What's Darwin Got to Do With It: A Friendly Conversation About Evolution

by Robert C. Newman

What's Darwin got to do with it? When it comes to evolution, quite a bit But many people don't understand Darwin, creationism and intelligent design. Here's a book that makes sense of it all A group of scholars, teachers, writers and illustrators have teamed up to create an easy-to-read introduction and critique to this important issue. You'll enjoy the lively and funny conversation that unfolds between two professors and they explore what science can explain about life. You'll find out what logic has to do with it. You'll see whether the changing beak sizes of Galapagos Islands finches prove Darwinism. And you'll enjoy the adventures of Darwinian superstars "Mutaman" and "Selecta." There's more to it all than you ever thought. But this witty and wise book makes it easier to understand than ever before

Genres: Science, Nonfiction, Theology, Philosophy, Evolution

146 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

Reviews

[Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

This may look like a comic book, but don't assume its authors are shallow! Newman has doctorates in both science (astrophysics from Cornell) and in theology. He understands science and has thought deeply about these issues. But he also has a lively sense of humor and a dry wit.

I gave it a one-star deduction for being a little unfair to the evolutionist. He stacks the deck a little. But, hey, the evolutionists run just about everything, and when was the last time they let someone else have a say? Anyone who doesn't buy into the Neo-Darwinian dogma is labeled by them a *creationist*, lumping him in with Young Earth hicks. So Newman should get a little latitude, don't you think?

The final section is the best.

Go read one of the other more serious Intelligent Design books by William Dembski, Hugh Ross, Michael Behe, Stephen Meyers (Newman has a very good essay in the collection edited by Dembski entitled *Mere Creation*). But when you want to lighten up and have some fun with this subject, get this book!

[David Purdy · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is a discredit to creationism and an insult to a thinking readership, whatever they believe about evolution. Despite being subtitled "A Friendly Discussion about Evolution", this book depicts the characters who believe in evolution as brainless, deluded, and unkind, while the characters who don't believe in evolution are depicted as intelligent, unbiased, and good-natured. Robert C. Newman commits the straw man fallacy frequently throughout the book and presents an altogether unsatisfying and ungracious defense of creationism.

[Barbara Radisavljevic · Rating 3 out of 5]

The format of this book makes it easier for young people and adults alike to follow the sometimes complex (for us liberal arts majors) trains of thought. The illustrations by Janet Moneymaker are designed like comic panels. The panels portray a dialogue between Professor Teller, an advocate of Darwinism, and Professor Questor (female), who presents evidence for intelligent design. As the two professors speak, their arguments are illustrated, sometimes with a bit of humor, in the comic strip format. But there are frequent breaks in this format to define terms and teach concepts of logic. Make no mistake about it. This is no comic book, even if it looks like one. It discusses the two major explanations for the earth's origin
1. The theistic: A preexisting intelligence created and designed the universe, life, and human beings.
2. The Materialistic: Only matter-energy has always existed, and life owes its origin to a process of undirected evolutionary change from molecules to humanity.


The debate is friendly and respectful. But it does not attempt to defend anything but intelligent design. If you are looking for a book that gives evidence for a young earth, this isn't the book. It does not deal with Genesis nor appeal to the Bible as evidence. It simply points out the fallacies in Darwinism and lays out the evidence for intelligent design. Some people will believe it does not go far enough. Others will find that the attractive format, which is much easier to plow through than a textbook, is just the thing to help young people about to enter a secular university get a handle on what they may face in the sciences and prepare them to show the holes in the logic of those who support Darwinism.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

"What's Darwin Got to Do With It?" is an apologetic about scientific and logic problems with some of the commonly used "proofs" for macroevolution. The book is a quick read due to the cartoon-format (drawings with dialogue bubbles). It's appropriate for high school level on up, though probably middle schoolers could also understand it. The book covered topics like natural selection (moths and bird beaks), missing links (lack of transitional fossils, the Cambrian Explosion), common skeleton features between animals, information found in DNA, and irreducible complexity.

The book didn't deal with the question of the age of the Earth or universe. In one frame, the intelligent design gal mentioned millions of years in a way that sounded like she didn't contest that (rather than saying it in a way that sounded like she meant "even by your own standards of time..."). I believe in a young universe.

Still, I like to use this book as a way to introduce people to these problems with marcoevolution because it's a quick, fun read while still clearly explaining the points. It is an introduction level, though, so it's not really for people who feel they are experts on the issues. I'd recommend this book to people unfamiliar with the issues and who don't want to spend much time learning about them.

[Caleb M. Powers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting graphic novel about intelligent design versus Darwinism. The points are right on, they've done their research tremendously well. I was glad to see it shelved alongside strict "evolution is a fact" books in the non-fiction section.

Unfortunately, the authors refused to take it a step further and actually bring up God or the Bible in the discussion, which I, for one, think is a grave mistake. As much evidence as they brought into the argument, they missed out on SO much more evidence that makes the case for God and his Word being true very solid. Such as the Flood explaining the entire geologic record, and logic and morality being impossible with God's existence.

But, as a work of non-fiction designed to get people to realize the fallacies that Darwinists are claiming as fact, and to think about the much more reasonable alternative, it is very successful. If you're at all wondering about intelligent design and the actual facts behind Darwinism and evolution, you should take a look at this!

[Kerrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was done in a "comic book" type format, but the subject matter was very serious. I liked that the information was written in an easy-to-understand way, as a dialogue between two people debating the merits of intelligent design and Darwinism. It covered much of the same material I am reading in Defeating Darwinism, but in a MUCH easier (and more fun) to read text. Since reading this book, Defeating Darwinism, and It Couldn't Just Happen, I have a tremendously better understanding of why Darwinism just isn't feasible. The fact that living things evolve over time, I do agree that that happens. There is a HUGE difference between evolution (small "e") and Evolution (Darwinism). If you don't know the difference, you need to read at least this book, if not the other two I listed. This is a good read for anyone who wants to know more.

[Sophia · Rating 3 out of 5]

very nice book that will apeal to kids with its comics.