Re: [asa] Recommendation for a book on evolution?

Greetings Paul,
   
  Thank you for asking this question. I have been waiting for quite some time for someone to come along and put such a request to the ASA list in just the way that you have.
   
  Before I could recommend a book defending ‘the scientific case for evolution,’ I would need to ask how you envision the ‘map of knowledge.’ There are stacks of books that offer ‘a scientific case for evolution’ that no one on this list has heard about because they are focussed in other areas. Maybe those areas do not interest you either. This does not mean those books do not exist!
   
  You say you are ‘seriously considering theistic evolution.’ I do not criticise this, though I think TE is quite obviously confused and contradictory (or at least paradoxical) at its theoretical heart (it is presented as a theory, isn’t it?). Rather, I applaud that you are willing to look at both the evidence and the theories and philosophies associated with it (whereas many natural scientists eschew the inevitably involved philosophical aspect).
   
  Here is my main question to you: Do you consider theology to be a field or discipline (or a way of life) close to anthropology or psychology or sociology? Or do you consider theology to be closer to biology or geology or physics? Or perhaps there are other fields, like cognitive studies or genetics, law or cosmology that are theology’s closest neighbours?
   
  What I am asking for is thus some indication of your ‘map of knowledge.’ Answering this would give me a sense of your priorities when approaching the topic of theistic evolution(-ism) and thus enable me to make a recommendation. People are busy defending evolution(-ism) across the spectrum of fields, while in some places it is either indefensible or especially vulnerable to challenges. Biology, well, that is just one field, isn’t it, while some would raise it up into biologism?
   
   
  With Kind Regards,
   
  Gregory

Mountainwoman <hrc54@alltel.net> wrote: I was an old earth/progressive creationist (having absorbed almost all of Hugh Ross's books) until very recently. After reading Keith Miller's "Perspectives on an Evolving Creation" and Kenneth Miller's "Finding Darwin's God," I am now seriously considering theistic evolution. I already have more than enough material on the theological case for and against theistic evolution.
   
  My request to the list is for recommendations for one recent mass market book that makes the scientific case for evolution. Any suggestions?
   
  Paul Bruggink (ASA Member)

       
---------------------------------
 All new Yahoo! Mail -
---------------------------------
Get a sneak peak at messages with a handy reading pane.

To unsubscribe, send a message to majordomo@calvin.edu with
"unsubscribe asa" (no quotes) as the body of the message.
Received on Fri Dec 14 16:32:14 2007