Darwin's Doubt

The Explosive Origin of Animal Life and the Case for Intelligent Design

By: Stephen C. Meyer

Narrated by: Derek Shetterly

Length: 14 hrs and 59 mins

Publisher's summary

When Charles Darwin finished The Origin of Species, he thought that he had explained every clue but one. Though his theory could explain many facts, Darwin knew that there was a significant event in the history of life that his theory did not explain. During this event, the "Cambrian explosion", many animals suddenly appeared in the fossil record without apparent ancestors in earlier layers of rock.

In Darwin's Doubt, Stephen C. Meyer tells the story of the mystery surrounding this explosion of animal life - a mystery that has intensified not only because the expected ancestors of these animals have not been found but because scientists have learned more about what it takes to construct an animal. During the last half century, biologists have come to appreciate the central importance of biological information - stored in DNA and elsewhere in cells - to building animal forms.

Expanding on the compelling case he presented in his last book, Signature in the Cell, Meyer argues that the origin of this information, as well as other mysterious features of the Cambrian event, are best explained by intelligent design rather than purely undirected evolutionary processes.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2013 Stephen C. Meyer (P)2016 HarperCollins Publishers

Excellent book

Give one much to think about. It is very technical and allows one to see the differences of thought. I recommend it

A intellectual read with a bridge

While the content in this is decidedly educational there are plenty of analogy bridges and simple summaries provided. Regardless of your view on the origin of man this will raise information that is likely to make you think.

Compelling Case for Intelligent Design

The narration is excellent. The content is enthralling. 'Darwin's Doubt' undoubtedly builds a rock solid case against neo-Darwinian Evolution and questions the most revered tenets of institutional academia's portrayal of the origin of life. Readers can expect to gain a broad perspective of the questions facing the ongoing evolutionary debate.

Powerful arguments, evidence, and logic!

First, let me say that I am not a religious person, and that I was born and raised Jewish. I still completely identify myself as Jewish. Also, I do not subscribe to the accounts in the Bible as factual or historical in anyway. Just a year ago, I was under the impression that persons who subscribed to Intelligent Design were ultra religious, completely accepted the biblical account of earth’s history (e.g. that the earth is only 6000 years old, etc.), and had a general disregard for science. Boy, was I wrong! The author of this book, and his colleagues, are heavy duty scientists – they except the 4.5 billion years for the earth’s age, and completely adhere to the scientific method. These are NOT your grandfather’s intelligent design advocates! Of all of the evidence, arguments, etc. brought forth in this book, the one that seems most obvious to me is the notion that only intelligence can create information. For example, scientists at SETI scan the skies day and night for specific types of signals – they see signals all the time – but those signals are naturally occurring random noise. What they are looking for are modulated signals, i.e., signals that contain information. If they ever find such signals, they will immediately and correctly assume that they were emitted by an intelligent agent, e.g. intelligent beings from another world. They don’t have to see the aliens transmitting the signals to know that the signals were transmitted by the aliens. The same logic holds for the information stored in DNA – the information is completely specific and precise, to produce a living animal, whether it be a single cell amoeba or a complicated human being. The bottom line is this: if you see signs of intelligence, i.e. information, then you can be sure that it was created by an intelligent agent. It’s so obvious as to be ludicrous to believe anything else. And just because we can’t see the intelligent agent at work, doesn’t mean we can’t infer the intelligent agent’s existence by what they leave behind.

A strong critique of scientific dogma!

This book marvelously exposes the weaknesses, indeed delusions, a dogged materialistic worldview has upon the scientific disciplines, and our understanding of reality/truth. Yet another example that comes to mind, is how the discovery of dinosaur soft tissue has been delayed because current scientific dogma forbad looking for it. Indeed, it's discovery was a complete accident because the scientists all believed (had faith) that it was not possible for it to have survived the eons of time.

Loved it!

It was great reading this great book again but this time hearing how certain Latin words are actually pronounced.

T. Moore

I found this book addresses some of the biggest challenges Darwinian and neo-Darwinian theories hold. I appreciated Stephen’s approach to address evolutionary theories with evolutionary rules. I found this book very respectful in its approach and something our scientific world should take seriously.

Great book.

Wonderfully written and presented. The complex ideas and science are presented in simple and understandable way that inspires the reader to want more.

Brilliantly articulated.

Even as a layperson I was able to follow the arguments and understand the conclusions for the most part. Excellent work Dr. Meyer!

Science itselft challenges evolutionary theory

Courses such as Genetics and Cellular Biology where what challenged my belief in evolution when I was getting my degree in Biology many years ago. To think that the intricate universe within a single cell could have happened by happenstance simply boggled my mind. I had personally discovered that it required far more faith to believe in the undirected processes of evolution than it did to believe in a Designer behind life.

This book is a phenomenal graduate level examination of the scientific research that makes the theory of Darwinian evolution a very flimsy one indeed. I genuinely believe that those who hold doggedly to evolutionary theory are either looking at the process from afar and only in outline, or they are so fearful of the possibility of a Desighner that their prejudice is blinding -- which seems quite evident from many of the reactions from the scientific community as recounted in this book.