debate as loaded as this one and educational for those who are relatively new to it. The central argument made is the difference between agency and cause, a point affirmed again in the conclusion. Essentially, atheists are wrong to assume that having established a scientific cause, that some agency is not behind it - this goes beyond the scope of science. However, far from endorsing intelligent design, Asher argues that their critique of the science is unfounded and doesn't require a designer, of human-like or other intelligence. Whichever agency one believes in, it is ultimately a belief.
The bulk of the book is a rich documentation behind the 'forgotten' aspect of evolution, the fossil record. Despite studying paleontology at university, this is an area I had lots of questions about, many of which I thought could not be resolved because of the sparseness of the fossil record. Darwin knew this was a potential issue for his theory, but also stated clearly how his thesis might be falsified. If only university labs had stated that we were investigating this fundamental aspect of biology rather than the anatomy of molluscs as if for its own sake! The reading can be heavy going, despite the very tangible examples of evolution that are discussed (whales, elephants and the various mammal lineages). I am no longer unconvinced about the plausibility of 'macro-evolution', although I would not claim to sufficiently understand the detail in a single read through.
Added to the paleontology were some chapters concerning how DNA fits into the picture. This rounds out the book well and addresses how genetics can be studied when we don't have the specimens of extinct species to work on. I felt that aspect of the DNA argument were somewhat tangential to the ID arguments, however, this is also due to the conflation of natural selection with the origin of life (another stretch that goes beyond existing science, which ID clumsily critiques).
I am glad to have read this book, despite the time it took to get through. I was largely in agreement with the authors view before reading it, but am now far more informed in what should be a key knowledge base for a geologist. Getting this material into educational syllabuses is a must I think - the basis for it at whatever level is present in this book - a challenge for high school as it stands.
I was disappointed that the first two chapters were largely philosophical, repeating much that I have read previously, but important for providing context: necessary for a debate as loaded as this one and educational for those who are relatively new to it. The central argument made is the difference between agency and cause, a point affirmed again in the conclusion. Essentially, atheists are wrong to assume that having established a scientific cause, that some agency is not behind it - this goes beyond the scope of science. However, far from endorsing intelligent design, Asher argues that their critique of the science is unfounded and doesn't require a designer, of human-like or other intelligence. Whichever agency one believes in, it is ultimately a belief.
The bulk of the book is a rich documentation behind the 'forgotten' aspect of evolution, the fossil record. Despite studying paleontology at university, this is an area I had lots of questions about, many of which I thought could not be resolved because of the sparseness of the fossil record. Darwin knew this was a potential issue for his theory, but also stated clearly how his thesis might be falsified. If only university labs had stated that we were investigating this fundamental aspect of biology rather than the anatomy of molluscs as if for its own sake! The reading can be heavy going, despite the very tangible examples of evolution that are discussed (whales, elephants and the various mammal lineages). I am no longer unconvinced about the plausibility of 'macro-evolution', although I would not claim to sufficiently understand the detail in a single read through.
Added to the paleontology were some chapters concerning how DNA fits into the picture. This rounds out the book well and addresses how genetics can be studied when we don't have the specimens of extinct species to work on. I felt that aspect of the DNA argument were somewhat tangential to the ID arguments, however, this is also due to the conflation of natural selection with the origin of life (another stretch that goes beyond existing science, which ID clumsily critiques).
I am glad to have read this book, despite the time it took to get through. I was largely in agreement with the authors view before reading it, but am now far more informed in what should be a key knowledge base for a geologist. Getting this material into educational syllabuses is a must I think - the basis for it at whatever level is present in this book - a challenge for high school as it stands.
January 29, 2013
You know you're in for a workout when there are 21 end notes in the Prologue. However, Asher's book is basically layman-friendly, except for his habit of introducing new terms without defining them.
Asher's purpose in writing this book is to make two points: (1) "that evolution is true as a mechanism that explains how living things on our planet have been derived from similar living things that came before them," and (2) "that understanding how evolution works does not address the potential `who' and `why' behind it." His book succeeds in making both points, emphasizing that "evolutionary biology is about explaining natural cause, not divine agency."
For the most part, his book is a well-written survey of current research in mammalian evolution, including, for instance, a six-page table of 137 "fossil animals known to mix anatomical features present in living groups, along with citations documenting current ideas on their place in the vertebrate Tree of Life," in order to counter the common creationist claim that transitional sequences are rare at best.
Asher also includes a three-page table listing 38 peer-reviewed, scientific publications from 2009-2010 "of cases in which genetic and phenotypic `novel information' is shown to be linked to natural processes," in order to counter the common creationist claim that evolutionary biology cannot account for novel information. He also has a detailed discussion of an example of misrepresentation of the scientific literature in the anti-evolution biology textbook "Explore Evolution."
Asher points out that the young-earth creationist pronouncement, "I don't believe in evolution because God did it" is just as wrong as the atheist pronouncement, "I don't believe in God because evolution did it."
The book includes 37 pages of end notes, a 28-page bibliography, and a 4-page index, and it is well illustrated with photos and evolutionary trees.
The title and the sub-title are misleading in that the book contains a lot about evolution and very little about belief. I recommend this book for anyone interested in a convincing case for the explanatory power of biological evolution (particularly mammalian) and the independent sources of evidence for it. If you are looking for approaches to integrate biological evolution with Christian faith, this book will not be helpful.
Asher's purpose in writing this book is to make two points: (1) "that evolution is true as a mechanism that explains how living things on our planet have been derived from similar living things that came before them," and (2) "that understanding how evolution works does not address the potential `who' and `why' behind it." His book succeeds in making both points, emphasizing that "evolutionary biology is about explaining natural cause, not divine agency."
For the most part, his book is a well-written survey of current research in mammalian evolution, including, for instance, a six-page table of 137 "fossil animals known to mix anatomical features present in living groups, along with citations documenting current ideas on their place in the vertebrate Tree of Life," in order to counter the common creationist claim that transitional sequences are rare at best.
Asher also includes a three-page table listing 38 peer-reviewed, scientific publications from 2009-2010 "of cases in which genetic and phenotypic `novel information' is shown to be linked to natural processes," in order to counter the common creationist claim that evolutionary biology cannot account for novel information. He also has a detailed discussion of an example of misrepresentation of the scientific literature in the anti-evolution biology textbook "Explore Evolution."
Asher points out that the young-earth creationist pronouncement, "I don't believe in evolution because God did it" is just as wrong as the atheist pronouncement, "I don't believe in God because evolution did it."
The book includes 37 pages of end notes, a 28-page bibliography, and a 4-page index, and it is well illustrated with photos and evolutionary trees.
The title and the sub-title are misleading in that the book contains a lot about evolution and very little about belief. I recommend this book for anyone interested in a convincing case for the explanatory power of biological evolution (particularly mammalian) and the independent sources of evidence for it. If you are looking for approaches to integrate biological evolution with Christian faith, this book will not be helpful.
March 26, 2015
Evolution and Belief is written by a paleontologist who believes in God in order to show how religion and science are not mutually exclusive, they actually are very compatible. Mr. Asher takes a rational tone and viewpoint to make an open and understanding argument for his case. As a religious paleontologist myself, I was elated to find out about this book and I enjoyed it very much.
Most of the book is geared toward educating anti-evolutionists or undecided people about the science behind evolution and picking apart uninformed, biased, ignorant, and intentionally misleading arguments against evolution. Mr. Asher is not antagonistic and represents his opponents' viewpoints and statements accurately and in context. He does all this in a way that is both interesting and understandable to any reasonable person. Though I will admit that I did get a little lost in the chapter on DNA.
This book is informative and interesting and Mr. Asher goes out on a limb, potentially risking ostracism by both fanatic camps to state his views. I commend him for his courage and the excellent way in which he executed it.
I'm glad to know there are more of us out there, Mr. Asher. I don't feel so odd anymore. Thank you.
Most of the book is geared toward educating anti-evolutionists or undecided people about the science behind evolution and picking apart uninformed, biased, ignorant, and intentionally misleading arguments against evolution. Mr. Asher is not antagonistic and represents his opponents' viewpoints and statements accurately and in context. He does all this in a way that is both interesting and understandable to any reasonable person. Though I will admit that I did get a little lost in the chapter on DNA.
This book is informative and interesting and Mr. Asher goes out on a limb, potentially risking ostracism by both fanatic camps to state his views. I commend him for his courage and the excellent way in which he executed it.
I'm glad to know there are more of us out there, Mr. Asher. I don't feel so odd anymore. Thank you.
June 21, 2012
If you're interested in reading a good book that explains evolution in a relatively accessible way, I highly recommend this book. I feel like I really learned a lot, and that was what I really wanted. It's not an easy read, or at least it wasn't for me, but I definitely thought it was worth the effort. If you're expecting an apologetics book, you're going to be disappointed. If you want some education into the theory of evolution, with a sprinkling of how that relates to the Judeo-Christian tradition (or doesn't, as the case may be), then you should probably give this book a shot.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews