About Me
The Top 10 Myths About Evolution
by
Cameron M. Smith and Charles Sullivan
Available at
Amazon.com for only $11.90,
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and
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The Top 10 Myths about Evolution.........Myth 1: Survival of the Fittest..........Myth 2: It's Just a Theory...........Myth 3: The Ladder of Progress..........Myth 4: The Missing Link...........Myth 5: Evolution is Random...........Myth 6: People Come From Monkeys............Myth 7: Nature's Perfect Balance...........Myth 8: Creationism Disproves Evolution...........Myth 9: Intelligent Design is Science...........Myth 10: Evolution is Immoral.............
About the Book
Though the United States is the world leader in science and technology, many of its citizens display a shocking ignorance regarding basic scientific facts. Recent surveys have revealed that only about half of Americans realize that dinosaurs never lived side by side with humans, and about the same number reject the idea that humans developed from earlier species of animals. This lack of knowledge in the face of overwhelming scientific evidence for evolution springs from a number of negative influences in contemporary society: poor secondary education in some regions of the country, misinformation in the mass media, and deliberate obfuscation by supporters of Creationism and Intelligent Design.
In this concise, accessible handbook, educators Cameron M. Smith and Charles Sullivan clearly dispel the ten most common myths about evolution, which continue to mislead average Americans. Using a refreshing, jargon-free style, they set the record straight on claims that evolution is "just a theory," that Darwinian explanations of life undercut morality, that Intelligent Design is a legitimate alternative to conventional science, that humans come from chimpanzees, and six other popular but erroneous notions.
Smith and Sullivan's reader-friendly, solidly researched text will serve as an important tool, both for teachers and laypersons seeking accurate information about evolution.
What People Are Saying:
Ann Druyan, co-author with Carl Sagan of Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors:
"A modest proposal to reverse the national great leap backwards: I say we all familiarize ourselves with the compelling, crystalline logic of "The Top Ten Myths about Evolution." Then, let's do our best to connect with those who have yet to accept the ancient legacy of life on earth as revealed by Darwin and affirmed in countless ways by the generations of science ever since."
Booklist, publication of the American Library Association:
"Passionate in their support of evolutionary science, the authors nonetheless adopt a straightforward and ecumenical approach, precisely distilling each hot-button issue to its cogent essence. The result is a meticulously researched and distinctly presented overview of a complex and contentious issue.... A clear, understandable approach makes this an excellent student resource."
"!!!!!Must Read" (highest rating): Today's Books Public News Service; 'Must Read' titles include the top ten percent of new books published and distributed in America each year...[and are] those one-in-ten books that are the best in competitive terms within their subject matter, genre, and publishing sector.
Publishers Weekly, The International Voice for Book Publishing and Bookselling:
"The Top 10 Myths About Evolution... sets the record straight on popular but erroneous notions that continue to mislead the average American."
G. Brent Dalrymple, Geologist and author of The Age of the Earth:
"I think [The Top 10 Myths About Evolution] is excellent. It clearly explains the fallacies in the 'myths' that we hear from creationists and intelligent design proponents on a regular basis."
Eureka Alert!, the online voice of the American Association for the Advancement of Science:
"This meticulously researched myth-buster's handbook will dispel the ten most common misconceptions about evolutionary science."
Monsters and Critics, book news and reviews:
"Smith and Sullivan have done an admirable job of presenting a simple, lucid guide while avoiding the many potential pitfalls that dot this volatile issue."
Skepchick Magazine, promoting scientific skepticism among women:
"This is a great little book that's fun to read and jam packed with information. If you're ever involved in conversations about evolution, or you just want to know more about the different issues that have been in the news lately but you don't want to get a degree in evolutionary biology, this book is for you."
Science a GoGo, Interesting science news, research tidbits and science discussion:
"Cameron M. Smith's and Charles Sullivan's The Top 10 Myths About Evolution should protect anyone from being hoodwinked by . . . erroneous evolutionary arguments ever again. Both Smith and Sullivan address their topic with the sincere intent of educating the reader. The two authors assuage complexity by avoiding difficult terminology in favor of clear and concise language that does not patronize. The Top 10 Myths About Evolution would make a perfect introduction for anyone not familiar with the basic concepts of evolutionary theory."
David Morrison, NASA Astrobiologist--ask an Astrobiologist:
"If you want to understand evolution better, I recommend the short book "The Top Ten Myths about Evolution" by Cameron Smith and Charles Sullivan."
Book News: the source for information about high-level books since 1976:
"In nature, might always makes right. Humans are the ultimate achievement of evolution. Cave men ate dinosaur steaks. A surprising number of people in the US believe these statements to be true, a situation Smith (anthropology, Portland State U.) and Sullivan (writing, Portland Community College) attempt to correct in this accessible approach to common ideas about evolution. They explain how the "survival of the fittest" does not necessarily apply, why evolution is not just a theory, how humans are mistakenly perceived as superior, why the "missing link" misses the point, why evolution is not random, and why humans cannot claim monkeys as their grandpas. They also take on some of the more complicated ideas, such as the true rule of ecological balance, the true nature of the conflict of intelligent design and evolution, and the ever-present question of morality."
