I used to spend a lot of time being upset about the lies and deliberate disinformation in creationist literature. You can't hold down a day job in evolutionary biology *and* take time to expose every factual and logical fallacy (over and over), especially in areas where you're not up on the latest literature. At the same time, our education function requires that we do our duty to the public and make sure kids are taught what's so, and what is not.
Mark Isaak has supplied the solution: a concise, well-annotated guide to FAQ (frequently asserted quibbles) from the creationist creed. Here are organized rebuttals in theology, biology, geology, and the other relevant ologies. A typical entry quotes a creationist sound-bite, provides a one-or-two sentence clarification / rebuttal / counter-argument, and a reference to the literature and in many cases an on-line link. The sections in my own area of expertise (genetics and molecular evolution) are current, direct and to the point.
This volume together with Evolutionism vs Creationism provides an excellent background for teachers at the secondary and post-secondary levels. Instructors wishing to put together their own FAQ, for students to pursue on their own time, will find this book and the links therein invaluable.
Buy new:
$37.95$37.95
FREE delivery:
Tuesday, May 30
Ships from: Amazon.ca Sold by: Amazon.ca
Buy new:
$37.95$37.95
FREE delivery:
Tuesday, May 30
Ships from: Amazon.ca
Sold by: Amazon.ca
Buy used: $25.00
Buy used:
$25.00
Have one to sell?
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet or computer – no Kindle device required. Learn more
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera, scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Flip to back Flip to front
The Counter-Creationism Handbook Paperback – Jan. 12 2007
by
Mark Isaak
(Author)
| Amazon Price | New from | Used from |
Purchase options and add-ons
Those opposed to the teaching of evolution often make well-rehearsed claims about the science that sound powerful and convincing. And many people who support the teaching of evolution―students, teachers, parents, administrators―do not have the background to respond. They know that scientists have thoroughly dismantled these arguments, but they don't have a handy way of responding to these attacks. The Counter-Creationism Handbook is a one-stop resource for addressing over 400 of the most prevalent claims made by creationists. Each claim is followed by a succinct and scientifically valid rebuttal, and the book includes print and on-line resources for further reading and information.
The Counter-Creationism Handbook:
* Covers claims made about the disciplines of philosophy, biology, paleontology, geology, astronomy, physics and mathematics, history, and more.
* Addresses the claims of Biblical creationism, intelligent design creationism, and some creationism based on non-Christian religions.
* Includes an introduction on how to address creationists in different venues, how to deal with novel claims, and why accurate science is important.
* Is organized thematically, with extensive cross-referencing.
The Counter-Creationism Handbook:
* Covers claims made about the disciplines of philosophy, biology, paleontology, geology, astronomy, physics and mathematics, history, and more.
* Addresses the claims of Biblical creationism, intelligent design creationism, and some creationism based on non-Christian religions.
* Includes an introduction on how to address creationists in different venues, how to deal with novel claims, and why accurate science is important.
* Is organized thematically, with extensive cross-referencing.
- ISBN-100520249267
- ISBN-13978-0520249264
- EditionFirst Edition
- PublisherUniversity of California Press
- Publication dateJan. 12 2007
- LanguageEnglish
- Dimensions17.78 x 2.29 x 25.4 cm
- Print length362 pages
Product description
Review
"The intended audience for this book includes science teachers, those caught in arguments with creationists, and even creationists who want to identify weaknesses in their propositions....Every school where evolution is taught needs this book, and public library reference collections would do well to include it for journalists and researchers."-VOYA
From the Inside Flap
"Mark Isaak's book is thorough, up-to-date, readable, well argued, and clear. It provides citations for every argument or claim that is made about the usually inaccurate claims of anti-evolutionists. Indispensable and fair, it should be welcomed by all interested in these questions."―Kevin Padian, Museum of Paleontology, University of California
From the Back Cover
Mark Isaak's book is thorough, up-to-date, readable, well argued, and clear. It provides citations for every argument or claim that is made about the usually inaccurate claims of anti-evolutionists. Indispensable and fair, it should be welcomed by all interested in these questions.--Kevin Padian, Museum of Paleontology, University of California
About the Author
Mark Isaak has written numerous articles on the creation/evolution debate. He is the editor of the "Index of Creationist Claims" on the acclaimed website www.talkorigins.org.
Product details
- Publisher : University of California Press; First Edition (Jan. 12 2007)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 362 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0520249267
- ISBN-13 : 978-0520249264
- Item weight : 635 g
- Dimensions : 17.78 x 2.29 x 25.4 cm
- Best Sellers Rank: #558,906 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #814 in Science & Religion (Books)
- #1,272 in Evolution in Professional Science
- #2,243 in Evolution (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author
Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.

Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read author blogs and more
Customer reviews
4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
45 global ratings
How are ratings calculated?
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzes reviews to verify trustworthiness.
-
Top reviews
Top reviews from Canada
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.
Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on August 16, 2009
Verified Purchase
Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on May 1, 2015
Verified Purchase
Excellent Book to give you tips and quick references on countering Creationists everywhere.
Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on July 17, 2018
Amazing refutation of pseudo-scientific claims of creationism. A great resource for High School biology teachers and University level students and academics interested in the creation/evolution debate. Easy to reference and look up resources.
Top reviews from other countries
H. Trutnau
5.0 out of 5 stars
Gute Argumente
Reviewed in Germany 🇩🇪 on June 28, 2013Verified Purchase
Wer gute Argumente gegen Kreationismus sucht, wird hier (auf Englisch) fündig. Es ist alles da; fast schon zuviel, wenn sich jemand auf einen bestimmten Punkt konzentrieren will...
Uneingeschränkte 5 Sterne!
Uneingeschränkte 5 Sterne!
Heinz-Albert Kiehne
5.0 out of 5 stars
Kreationis eine Irrlehe
Reviewed in Germany 🇩🇪 on February 10, 2020Verified Purchase
Sehr ausführliche und kritische Auseinandersetzung mit den Kreationisten - eine deutsche Fassung wäre nützlich.
dvimus
5.0 out of 5 stars
An excellent resource by which to answer anti-science propaganda
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on July 13, 2008Verified Purchase
The growth of Creationism and its equally ill-conceived offspring, Intelligent Design (ID) has been particularly prevalent in the United States. This modern day manifestation comes out of various fundamentalist religious outlooks that go back five centuries to the extent adherence to biblical literalism is almost a tradition. Intelligent Design differs to Creationism only in so much its claims are centred around trying to show that God was the designer of life, the entity that designed DNA in all creatures and then made its workings happen. At its heart is a mendacious attempt use pseudoscience to pervert real science and then use the result to promote their concept of the Christian God. Both Creationism and ID are financially supported by religious contributions and have a well resourced publications arm. In the US it is their intention to lever this disguised theology into the science classroom, attempts which so far have failed. At stake is the future of science education.
Science is the principal arena of human discovery that has made our modern world what it is. Everything we take for granted from medicine to televisions are the result of endeavours of scientists. It is easy to forget that the beginnings of modern science came out of the Dark Ages and mediaeval thinking dominated by strict adherence to religion and biblical literalism. Slowly, and in the face of much hostility and church sponsored violence, scientific enquiry progressed. Galileo's trial at the hands of the Inquisition is one of the most examples, whilst the Scopes Monkey Trial in 1925 in the US a more modern example. Both however share the same problem at their heart and that is the attempt by the religious to prevent science contradicting their long cherished beliefs that God made the universe and everything in it and that we all should bow down and worship this God in grateful thanks. It should be remembered as well that the current Pope said in 2007 that he thought Galileo had been given a fair trial and it is Vatican policy to oppose contraception as a means to counter the spread of AIDS.
The method at the heart of scientific enquiry is essentially a simple one: to explain how nature works on nature's own terms without recourse to supernatural explanations. This immediately removes God-did-it scenario from the answers. Consequently, in the eyes of the highly religious, modern science has been cast as an atheist discipline with liberalism at its heart, dedicated to disproving God assumed existence.
The defeat of modern science therefore has for these people become an imperative. Many of them are totally ignorant about science but they have been told by their church that their religion is under threat. Since the option of the Inquisition is no longer available in western society, they make all manner of well rehearsed and apparently convincing, but frequently baseless arguments against science, disparage the work of scientists that conflicts with their religious ideas, and when all else fails, openly lie and misrepresent scientific arguments to make it look like the arguments favour religion. Uppermost for condemnation in the minds of creationists is the work of Charles Darwin and his theory of evolution. The ideas that humans evolved from apes, that all life had a common ancestor and that there is no purpose or reason for our existence come in for their scorn and attempts at ridicule.
This book is an excellent resource against the myriad of anti-scientific and pseudoscience arguments put forward by creationists. It is organised into ten sections, Philosophy and Theology; Biology; Palaeontology; Geology; Astronomy and Cosmology; Physics and mathematics; Miscellaneous Antievolution; Biblical creationism; Intelligent Design; Other Creationism. The most common arguments and statements that are employed against science are numbered and categorised in a simple to use list and then each is followed by a succinct and scientifically sound rebuttal. There is also a web resource provided where the latest mutations of creationist arguments are dealt with in a similar way.
This book will not replace a good science education, but it will offer the means to prevent the worst and most glib-sounding antiscience arguments and biblical arguments having an unopposed ride. At stake is your child's education, their future career choices and just possibly, the future course of medicine and scientific research.
Science is the principal arena of human discovery that has made our modern world what it is. Everything we take for granted from medicine to televisions are the result of endeavours of scientists. It is easy to forget that the beginnings of modern science came out of the Dark Ages and mediaeval thinking dominated by strict adherence to religion and biblical literalism. Slowly, and in the face of much hostility and church sponsored violence, scientific enquiry progressed. Galileo's trial at the hands of the Inquisition is one of the most examples, whilst the Scopes Monkey Trial in 1925 in the US a more modern example. Both however share the same problem at their heart and that is the attempt by the religious to prevent science contradicting their long cherished beliefs that God made the universe and everything in it and that we all should bow down and worship this God in grateful thanks. It should be remembered as well that the current Pope said in 2007 that he thought Galileo had been given a fair trial and it is Vatican policy to oppose contraception as a means to counter the spread of AIDS.
The method at the heart of scientific enquiry is essentially a simple one: to explain how nature works on nature's own terms without recourse to supernatural explanations. This immediately removes God-did-it scenario from the answers. Consequently, in the eyes of the highly religious, modern science has been cast as an atheist discipline with liberalism at its heart, dedicated to disproving God assumed existence.
The defeat of modern science therefore has for these people become an imperative. Many of them are totally ignorant about science but they have been told by their church that their religion is under threat. Since the option of the Inquisition is no longer available in western society, they make all manner of well rehearsed and apparently convincing, but frequently baseless arguments against science, disparage the work of scientists that conflicts with their religious ideas, and when all else fails, openly lie and misrepresent scientific arguments to make it look like the arguments favour religion. Uppermost for condemnation in the minds of creationists is the work of Charles Darwin and his theory of evolution. The ideas that humans evolved from apes, that all life had a common ancestor and that there is no purpose or reason for our existence come in for their scorn and attempts at ridicule.
This book is an excellent resource against the myriad of anti-scientific and pseudoscience arguments put forward by creationists. It is organised into ten sections, Philosophy and Theology; Biology; Palaeontology; Geology; Astronomy and Cosmology; Physics and mathematics; Miscellaneous Antievolution; Biblical creationism; Intelligent Design; Other Creationism. The most common arguments and statements that are employed against science are numbered and categorised in a simple to use list and then each is followed by a succinct and scientifically sound rebuttal. There is also a web resource provided where the latest mutations of creationist arguments are dealt with in a similar way.
This book will not replace a good science education, but it will offer the means to prevent the worst and most glib-sounding antiscience arguments and biblical arguments having an unopposed ride. At stake is your child's education, their future career choices and just possibly, the future course of medicine and scientific research.
12 people found this helpful
Report
Ivan
5.0 out of 5 stars
une bonne référence
Reviewed in France 🇫🇷 on January 5, 2014Verified Purchase
Ce n'est pas écrit comme un livre, c'est vraiment un manuel ou un catalogue : les arguments des créationnistes sont organisés par discipline et par thème. Les réponses associées sont claires et avec des références à la clé. Les arguments créationnistes sont souvent répétitifs, et du coup on retrouve régulièrement la même réponse.
Mais c'est un ouvrage qui peut servir de référence quand on tombe sur ce type d'arguments.
Mais c'est un ouvrage qui peut servir de référence quand on tombe sur ce type d'arguments.