Refuting Evolution 2

Features

• Cover Type: Paperback with 240 pages
• Published by: Master Books November 18, 2002
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0890513872
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0890513873
• Book Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.2 x 0.7 inches
• Weighs: 8 ounces

Product Review
This book is a real eye-opener! -- Roger Howerton, Acquisitions Editor, Master Books

Product Description
Dr. Jonathan Sarfati, who expertly defended creation in Refuting Evolution (which has sold over 350,000 copies), goes to bat once again in Refuting Evolution 2. Aimed specifically at the evolutionarily biased PBS television series "Evolution," Sarfati adroitly makes light of the inaccuracies and fallacies of evolutionary theory, and offers sound creationist interpretation of the facts. This book also updates creationist "arguments" such as the "plesiosaur" reeled in by the Japanese fishing boat, the peppered moths, the "men have one less rib than women" adage, and much more. Here is a priceless resource for those involved in the ongoing creation/evolution debate.

Reader Reviews
Generic apes - a composite of Chimpanzee, Gorilla, and Baboon - sit around a table looking puzzled and troubled on the cover of this book. They are probably trying to separate scarce facts from the copious cornucopia of creationist distortions and crank conspiracy theories that infest "Refuting Evolution 2" subtitled "What PBS and the Scientific Community Don't Want You to Know." This sequel to "Refuting Evolution" (reviewed separately) only confirms that farce is tragedy the second time around. The rubber-band reality of this tract is glaringly evident with Mr. Sarfati attempts to prove that creationism is science. As an employee of Answers in Genesis (AiG) Sarfati had to sign a "Statement of Faith" that, among other things, includes the following: BASICS ARTICLE 3: "The account of origins presented in Genesis is a simple but factual presentation of actual events and therefore provides a reliable framework for scientific research into the question of the origin and history of life, mankind, the Earth and the universe." GENERAL ARTICLE 6: "No apparent, perceived or claimed evidence in any field, including history and chronology, can be valid if it contradicts the Scriptural record." Based on these rather frank admissions the only conspiracy is between AiG and Sarfati, not PBS and the "Scientific Community." By these standards Alchemy and Astrology (among others) - both thoroughly discredited and discarded by global scientific community - would be valid "science," and wizarding and witchcraft would be perfectly acceptable examples of "technology." Sarfati knows his cause is hopeless when he has to redefine science and the scientific method just to sneak into the tent. Since a chapter by chapter refutation would be longer than the book let's focus on one topic: "Refuting Evolution 2" categorically claims that evolution cannot "increase genetic information content." If this claim falls the entire book collapses. Unfortunately for Sarfati, none of his arguments based on creationist "information theory" (with apologies to Shannon, Kolmogorov, and Chaitin), adequately address the obvious increase in information that can occur when a gene duplicates, and the two copies undergo independent mutations leading to two genes with somewhat different functions. Gene duplication, mutation, and selection are all known to occur due to natural biochemical processes in a variety of organisms studied in laboratories around the world. Many gene families are known with members that encode proteins having related structure and related but distinct function. Each family can be explained by multiple gene duplications followed by random mutation and differentiation of the functions of the individual gene copies. Any expansion from a single primordial gene to a large family of genes with distinct functions clearly represents an increase in genetic information. One instance of gene duplication resulting in additional information and functionality is the hemoglobin/myoglobin family. An ur-gene for an oxygen-carrying protein duplicated, leading to myoglobin which oxygenates muscles, and hemoglobin which carries oxygen in red blood cells. A subsequent duplication of the hemoglobin gene resulted in alpha and beta forms. Additional duplications produced hemoglobin-alpha and hemoglobin-beta gene clusters. The genes within these clusters are different, as a result of subsequent mutation after duplication, and express themselves at different stages of development. Gene duplication and subsequent divergence are observed in the laboratory - consequently an evolutionary causation based on processes known to occur today is inherently more plausible than invoking a superfluous supernatural agent or agency. A large part of the increased information in our genomes, compared with those of "lower" organisms, results from such gene duplication, followed by independent evolution and differentiation of duplicated copies into multiple genes with distinct functions. Any information theory analysis which ignores these naturally occurring and readily observable mechanisms, and then goes on to claim that any increase in genetic information is impossible, is fundamentally flawed and thoroughly dishonest. Like a cheap parlor magician Sarfati diverts your attention away from what he doesn't want you to see, know, or hear. He commits errors of omission and commission, and calls the resulting fable fact. So much for integrity when "Statement of Faith" based creationist apologetics, and the dogma it enforces, matter more than the truth. Earth to Sarfati: Evolution is still a scientific fact. Get over it. Playing "whack-a-mole" with you is tiring and inane. Besides I hear you're much better at chess.