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Heretyk. Podróż pewnego naukowca od darwinizmu do teorii inteligentnego projektu
Kiedy jeden ze studentów pożyczył fińskiemu badaczowi książkę kwestionującą teorię ewolucji, ten zareagował gniewem. Zdecydowany bronić powszechnie przyjętego paradygmatu odkrył jednak, że jego wysiłki rodziły więcej pytań niż odpowiedzi. Niebawem zamienił się w sceptyka wątpiącego w darwinizm, przez co świadomie zaryzykował karierę biotechnologa. Podczas tej niezwykłej intelektualnej podróży zdobył zarówno nowych przyjaciół, jak i wrogów, a jej echa przetoczyły się po głównych laboratoriach i uniwersytetach Europy.
Śledząc drogę badawczą Leisoli, autorzy szeroko nawiązują do jego specjalistycznej wiedzy w dziedzinie biologii molekularnej i pokazują, że opierając się jedynie na najnowszych danych naukowych, teoria inteligentnego projektu pozostawiła w tyle szeroko przyjęty neodarwinizm. Nawet cała armia biotechnologów nie jest w stanie otrzeć się o kunszt biotechnologa, którego ślady działalności widzimy w przyrodzie.
Śledząc drogę badawczą Leisoli, autorzy szeroko nawiązują do jego specjalistycznej wiedzy w dziedzinie biologii molekularnej i pokazują, że opierając się jedynie na najnowszych danych naukowych, teoria inteligentnego projektu pozostawiła w tyle szeroko przyjęty neodarwinizm. Nawet cała armia biotechnologów nie jest w stanie otrzeć się o kunszt biotechnologa, którego ślady działalności widzimy w przyrodzie.
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 15, 2018
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February 27, 2018
We are in the middle of an exciting change in thinking, but old paradigms die slowly.
"Based on our current knowledge of what the origin of life would require, it appears that a trillion years times a trillion years wouldn’t have been long enough."
Leisola, Matti. Heretic: One Scientist's Journey from Darwin to Design (Kindle Locations 464-465). Discovery Institute Press. Kindle Edition.
Neo-Darwinism had a major math problem. There is no evolutionary explanation for the origin of information, which is an essential feature of biology. Scientists who point this out, like Finnish biotechnologist Matti Leisola, face an uphill battle against the obsolete thinking of the science establishment.
"Based on our current knowledge of what the origin of life would require, it appears that a trillion years times a trillion years wouldn’t have been long enough."
Leisola, Matti. Heretic: One Scientist's Journey from Darwin to Design (Kindle Locations 464-465). Discovery Institute Press. Kindle Edition.
Neo-Darwinism had a major math problem. There is no evolutionary explanation for the origin of information, which is an essential feature of biology. Scientists who point this out, like Finnish biotechnologist Matti Leisola, face an uphill battle against the obsolete thinking of the science establishment.
December 18, 2020
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يبدو أن الخروج من نطاق التفكير المادي والمنهج الدارويني يُشبه إلى حد ما محاولة الخروج من حقلٍ مليء بالألغام ، وفكرة أن تُمارس حرية التفكير التي يدعيها هؤلاء ويرفعونها شعارات رنانة في محافلهم هي مقبولة طالما لم تخرج عن صندوقهم ! .
ماحدث مع العالم الفلندي " ماتي ليسولا " من محاربة واضطهاد ليس إلا نموذج لما يحدث فعلا خلف ستار تلك الأنظمة العلمية . الجدير بالذكر أن "ليسولا " نفسه كان مؤمناً بالداروينية ويعدها من المسلمات العلمية ؛ ولكن ماحدث معه يشبه ما حدث مع -أنتوني فلو - فالبحث عن الدليل كما قاد الثاني إلى الإيمان بوجود خالق الكون ، قاد الأول للإيمان بأن الداروينية لا تتعدى مجرد كونها افتراضات يحاول البعض " عبثا " من خلالها تفسير مالا يجدون تفسيره وفقا للمنهج المادي المعتمد لديهم .
في الكتاب الكثير من القصص التي تخبرك عن " البلطجة الفكرية " والإضطهاد العلمي بقلم بسيط جدا وواضح بعيد عن التعقيد .
أنصح بقراءة الكتاب إذا كنت من المهتمين في مجال العلم والدين .
ماذا بعد القراءة ؟
أنا دائما أتأمل ردود الأفعال التي تصدر من الجماعات أيا كانت تجاه من يغرد خارج السرب ، في حالتنا هنا رأينا كيف انتقلت النظرة للعالم ماتي ليسولا من نظرة تقدير وإحترام إلى نظرة دونية محتقرة إنتهت بوصفه بالمهرطق ! هو نفسه الشخص ذاته ! لكنه انتقل من مرتبة عليا إلى سفلى بمجرد أن خالفهم الرأي ..
وهذا يحدث ، ويحدث بشدة أيضا .
بالمناسبة هذا ثالث أفضل كتاب قرأته حتى اللحظة ( ضمن قائمة الـ Top Ten )
#تمت
#أبجدية_فرح 5/5 🌸
#candleflame23bookreviews
#كتاب #المهرطق
رحلة عالم من داروين إلى التصميم
#الكاتب #ماتي_ ليسولا وجوناثان ويت
صادر عن #مركز_تكوين للدراسات والأبحاث ~📚🌸
#غرد_بإقتباس
#حي_على_القراءة
#ماذا_تقرأ #ماذا_تقتبس #القراءة_حياة
#القراءة #القراءة_حياة_أخرى_نعيشها
.
يبدو أن الخروج من نطاق التفكير المادي والمنهج الدارويني يُشبه إلى حد ما محاولة الخروج من حقلٍ مليء بالألغام ، وفكرة أن تُمارس حرية التفكير التي يدعيها هؤلاء ويرفعونها شعارات رنانة في محافلهم هي مقبولة طالما لم تخرج عن صندوقهم ! .
ماحدث مع العالم الفلندي " ماتي ليسولا " من محاربة واضطهاد ليس إلا نموذج لما يحدث فعلا خلف ستار تلك الأنظمة العلمية . الجدير بالذكر أن "ليسولا " نفسه كان مؤمناً بالداروينية ويعدها من المسلمات العلمية ؛ ولكن ماحدث معه يشبه ما حدث مع -أنتوني فلو - فالبحث عن الدليل كما قاد الثاني إلى الإيمان بوجود خالق الكون ، قاد الأول للإيمان بأن الداروينية لا تتعدى مجرد كونها افتراضات يحاول البعض " عبثا " من خلالها تفسير مالا يجدون تفسيره وفقا للمنهج المادي المعتمد لديهم .
في الكتاب الكثير من القصص التي تخبرك عن " البلطجة الفكرية " والإضطهاد العلمي بقلم بسيط جدا وواضح بعيد عن التعقيد .
أنصح بقراءة الكتاب إذا كنت من المهتمين في مجال العلم والدين .
ماذا بعد القراءة ؟
أنا دائما أتأمل ردود الأفعال التي تصدر من الجماعات أيا كانت تجاه من يغرد خارج السرب ، في حالتنا هنا رأينا كيف انتقلت النظرة للعالم ماتي ليسولا من نظرة تقدير وإحترام إلى نظرة دونية محتقرة إنتهت بوصفه بالمهرطق ! هو نفسه الشخص ذاته ! لكنه انتقل من مرتبة عليا إلى سفلى بمجرد أن خالفهم الرأي ..
وهذا يحدث ، ويحدث بشدة أيضا .
بالمناسبة هذا ثالث أفضل كتاب قرأته حتى اللحظة ( ضمن قائمة الـ Top Ten )
#تمت
#أبجدية_فرح 5/5 🌸
#candleflame23bookreviews
#كتاب #المهرطق
رحلة عالم من داروين إلى التصميم
#الكاتب #ماتي_ ليسولا وجوناثان ويت
صادر عن #مركز_تكوين للدراسات والأبحاث ~📚🌸
#غرد_بإقتباس
#حي_على_القراءة
#ماذا_تقرأ #ماذا_تقتبس #القراءة_حياة
#القراءة #القراءة_حياة_أخرى_نعيشها
June 28, 2018
Follow the evidence where it leads. That used to be a central tenet of scientific exploration, but a worldview has crept into the science establishment that brooks no dissent. Accept materialism, or perish. Dr Leisola began his scientific career in the materialism camp, but over the course of his studies and experiments, began to see that another explanation may provide an answer for the unsolved mysteries of Darwinian theory. By speaking out, he became the "Heretic". This is a good general market overview of the current state of evolution vs intelligent design thinking. There is enough science jargon to satisfy those with an inclination towards it, but it is also elementary enough to be accessible by most people.
February 11, 2018
A courageful journey
A courageful journey of a scientist to follow the evidence, no matter of what.
The evidence against Darwinism is overwhelming. Supporting macro evolution requires patches over patches over patches. And many of them are conflicting with each other. It is astonishing to realize the stickyness of the naked king elements of natural materialism in science and in academy despite the evidence.
The book is written in a reasonable and a respectful tone. There are no reasons for bullying or ridiculing others. The science is advancing only when different theories can be presented freely without fear or restrictions. Let the evidence speak on behalf of each of them.
The chapter division of this book was not always too easy to follow. Sometimes It was not clear whether a thematic view or linear time progression view should have been taken as the ’red thread’.
Despite the above, the merit of the book is that It keeps the overall focus relatively well. It does not follow the potential side paths too far. Even when the book provides plenty of scientific details, you don’t need to be a microbiologist to follow. Some details can even be skipped, and still you can understand the conclusions.
This book can be recommended to anyone interested in origins of life. Even if you disagree with the author’s conclusion about the origin of life, it is worth of knowing the viable alternatives and make an honest own evaluaton based on the evidence.
Petri Vesterinen, D.Sc.(Tech.)
A courageful journey of a scientist to follow the evidence, no matter of what.
The evidence against Darwinism is overwhelming. Supporting macro evolution requires patches over patches over patches. And many of them are conflicting with each other. It is astonishing to realize the stickyness of the naked king elements of natural materialism in science and in academy despite the evidence.
The book is written in a reasonable and a respectful tone. There are no reasons for bullying or ridiculing others. The science is advancing only when different theories can be presented freely without fear or restrictions. Let the evidence speak on behalf of each of them.
The chapter division of this book was not always too easy to follow. Sometimes It was not clear whether a thematic view or linear time progression view should have been taken as the ’red thread’.
Despite the above, the merit of the book is that It keeps the overall focus relatively well. It does not follow the potential side paths too far. Even when the book provides plenty of scientific details, you don’t need to be a microbiologist to follow. Some details can even be skipped, and still you can understand the conclusions.
This book can be recommended to anyone interested in origins of life. Even if you disagree with the author’s conclusion about the origin of life, it is worth of knowing the viable alternatives and make an honest own evaluaton based on the evidence.
Petri Vesterinen, D.Sc.(Tech.)
March 8, 2019
Designed .....I think so
Matti Leisola neatly and thoroughly highlights the problems of evolutionary theory. I find this the arguments upon this book very convincing. Evolution is in crisis. I am convinced the theory of Intelligent Design will become more prominent in this century. Who is the designer ? This is the big question.
Matti Leisola neatly and thoroughly highlights the problems of evolutionary theory. I find this the arguments upon this book very convincing. Evolution is in crisis. I am convinced the theory of Intelligent Design will become more prominent in this century. Who is the designer ? This is the big question.
August 6, 2021
The Crime of Thinking Outside the Box
Dr. Matti Leisola is a Finnish bioengineer who, over the course of an almost forty-year career, has published 140 peer-reviewed articles and served as research director at an international biotech company. This book is largely his own, the contribution of his co-author, Jonathan Witt, being mainly to improve the readability of the English for the book.
Over his long career working on biotechnological applications of enzymes, he became increasingly critical of Darwinian attempts to explain their origin, noting that while confidence in the Darwinian paradigm was constantly asserted, behind the scenes in textbooks and articles it was admitted that science really didn’t have the first clue as to their origin.
But he knew enzymes. He understood the difficulties involved in engineering them to modify their functions. And he observed strict limits to what could be achieved by what was being called “directed evolution:” stability, pH and temperature tolerances, and desired product production could be altered, but no novel functions, and certainly no new enzymes, could be produced.
He noted that bold pronouncements of evolution being “for the first time” witnessed in real time in the lab were not true. In reality what was being demonstrated was far more modest: all that had happened was either an existing function had been amplified, or a control mechanism has been broken. Genetic information has been lost, not gained. That’s not evolution.
The stability and natural optimization of proteins, the mathematical impossibility of natural selection using mutations to change one functional protein into one with a different function, together with a whole host of other biochemical data such as the computer code-like information content in DNA – these all were instrumental in steering Leisola from Darwin to Design.
But what of the book’s title? Is “Heretic” a bit much? Would we call anyone who disagrees with Darwinian gradualism a “heretic?” Were Stephen Jay Gould and Niles Eldredge heretics for rejecting the Darwinian mechanism in favor of punctuated equilibrium? How about the so-called “Altenberg 16” group of scientists who met in 2008 to try to come up with another alternative? Were they heretics? Well, surely theistic evolutionists would be considered heretics for mentioning “God” in the same sentence as “evolution.”
In fact, none of the above are Darwinian heretics. To see why, one has to ask the question, what is a heretic? A heretic is one who disagrees with the fundamental precepts of a religion. Atheist Darwinian philosopher Michael Ruse has candidly admitted that for many in the scientific community evolution functions as a religion, as “a full-fledged alternative to Christianity.”
For them, the key contribution of Darwin is not his mechanism of natural selection acting upon random mutations, but his removal of design from biology and proposal of an entirely closed, mechanistic scenario.
And that is why theistic evolutionists are not heretics: they concede that design is not empirically detectable in nature. To the extent that they see design of any kind in nature, it is only through the eyes of faith. That causes no tension with the Darwinists, for whom “faith” is outside the realm of knowledge.
Matti Leisola is a heretic because he denied a fundamental precept of evolution and argued that design in nature is real and empirically detectable.
The combination of scientific argument with personal anecdote and drama makes this book as much a commentary on the second-order aspects of science (i.e. science as religion) as it is a case for a particular scientific point of view.
Dr. Matti Leisola is a Finnish bioengineer who, over the course of an almost forty-year career, has published 140 peer-reviewed articles and served as research director at an international biotech company. This book is largely his own, the contribution of his co-author, Jonathan Witt, being mainly to improve the readability of the English for the book.
Over his long career working on biotechnological applications of enzymes, he became increasingly critical of Darwinian attempts to explain their origin, noting that while confidence in the Darwinian paradigm was constantly asserted, behind the scenes in textbooks and articles it was admitted that science really didn’t have the first clue as to their origin.
But he knew enzymes. He understood the difficulties involved in engineering them to modify their functions. And he observed strict limits to what could be achieved by what was being called “directed evolution:” stability, pH and temperature tolerances, and desired product production could be altered, but no novel functions, and certainly no new enzymes, could be produced.
He noted that bold pronouncements of evolution being “for the first time” witnessed in real time in the lab were not true. In reality what was being demonstrated was far more modest: all that had happened was either an existing function had been amplified, or a control mechanism has been broken. Genetic information has been lost, not gained. That’s not evolution.
The stability and natural optimization of proteins, the mathematical impossibility of natural selection using mutations to change one functional protein into one with a different function, together with a whole host of other biochemical data such as the computer code-like information content in DNA – these all were instrumental in steering Leisola from Darwin to Design.
But what of the book’s title? Is “Heretic” a bit much? Would we call anyone who disagrees with Darwinian gradualism a “heretic?” Were Stephen Jay Gould and Niles Eldredge heretics for rejecting the Darwinian mechanism in favor of punctuated equilibrium? How about the so-called “Altenberg 16” group of scientists who met in 2008 to try to come up with another alternative? Were they heretics? Well, surely theistic evolutionists would be considered heretics for mentioning “God” in the same sentence as “evolution.”
In fact, none of the above are Darwinian heretics. To see why, one has to ask the question, what is a heretic? A heretic is one who disagrees with the fundamental precepts of a religion. Atheist Darwinian philosopher Michael Ruse has candidly admitted that for many in the scientific community evolution functions as a religion, as “a full-fledged alternative to Christianity.”
For them, the key contribution of Darwin is not his mechanism of natural selection acting upon random mutations, but his removal of design from biology and proposal of an entirely closed, mechanistic scenario.
And that is why theistic evolutionists are not heretics: they concede that design is not empirically detectable in nature. To the extent that they see design of any kind in nature, it is only through the eyes of faith. That causes no tension with the Darwinists, for whom “faith” is outside the realm of knowledge.
Matti Leisola is a heretic because he denied a fundamental precept of evolution and argued that design in nature is real and empirically detectable.
The combination of scientific argument with personal anecdote and drama makes this book as much a commentary on the second-order aspects of science (i.e. science as religion) as it is a case for a particular scientific point of view.
December 25, 2023
This is an excellent book, with an unfortunate subtitle. The subtitle implies that the book talks about the journey of the author from Darwinism to Design, but this is deceiving. The story of the journey only takes a small proportion of the book. Instead the book discusses being a Heretic from the perspective of those whose “religion” is naturalism. After the journey of the author is highlighted, he provides a strong series of arguments against using only scientific naturalism and Neo-Darwinism to explain original life and the diversity of the animal kingdom. The book includes some of the best parts of others who argue for design, such as Johnson and Behe, while including scientific arguments against Neo-Darwinism (as the solution to origins). The author does an excellent job outlining how the scientific gaps have been growing and not shrinking over the last century, yet only naturalistic arguments are permitted in the academy even in areas of study where these gaps are growing. The book makes me thankful I am in Physics, where I am not persecuted for being a theist.
August 4, 2020
প্রফেসর অ্যামিরেটাস ম্যাটি লাইসোলা’র বইটা পাই গতবছর। নাম শুনে আগ্রহ জাগলো। কোন দুঃখে একজন বিজ্ঞানী বিবর্তন বাদ দিয়ে ডিজাইনকে উত্তম ব্যাখ্যা ভাবতে লাগলো! ১২ অধ্যায়ে ড. লাইসোলা তার জীবনকথা সাজিয়েছেন। বিবর্তনকে প্রত্যাখ্যান করার পিছে বিজ্ঞানকেই কারণ হিসেবে এনেছেন। তবে তার সাথে ধর্মীয় ভিত্তি উড়িয়ে দেয়া যায় না। উনি প্র্যাকটিসিং খ্রিস্টান। একই কথা নাস্তিকদের ক্ষেত্রেও প্রযোজ্য। বিবর্তন নাস্তিকতার পক্ষে সমর্থন যোগায় বলে তারা মনে করে (এটা ভুল ধারণা), তাই এর কোনো সমালোচনা শুনলেই তেলে বেগুনে জ্বলে উঠে। একাডেমিয়া থেকে পপুলার ডিসকোর্স, সর্বত্রই এই উপনিবেশি আচরণ দেখা যায়।
নতুন কোন আর্গুমেন্ট পেলাম না, মূলত ডিজাইন থিওরিস্টরা যেসব আর্গুমেন্ট সাজিয়েছেন সেটারই বিবরণ, তবে এর সাথে ড. লাইসোলার নিজস্ব গবেষণাপ্রসূত কথাও আছে বেশ। কীভাবে পশ্চিমা মহলে ডারউইনের সমালোচনাকে ট্যাবু ভাবা হয়, এবং জোর করে মুখ বন্ধ করা হয় তার বেশকিছু উদাহরন আছে বইতে; লেখক নিজেই যেগুলোর সাক্ষী। বইয়ের কিছু তথ্যের সাথে একমত না হলেও, মোটাদাগে মূলধারার কথাবার্তাই এসেছে মোটামুটি। সাইটেশানগুলোর উল্লেখযোগ্য অংশ ২০০০ সালের আগের। এটা আমার মতে একটা ড্রব্যাক।
নতুন কোন আর্গুমেন্ট পেলাম না, মূলত ডিজাইন থিওরিস্টরা যেসব আর্গুমেন্ট সাজিয়েছেন সেটারই বিবরণ, তবে এর সাথে ড. লাইসোলার নিজস্ব গবেষণাপ্রসূত কথাও আছে বেশ। কীভাবে পশ্চিমা মহলে ডারউইনের সমালোচনাকে ট্যাবু ভাবা হয়, এবং জোর করে মুখ বন্ধ করা হয় তার বেশকিছু উদাহরন আছে বইতে; লেখক নিজেই যেগুলোর সাক্ষী। বইয়ের কিছু তথ্যের সাথে একমত না হলেও, মোটাদাগে মূলধারার কথাবার্তাই এসেছে মোটামুটি। সাইটেশানগুলোর উল্লেখযোগ্য অংশ ২০০০ সালের আগের। এটা আমার মতে একটা ড্রব্যাক।
July 6, 2021
نعم تاريخ البدء و الانتهاء كما هو، عام منذ بدء قراءة هذا الكتاب ليس بسبب الملل او الصعوبة فيه بل بسبب احد طبائعي الانسانية السلبية فيّ والان الى المراجعة:
لعلي استهلها بما اقتبسه الكاتب عن ريتشارد هالفورسون حيث يقول:
"تتطلب الامانه الفكرية التفحص العقلاني لمسلماتنا الاساسية لكن التعبير عن التردد حول داروين يعد انتحارًا فكرياً غير عكوس يعد شكلًا جنونيا وذنباً اكاديمياً لا يغتفر .
ويضيف:
"رغم انه حقبة عصر ما بعد الحداثه تتساءل عن كل شيء اخر مثل امكانية المعرفة والاخلاق الاساسية والواقع نفسه الا ان النقاش الناقد لداروين محرم".
صدقني ان اسوأ نقاش ممكن القيام به هو نقاش مع شخص نباتيّ او داروينيّ لذلك لا املك الا ان أغرم بشجاعة العالم ماتي ليسولا و موضوعيته البعيدة كل البعد عن الدوغمائية الموجهة فلقد شعرت انني استعيد ذكريات انغماسي ب"نظرية المؤامرة" من باب التسلية و النظر لشتى الأمور من زاوية مختلفة وكان الأمر غالبًا مضحكًا او مثيرًا للدهشة، ماحدث مع ماتي يشبه ذلك كثيرًا، لم تشفع له ابحاثه و اوراقه العلمية و تجاربه التي اوصلته لدليل علمي ماديّ يدحض الداروينية امام سلطة المال و الكنيسة والاكاديمية المعلبة فبالرغم من ايمانه بالتصميم الذكي الذي يخدم الكنيسة اصلًا الا انه بات محاربًا من كلا الاتجاهين الداروينيون و الكنيسة فياللعجب بعدما كانت الكنيسة ألد اعداء الداروينية باتتا مصطحبتين يدًا بيد.
يجب ان لا ننسى ان ماتي ليسولا نفسه كان ملحدًا و تطوريًا (داروينيًا) لكنه مثّل العالِم الحقيقي خير تمثيل فقد اجرى دراسات و ابحاث بنفسه و وضع ارسخ ايمانياته على طاولة البحث و الاختبار ليخلُص الى نتيجته بنفسه و بالدليل القاطع و الحجة البيّنه و يقول:
"قد يبدو العلماء جماعة فخورة بنفسها الا انه حتى اكثر العلماء فخرا يحتاج لجرعة معتبرة من التواضع ليتبع الدليل بدلا من التحيزات الشخصيه "
وظل مؤكدًا طوال فصول وصفحات الكتاب بأهمية "الدليل العلمي" و دعا معارضيه مرارًا و تكرارًا للحوار و المناقشة بشأن ذلك.
كل ماقلته لا يشكل الا جانبًا واحدًا وهو شخصية الكاتب وتجربته ولعلي لا اجد في نفسي المقدرة لشرح دليله الذي يدحض الداروينية في هذه المراجعة ولكن ببساطة شديدة :
-الطفرات لا تولد انواعًا جديدة هي فقط تقوم بتغيرات وظيفية
-لا تعد الانيمياء المنجلية دليلًا على التطور كونها لا تخلق معلومات جديدة
-مشكلة الانفجار الكامبري
-الوراثة اللاجينية والتي تهز من أهمية (ومدى فهم) DNA الذي يعد لصيقًا باثبات الداروينية.
هذا ما اتسع له فهمي من هذا الكتاب و ماعداه كانت تجارب علمية باسماء بروتينات و انزيمات -كتبت بطريقة مبسطة يمكن فهمها اثناء القراءة طبعًا لكنني نسيتها الآن- ترد على اساسيات الداروينية.
اخيرًا ثقة الكاتب و روعة طرحه وجرأته و القصص العديدة التي قام بسردها مع اقتباسات من هنا وهناك جعلت الكتاب مادة علمية و أدبية بذات الوقت مليئة بالمتعة و الفائدة.
لعلي استهلها بما اقتبسه الكاتب عن ريتشارد هالفورسون حيث يقول:
"تتطلب الامانه الفكرية التفحص العقلاني لمسلماتنا الاساسية لكن التعبير عن التردد حول داروين يعد انتحارًا فكرياً غير عكوس يعد شكلًا جنونيا وذنباً اكاديمياً لا يغتفر .
ويضيف:
"رغم انه حقبة عصر ما بعد الحداثه تتساءل عن كل شيء اخر مثل امكانية المعرفة والاخلاق الاساسية والواقع نفسه الا ان النقاش الناقد لداروين محرم".
صدقني ان اسوأ نقاش ممكن القيام به هو نقاش مع شخص نباتيّ او داروينيّ لذلك لا املك الا ان أغرم بشجاعة العالم ماتي ليسولا و موضوعيته البعيدة كل البعد عن الدوغمائية الموجهة فلقد شعرت انني استعيد ذكريات انغماسي ب"نظرية المؤامرة" من باب التسلية و النظر لشتى الأمور من زاوية مختلفة وكان الأمر غالبًا مضحكًا او مثيرًا للدهشة، ماحدث مع ماتي يشبه ذلك كثيرًا، لم تشفع له ابحاثه و اوراقه العلمية و تجاربه التي اوصلته لدليل علمي ماديّ يدحض الداروينية امام سلطة المال و الكنيسة والاكاديمية المعلبة فبالرغم من ايمانه بالتصميم الذكي الذي يخدم الكنيسة اصلًا الا انه بات محاربًا من كلا الاتجاهين الداروينيون و الكنيسة فياللعجب بعدما كانت الكنيسة ألد اعداء الداروينية باتتا مصطحبتين يدًا بيد.
يجب ان لا ننسى ان ماتي ليسولا نفسه كان ملحدًا و تطوريًا (داروينيًا) لكنه مثّل العالِم الحقيقي خير تمثيل فقد اجرى دراسات و ابحاث بنفسه و وضع ارسخ ايمانياته على طاولة البحث و الاختبار ليخلُص الى نتيجته بنفسه و بالدليل القاطع و الحجة البيّنه و يقول:
"قد يبدو العلماء جماعة فخورة بنفسها الا انه حتى اكثر العلماء فخرا يحتاج لجرعة معتبرة من التواضع ليتبع الدليل بدلا من التحيزات الشخصيه "
وظل مؤكدًا طوال فصول وصفحات الكتاب بأهمية "الدليل العلمي" و دعا معارضيه مرارًا و تكرارًا للحوار و المناقشة بشأن ذلك.
كل ماقلته لا يشكل الا جانبًا واحدًا وهو شخصية الكاتب وتجربته ولعلي لا اجد في نفسي المقدرة لشرح دليله الذي يدحض الداروينية في هذه المراجعة ولكن ببساطة شديدة :
-الطفرات لا تولد انواعًا جديدة هي فقط تقوم بتغيرات وظيفية
-لا تعد الانيمياء المنجلية دليلًا على التطور كونها لا تخلق معلومات جديدة
-مشكلة الانفجار الكامبري
-الوراثة اللاجينية والتي تهز من أهمية (ومدى فهم) DNA الذي يعد لصيقًا باثبات الداروينية.
هذا ما اتسع له فهمي من هذا الكتاب و ماعداه كانت تجارب علمية باسماء بروتينات و انزيمات -كتبت بطريقة مبسطة يمكن فهمها اثناء القراءة طبعًا لكنني نسيتها الآن- ترد على اساسيات الداروينية.
اخيرًا ثقة الكاتب و روعة طرحه وجرأته و القصص العديدة التي قام بسردها مع اقتباسات من هنا وهناك جعلت الكتاب مادة علمية و أدبية بذات الوقت مليئة بالمتعة و الفائدة.
November 25, 2020
Not exactly the most compelling of reads - felt like the author was on a mission to debunk the Evolution theory rather than explain any proof of Intelligent Design. There was, though, some interesting information about scientific experiments and an eye-opening account of the rigidity of the scientific community to explore new ideas.
That coupled with what was (at last!!) a pretty thought-provoking final chapter creeps my score up to two stars. But before that, it was generally just chapter after chapter of endless moaning and that became too much of a drab.
That coupled with what was (at last!!) a pretty thought-provoking final chapter creeps my score up to two stars. But before that, it was generally just chapter after chapter of endless moaning and that became too much of a drab.
April 20, 2018
Good book to read.
January 15, 2024
This is a well written book about a complicated subject. Both sides of the Darwinian evolutionist and intelligent design groups claim to have a preponderance of evidence to support their theories. Who do you believe? The devil is in the details, as they say. The author does a pretty good job of delving into those details, and there are plenty provided in the book. It does get a little technical at times, and it would help the reader to have some knowledge of biochemistry before reading this book.
In addition to the technical details of the arguments for and against materialistic evolution, the author relates some very personal experiences in dealing with the closed mindedness of the established scientific community, and really shines a light on the resistance that mainstream academia and media have to even engaging in any meaningful discussion of the issues. Maybe they are afraid to, because they fear the weaknesses of their theories will be exposed.
A good illustration of this is the "Semmelweis reflex". According to Wikipedia, "The Semmelweis reflex or "Semmelweis effect" is a metaphor for the reflex-like tendency to reject new evidence or new knowledge because it contradicts established norms, beliefs or paradigms.
"The term derives from the name of a Hungarian physician, Ignaz Semmelweis, who in 1847 discovered that child bed fever mortality rates fell ten-fold when doctors washed their hands with a chlorine solution between patients—or, most particularly, after an autopsy (at the institution where Semmelweis worked, a university hospital, physicians performed autopsies on every deceased patient). Semmelweis's decision stopped the ongoing contamination of patients—mostly pregnant women—with "cadaverous particles". His fellow doctors rejected his hand-washing suggestions, often for non-medical reasons. For instance, some doctors refused to believe that a gentleman's hands could transmit disease."
As explained by the book's author, Dr. Semmelweis was not taken seriously by the scientific community. He was humiliated and eventually committed to an insane asylum because of his "cadaverous particles" idea, and when he tried to leave, he was beaten so severely by the guards that he died a few days later. Needless to say, his idea was correct, but it was rejected by the scientific community. Today, his cadaverous particles are known a bacteria, which are very real.
I would recommend this book for anyone who is interested in some of the technical aspects of the evolution vs intelligent design.
In addition to the technical details of the arguments for and against materialistic evolution, the author relates some very personal experiences in dealing with the closed mindedness of the established scientific community, and really shines a light on the resistance that mainstream academia and media have to even engaging in any meaningful discussion of the issues. Maybe they are afraid to, because they fear the weaknesses of their theories will be exposed.
A good illustration of this is the "Semmelweis reflex". According to Wikipedia, "The Semmelweis reflex or "Semmelweis effect" is a metaphor for the reflex-like tendency to reject new evidence or new knowledge because it contradicts established norms, beliefs or paradigms.
"The term derives from the name of a Hungarian physician, Ignaz Semmelweis, who in 1847 discovered that child bed fever mortality rates fell ten-fold when doctors washed their hands with a chlorine solution between patients—or, most particularly, after an autopsy (at the institution where Semmelweis worked, a university hospital, physicians performed autopsies on every deceased patient). Semmelweis's decision stopped the ongoing contamination of patients—mostly pregnant women—with "cadaverous particles". His fellow doctors rejected his hand-washing suggestions, often for non-medical reasons. For instance, some doctors refused to believe that a gentleman's hands could transmit disease."
As explained by the book's author, Dr. Semmelweis was not taken seriously by the scientific community. He was humiliated and eventually committed to an insane asylum because of his "cadaverous particles" idea, and when he tried to leave, he was beaten so severely by the guards that he died a few days later. Needless to say, his idea was correct, but it was rejected by the scientific community. Today, his cadaverous particles are known a bacteria, which are very real.
I would recommend this book for anyone who is interested in some of the technical aspects of the evolution vs intelligent design.
March 26, 2019
Heretic is aptly named. It occurs to me that scientists are the new priests. The evidence is so inaccessible that we're constrained to take their word for it. Skepticism is heresy. Questions are out of bounds because the case is closed. Except for the minority report by men like the authors. I’d love to hear them defend their position in a debate, but again. I wouldn’t understand the arguments.
Notes:
recommended by Greg Koukl
Kindle
Materialists think that because we continue to make discoveries about the natural world, the pool of known mysteries must be shrinking toward zero. Instead, whole landscapes of new mystery present themselves to science precisely when some major new discovery is achieved, like the explorer reaching the crest of a mountain and finding a new realm before him.
The term “the Semmelweis reflex” was coined in honor of him and as a warning to scientists. It refers to “the rejection of new knowledge because itcontradicts entrenched norms, beliefs and paradigms.”
The story of phlogiston shows how an established paradigm may persist in the face of contrary evidence because its supporters patch it up ad nauseam instead of following the evidence. The Darwinian theory of evolution is the phlogiston of our day, festooned with a myriad and growing number of patches. Evolution is slow and gradual, except when it’s fast. It is dynamic and creates huge changes over time, except when it keeps everything the same for millions of years. It explainsboth extreme complexity and elegant simplicity. It tells us how birds learned to fly and how some lost that ability. Evolution made cheetahs fast and turtles slow. Some creatures it made big and others small; some gloriously beautiful, and some boringly grey. It forced fish to walk and walking animals to return to the sea. It diverges except when it converges; it produces exquisitely fine-tuned designs except when it produces junk. Evolution is random and without direction except when it moves towards a target. Life under evolution is a cruel battlefield except when it demonstrates altruism. Evolution explains virtues and vice, love and hate, religion and atheism. And it does all this with a growing number of ancillary hypotheses.
every scientific model that touches on origins automatically also has worldview implications.
THE CONFRONTATION IN ORIGINS SCIENCE, FINALLY, IS NOT BETWEEN science and religion, but between a mindless process and a process intelligently guided.
Notes:
recommended by Greg Koukl
Kindle
Materialists think that because we continue to make discoveries about the natural world, the pool of known mysteries must be shrinking toward zero. Instead, whole landscapes of new mystery present themselves to science precisely when some major new discovery is achieved, like the explorer reaching the crest of a mountain and finding a new realm before him.
The term “the Semmelweis reflex” was coined in honor of him and as a warning to scientists. It refers to “the rejection of new knowledge because itcontradicts entrenched norms, beliefs and paradigms.”
The story of phlogiston shows how an established paradigm may persist in the face of contrary evidence because its supporters patch it up ad nauseam instead of following the evidence. The Darwinian theory of evolution is the phlogiston of our day, festooned with a myriad and growing number of patches. Evolution is slow and gradual, except when it’s fast. It is dynamic and creates huge changes over time, except when it keeps everything the same for millions of years. It explainsboth extreme complexity and elegant simplicity. It tells us how birds learned to fly and how some lost that ability. Evolution made cheetahs fast and turtles slow. Some creatures it made big and others small; some gloriously beautiful, and some boringly grey. It forced fish to walk and walking animals to return to the sea. It diverges except when it converges; it produces exquisitely fine-tuned designs except when it produces junk. Evolution is random and without direction except when it moves towards a target. Life under evolution is a cruel battlefield except when it demonstrates altruism. Evolution explains virtues and vice, love and hate, religion and atheism. And it does all this with a growing number of ancillary hypotheses.
every scientific model that touches on origins automatically also has worldview implications.
THE CONFRONTATION IN ORIGINS SCIENCE, FINALLY, IS NOT BETWEEN science and religion, but between a mindless process and a process intelligently guided.
June 1, 2024
A BIOENGINEER AND CHEMIST RECOUNTS EVIDENCE THAT TURNED HIM FROM EVOLUTION
One of the authors wrote in the first chapter of this 2018 book, “The scientific establishment of our day does not, for the most part, explicitly argue for the former over the latter. Instead, they simply insist that we must assume the former anytime we are doing science, must entertain only those explanations consistent with atheism, regardless of what we believe in our private lives. The name for this dogma is methodological materialism, and I came to realize how irrational this view of scientific rationality was. Understand, most scientists who go along with methodological materialism put about as much though into it as they do breathing. I was that way. And in hundreds of discussions over the years I have witnessed a blindness to basic philosophical commitments in many kinds of people … Evan among scientists few are aware of their basic presuppositions. Most of them consider science a neutral search for truth.” (Pg. 19)
He recalls, “In 1972 I was sitting in the major lecture hall of the University of Helsinki as a young student of biochemistry. The American theologian and philosopher Francis Schaeffer had come to Helsinki to speak, and in the course of his lectures I realized how naïve my concept of truth was. I went out and bought several of Schaeffer’s books and started my reading in philosophy, which previously I had considered of little value.” (Pg. 17) Later, he adds, “Another eye-opener for me was the book ‘Man’s Origin, Man’s Destiny’ by the late professor and organic chemist A.E. Wilder-Smith. The book analyzed the probability (or improbability) of chemical reactions creating information and machines…” (Pg. 38)
He states, “[Stanley] Miller’s origin-of-life experiment formed a few amino acids---but as a … roughly equal mix of left-handed and right-handed components. That’s because… chemical ingredients mixing around together tend strongly toward a roughly even mix of left and right… The trick that evolution need to perform is to get those life-essential amino acids to form all with one orientation (either all left or all right) and to do so through a blind, natural process. Miller’s experiment accomplished no such thing.” (Pg. 32)
He points out, “For over forty years I [Leisola] have had numerous discussions with within and without the science community concerning the origin of life and the origin of species. Practically all of the hundreds of scientists I know admit in private, confidential discussions that science does not have a clue where genetic language, proteins, cell membranes, metabolic pathways, cell control systems, and the basic body plans of organisms came from… In spite of that, their only acceptable creation story is materialistic evolution… Methodological materialism poses as ‘the scientific method’---empirical, neutral, disinterested. But this isn’t the case. It is not a way to observe the world. It dogmatically limits possible answers. The possibility that life has been designed is deemed out of the question.” (Pg. 47)
He spoke with a Finnish Lutheran bishop: “As best I could tell he had settled into his pro-Darwinian views with precious little understanding of the relevant science. He took the claims of the Darwinists primarily on faith. I was not surprised, because I was not unacquainted with the type: the clergyman who will concede almost anything to the scientific materialists provided they leave some semblance of his religion intact and don’t make him so any hard scientific thinking.” (Pg. 126)
After outlining the negative results of “Decades of evolution experiments with microorganisms,” he states, “I know several successful academic biologists willing to concede all this, and to puzzle over all of it in stimulating conversations in the hallways of international conferences. But very few of them are willing to do so in public. The enforcers of Darwinian orthodoxy still have the power to threaten careers and, in some situations, to deliver on those threats. This is how the guardians of the old orthodoxy defend the citadel---not with fresh evidence but with fear.” (Pg. 170)
He summarizes “the kay results obtained during the last three decades of protein… engineering… *Proteins can be modified with random and design methods---but only within narrow limits: basic structures had not been changed. *Although randomness plays a role in some of the protein experiments, all the experiments are designed and, thanks to the intelligent input of the experimenters, have searched much larger space than natural resources could have searched. *Even with huge amount of intelligent input, nothing fundamentally has been created… Remember that even if all of the above problems could… be overcome by some blind evolutionary process, materialistic evolution would still face an insurmountable challenge…: Enzymes are biochemical machines crucial to life. These proteins catalyze all reactions in the cell. They recognize, cut, glue, transport, oxidize, move, and change parts of molecules. But how do you get enzymes, or any kind of protein, in the first place?” (Pg. 194)
When Leisola was applying for a teaching position in Zürich, he told the biochemistry professor interviewing him, ‘Your world view, like mine, is based on things that cannot be proved but have to be accepted finally by faith.’ The professor replied, ‘Hmmm… you may be right.’ … Understand, my point isn’t that our two views are wholly equal or necessarily irrational. I am convinced that the evidence for the intelligent design of nature is far stronger and more reasonable than the alternative. It’s simply that both views, at the end of the day, reach beyond the seen to the unseen, and each of us trusts in something that cannot be proved…” (Pg. 205)
He concludes, “I leave you with a modest invitation: Take at least that first step on the journey that I began so many decades ago as a young, slightly arrogant scientist committed to modern evolutionary theory. The first step is a modest one, a step through the door of a paradigm and onto an open path whose end point I was unsure of. The first step was the decision simply to follow the evidence wherever it led. Will your adventure unfold as mind did? Will you be sure of your final destination? Not at all. But that, after all, is the nature of an adventure.” (Pg. 229)
This book will be of keen interest to those examining such issues of “Design” and evolutionary theory.
One of the authors wrote in the first chapter of this 2018 book, “The scientific establishment of our day does not, for the most part, explicitly argue for the former over the latter. Instead, they simply insist that we must assume the former anytime we are doing science, must entertain only those explanations consistent with atheism, regardless of what we believe in our private lives. The name for this dogma is methodological materialism, and I came to realize how irrational this view of scientific rationality was. Understand, most scientists who go along with methodological materialism put about as much though into it as they do breathing. I was that way. And in hundreds of discussions over the years I have witnessed a blindness to basic philosophical commitments in many kinds of people … Evan among scientists few are aware of their basic presuppositions. Most of them consider science a neutral search for truth.” (Pg. 19)
He recalls, “In 1972 I was sitting in the major lecture hall of the University of Helsinki as a young student of biochemistry. The American theologian and philosopher Francis Schaeffer had come to Helsinki to speak, and in the course of his lectures I realized how naïve my concept of truth was. I went out and bought several of Schaeffer’s books and started my reading in philosophy, which previously I had considered of little value.” (Pg. 17) Later, he adds, “Another eye-opener for me was the book ‘Man’s Origin, Man’s Destiny’ by the late professor and organic chemist A.E. Wilder-Smith. The book analyzed the probability (or improbability) of chemical reactions creating information and machines…” (Pg. 38)
He states, “[Stanley] Miller’s origin-of-life experiment formed a few amino acids---but as a … roughly equal mix of left-handed and right-handed components. That’s because… chemical ingredients mixing around together tend strongly toward a roughly even mix of left and right… The trick that evolution need to perform is to get those life-essential amino acids to form all with one orientation (either all left or all right) and to do so through a blind, natural process. Miller’s experiment accomplished no such thing.” (Pg. 32)
He points out, “For over forty years I [Leisola] have had numerous discussions with within and without the science community concerning the origin of life and the origin of species. Practically all of the hundreds of scientists I know admit in private, confidential discussions that science does not have a clue where genetic language, proteins, cell membranes, metabolic pathways, cell control systems, and the basic body plans of organisms came from… In spite of that, their only acceptable creation story is materialistic evolution… Methodological materialism poses as ‘the scientific method’---empirical, neutral, disinterested. But this isn’t the case. It is not a way to observe the world. It dogmatically limits possible answers. The possibility that life has been designed is deemed out of the question.” (Pg. 47)
He spoke with a Finnish Lutheran bishop: “As best I could tell he had settled into his pro-Darwinian views with precious little understanding of the relevant science. He took the claims of the Darwinists primarily on faith. I was not surprised, because I was not unacquainted with the type: the clergyman who will concede almost anything to the scientific materialists provided they leave some semblance of his religion intact and don’t make him so any hard scientific thinking.” (Pg. 126)
After outlining the negative results of “Decades of evolution experiments with microorganisms,” he states, “I know several successful academic biologists willing to concede all this, and to puzzle over all of it in stimulating conversations in the hallways of international conferences. But very few of them are willing to do so in public. The enforcers of Darwinian orthodoxy still have the power to threaten careers and, in some situations, to deliver on those threats. This is how the guardians of the old orthodoxy defend the citadel---not with fresh evidence but with fear.” (Pg. 170)
He summarizes “the kay results obtained during the last three decades of protein… engineering… *Proteins can be modified with random and design methods---but only within narrow limits: basic structures had not been changed. *Although randomness plays a role in some of the protein experiments, all the experiments are designed and, thanks to the intelligent input of the experimenters, have searched much larger space than natural resources could have searched. *Even with huge amount of intelligent input, nothing fundamentally has been created… Remember that even if all of the above problems could… be overcome by some blind evolutionary process, materialistic evolution would still face an insurmountable challenge…: Enzymes are biochemical machines crucial to life. These proteins catalyze all reactions in the cell. They recognize, cut, glue, transport, oxidize, move, and change parts of molecules. But how do you get enzymes, or any kind of protein, in the first place?” (Pg. 194)
When Leisola was applying for a teaching position in Zürich, he told the biochemistry professor interviewing him, ‘Your world view, like mine, is based on things that cannot be proved but have to be accepted finally by faith.’ The professor replied, ‘Hmmm… you may be right.’ … Understand, my point isn’t that our two views are wholly equal or necessarily irrational. I am convinced that the evidence for the intelligent design of nature is far stronger and more reasonable than the alternative. It’s simply that both views, at the end of the day, reach beyond the seen to the unseen, and each of us trusts in something that cannot be proved…” (Pg. 205)
He concludes, “I leave you with a modest invitation: Take at least that first step on the journey that I began so many decades ago as a young, slightly arrogant scientist committed to modern evolutionary theory. The first step is a modest one, a step through the door of a paradigm and onto an open path whose end point I was unsure of. The first step was the decision simply to follow the evidence wherever it led. Will your adventure unfold as mind did? Will you be sure of your final destination? Not at all. But that, after all, is the nature of an adventure.” (Pg. 229)
This book will be of keen interest to those examining such issues of “Design” and evolutionary theory.
May 1, 2018
من أجمل التي قرأتها هذا العام .
الكتاب هو سيرة لعالم بيولوجي تحول من الاعتقاد بنظرية داروين في الحياة وبداية الخلق والتطور إلى الاعتقاد بالنظرية المقابلة لها وهي نظرية التصميم
الذكي.
ركز المؤلف على أن التطوريون يتعنقون التطورية الدارونية كما لو كانت دينا بل إنهم أحيانا يتبنون أفكارا لا يمكن اختبارها علميا وهو ما يخالف الشعار العلموي الذي يرفعونه ونتيجة إلى أنها أصبحت دوجما فإنهم يحاربون أي باحث يحاول إثبات بطلانها أو ضعفها وهذا يخالف اليبحث العلمي أيضا،وذكر أمثلة كثيرة لمحاربتهم للندوات والعلماء والباحثين الذين يمثلون توجها يخالف التطور.
الكتاب في غاية الروعة والسلاسة تمر فيه بأفكار وردود وخلاصة لأعمال تساعدك في فهم المأزق العلمي لنظرية التطور ومالردود العلمية عليها ، ومواطن ضعفها ، يؤكد المؤلف على أن التطور ليس فقط نظرية في بداية الكون والاختيار بل هي فلسفة ونمط في النظر للعالم وستؤثر على رؤيتك للحياة وكيف التعامل معها ومثل لذلك بأمثلة تبين كيف أن من يتبنى هذه النظظرية سيتقنع بأفعال وسلوك مخالف للإنسانية أضف إلى أنها تنزع من معتقدها أي معنى للحياة وأي قيمة لها، ويرى أن التصميم العظيم ليس كما يروج معتقدو التطور معاد للعلم بل هو الذي يفتح الباب ويتناسق مع طبيعة الكون والإنسان،
الكتاب رائع وسمعت أنه سيترجم للعربية.
الكتاب هو سيرة لعالم بيولوجي تحول من الاعتقاد بنظرية داروين في الحياة وبداية الخلق والتطور إلى الاعتقاد بالنظرية المقابلة لها وهي نظرية التصميم
الذكي.
ركز المؤلف على أن التطوريون يتعنقون التطورية الدارونية كما لو كانت دينا بل إنهم أحيانا يتبنون أفكارا لا يمكن اختبارها علميا وهو ما يخالف الشعار العلموي الذي يرفعونه ونتيجة إلى أنها أصبحت دوجما فإنهم يحاربون أي باحث يحاول إثبات بطلانها أو ضعفها وهذا يخالف اليبحث العلمي أيضا،وذكر أمثلة كثيرة لمحاربتهم للندوات والعلماء والباحثين الذين يمثلون توجها يخالف التطور.
الكتاب في غاية الروعة والسلاسة تمر فيه بأفكار وردود وخلاصة لأعمال تساعدك في فهم المأزق العلمي لنظرية التطور ومالردود العلمية عليها ، ومواطن ضعفها ، يؤكد المؤلف على أن التطور ليس فقط نظرية في بداية الكون والاختيار بل هي فلسفة ونمط في النظر للعالم وستؤثر على رؤيتك للحياة وكيف التعامل معها ومثل لذلك بأمثلة تبين كيف أن من يتبنى هذه النظظرية سيتقنع بأفعال وسلوك مخالف للإنسانية أضف إلى أنها تنزع من معتقدها أي معنى للحياة وأي قيمة لها، ويرى أن التصميم العظيم ليس كما يروج معتقدو التطور معاد للعلم بل هو الذي يفتح الباب ويتناسق مع طبيعة الكون والإنسان،
الكتاب رائع وسمعت أنه سيترجم للعربية.
June 23, 2018
A Hard Look at Reality
The materialistic theory of evolution is caught in the stubborn trap of worldview. Never mind the evidence; the alternative—considering the possibility of an Intelligent Designer—is abhorrent and unacceptable. The weight of evidence continues to lean toward ID, but the absolute refusal of materialist-based science to even look in that direction—to say nothing of exploring the clearly laid-out trail—is simply bad science.
My only problem with the book is my own ignorance of “science speak.” The logic is fine, and I only wish the concepts could have been simplified, at least in occasional paragraphs. Evolutionists have done well in stating their case in terms that lay folk can grasp. The case for a Designer needs the backing of impeccable scientific evidence, yes, but also persuasive arguments that can change minds.
The materialistic theory of evolution is caught in the stubborn trap of worldview. Never mind the evidence; the alternative—considering the possibility of an Intelligent Designer—is abhorrent and unacceptable. The weight of evidence continues to lean toward ID, but the absolute refusal of materialist-based science to even look in that direction—to say nothing of exploring the clearly laid-out trail—is simply bad science.
My only problem with the book is my own ignorance of “science speak.” The logic is fine, and I only wish the concepts could have been simplified, at least in occasional paragraphs. Evolutionists have done well in stating their case in terms that lay folk can grasp. The case for a Designer needs the backing of impeccable scientific evidence, yes, but also persuasive arguments that can change minds.
June 29, 2018
This was an informative read that gave me a lot to think about. I know a lot of general information about evolution, but I honestly do not know enough about the hard data/evidence to specifically have a hard and fast opinion on its validity. However, evidence in my life experiences tell me that there is a God. So if he chose to create by evolution or design, it really makes no difference to me. At one point the issue of origins really concerned me, and I read The Language of God by Francis Collins, which still stands as my favorite book on the topic. However, as I just stated, the mechanism by which God created the world doesn't really matter to me, only the fact that He did.
July 24, 2020
Wonderful book
Fascinating book, for several years now I have been very interested in the theories of Intelligent Design and serious arguments against blind mutation/selection as a dominant theory. I have read several books by Stephen Meyer, Michael Behe and others. This particular book is a nice balance between scientific, philosophical and anecdotal approaches. The authors stories about facing the scowling “Scientific” community are quite entertaining if not very revealing. This is a fine book to add to your collection if you are interested in this subject.
Fascinating book, for several years now I have been very interested in the theories of Intelligent Design and serious arguments against blind mutation/selection as a dominant theory. I have read several books by Stephen Meyer, Michael Behe and others. This particular book is a nice balance between scientific, philosophical and anecdotal approaches. The authors stories about facing the scowling “Scientific” community are quite entertaining if not very revealing. This is a fine book to add to your collection if you are interested in this subject.
January 2, 2023
Interesting book. It contains some advanced information, but the authors give you a heads up before such parts to skip them. All in all, it was an easy read (for a scientist like myself). I finished it fairly quickly as I enjoyed it. I also think the ideas presented in it are very convincing. This book (which focuses on biology) goes hand in hand with another book titled "Believing is Seeing" Hy Michael Guillen, which discusses the same concept about the universe from a physical, mathematical, and astronomical perspective.
February 9, 2021
Loved it.
This book is a must read for anyone who questions Darwin's theory of evolution. Matti Leisola and Jonathan Witt present clear arguments that support an enormous body of evidence that refutes the theory that life on earth is the result of a happy accident.
I found this book to be well written and highly educational.
This book is a must read for anyone who questions Darwin's theory of evolution. Matti Leisola and Jonathan Witt present clear arguments that support an enormous body of evidence that refutes the theory that life on earth is the result of a happy accident.
I found this book to be well written and highly educational.
April 11, 2019
An instant classic in the I.D. vs. Evolution debate. Leisola argues from a sincere and honest perspective, showing the reader all the very valid reasons he came to doubt evolutionary theory (and why we should too). Definately a top 5 book in this genre.
April 24, 2020
هذا الكتاب يريك أن ظلم رجال الدين والكنسية يتجدد بأسماء مختلفة وأقنعة مختلفة
الكنسية التطورية ورجال دينها الذين اضطهدوا كل من خالفهم ونبذوه من المجتمع العلمي بل تم طردهم من أعمالهم ومنعهم من الحصول على أي عمل أكاديمي أو له صله بالعلم
الكنسية التطورية ورجال دينها الذين اضطهدوا كل من خالفهم ونبذوه من المجتمع العلمي بل تم طردهم من أعمالهم ومنعهم من الحصول على أي عمل أكاديمي أو له صله بالعلم
June 16, 2020
Refreshing read
Take it where the evidence goes. This sums up Leisola's journey. Some compelling arguments for how biochemistry and the cell challenge traditional evolutionary claims.
Take it where the evidence goes. This sums up Leisola's journey. Some compelling arguments for how biochemistry and the cell challenge traditional evolutionary claims.
July 1, 2023
Scientist from another country, where the topic of evolution is a little less political, talks about the pressures anyone swimming against the stream of mainline evolution belief faces. He weaves in his own scientific issues with evolution. I thought it was very interesting and eye opening.
April 3, 2018
Outstanding and well-reasoned arguments and well-sourced. I really enjoyed this book and recommend it for anyone who loves real science and believes in God. It is worth the read. Take notes.
March 5, 2019
Fascinating read from beginning to end. A reminder that modern science is pointing toward a path that theologians have already walked.
November 1, 2023
When is science not science?
The process of science seems pretty clear. Perform experiments. Propose explanations for what you discovered. Conclude that the best explanation for the evidence is the true cause.
But this book is an eye opener. Author Matti Leisola provides anecdote after anecdote that strongly suggests that the mainstream scientific community is not always driven by the evidence, but sometimes by a prevailing worldview, professional reputations, following ‘accepted orthodoxy’ and money. After a couple chapters I felt uneasy. After four chapters I felt queasy. After eight chapters I felt sick. Is this really happening in science today? Can I not trust all scientists to be following the evidence to wherever it leads?
Dr. Leisola had to have a firm grasp on his own perceptions to overcome what appears to be a commonplace gaslighting prevalent in the scientific community. Should he go along with the crowd and feel accepted? Or should he go along with the evidence and feel true to himself? It’s for this reason he calls himself a heretic.
While this book does have a lot of science in it, it rather reads like a mystery novel where the protagonist is real. Hard to put down.
The process of science seems pretty clear. Perform experiments. Propose explanations for what you discovered. Conclude that the best explanation for the evidence is the true cause.
But this book is an eye opener. Author Matti Leisola provides anecdote after anecdote that strongly suggests that the mainstream scientific community is not always driven by the evidence, but sometimes by a prevailing worldview, professional reputations, following ‘accepted orthodoxy’ and money. After a couple chapters I felt uneasy. After four chapters I felt queasy. After eight chapters I felt sick. Is this really happening in science today? Can I not trust all scientists to be following the evidence to wherever it leads?
Dr. Leisola had to have a firm grasp on his own perceptions to overcome what appears to be a commonplace gaslighting prevalent in the scientific community. Should he go along with the crowd and feel accepted? Or should he go along with the evidence and feel true to himself? It’s for this reason he calls himself a heretic.
While this book does have a lot of science in it, it rather reads like a mystery novel where the protagonist is real. Hard to put down.
July 7, 2022
قرأت النسخة الصادرة من العتبة الحسينية بترجمة زينب الجبوري و ضرغام الكيار و مراجعة صلاح الخاقاني
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في هذه الأيام يكشّر الغرب الأنياب في دعمه للفاحشة والشذوذ و يحارب كل من يعارض او حتى لا يشارك الدعم و يستخدم حججاً مثل الحرية لقمع الآخرين
وهذا الموقف من ترويج الاجرام المسمى بالشذوذ خير مثال على موقفهم في ترويجهم لنظرية التطور في قِبال ان الله خالق الكون و جميع المخلوقات
هذا الكتاب يكشف لك انهم ينشرون بل يفرضون نظرية التطور بالارهاب و بحجة العلم وأنهم يقمعون و يمنعون بل لا يستطيعون سماع الرأي المعارض بحجة انه غير علمي بل ليس من المقبول طلب الأدلة و البرهان على صحة نظرياتهم
نظرية التطور بالنسبة للغرب موقف ايديولوجي وليس تبنياً لنهج علمي
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في هذه الأيام يكشّر الغرب الأنياب في دعمه للفاحشة والشذوذ و يحارب كل من يعارض او حتى لا يشارك الدعم و يستخدم حججاً مثل الحرية لقمع الآخرين
وهذا الموقف من ترويج الاجرام المسمى بالشذوذ خير مثال على موقفهم في ترويجهم لنظرية التطور في قِبال ان الله خالق الكون و جميع المخلوقات
هذا الكتاب يكشف لك انهم ينشرون بل يفرضون نظرية التطور بالارهاب و بحجة العلم وأنهم يقمعون و يمنعون بل لا يستطيعون سماع الرأي المعارض بحجة انه غير علمي بل ليس من المقبول طلب الأدلة و البرهان على صحة نظرياتهم
نظرية التطور بالنسبة للغرب موقف ايديولوجي وليس تبنياً لنهج علمي
April 26, 2024
The journey of the Heretic is a hard one. Being a Heretic by the current Scientific 'priesthood of Neo-Darwinism' may not be as dangerous as being a religious heretic in the time of the Inquisition (or even in the time of the Reformation...) but it does have the 'silencing' effect it is intended to have - unless one has the boldness to speak out truth. The Truth is - Neo Darwinists have been telling us a tale - one not based on science, but on a world-view.
February 19, 2019
The scientific arguments are too shallow to be convincing, but the bigger picture philosophy and logic is interesting--particularly when quoting from classical scientists. The criticism of a walled-off and insecure scientific establishment is well deserved.
The book reads close to an autobiography or diary, and wastes a lot of words on small events, conversations, and relationships.
The book reads close to an autobiography or diary, and wastes a lot of words on small events, conversations, and relationships.
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