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Intelligent Design Book Cracks Bestseller List at Amazon.com
Evolution News & Views ^ | November 16, 2009 | Robert Crowther

Posted on 11/17/2009 8:18:52 AM PST by GodGunsGuts

Signature in the Cell makes 2009 list of top ten bestselling science books
SigCellBooks-sm.jpg
Today Amazon.com announced their bestselling books of 2009 and Signature in the Cell: DNA and the Evidence for Intelligent Design (HarperOne) by Dr. Stephen C. Meyer made the top ten in the science category. According to Amazon.com, books on its 2009 list of best sellers are “[r]anked according to customer orders through October. Only books published for the first time in 2009 are eligible.” The book's publisher, HarperOne, reports that the book is entering its fifth printing in as many months, and continues to sell strongly both online and in stores.

“Here we are, celebrating the 150th anniversary of the publication of Origin of Species, a book mistakenly assumed to have killed the design argument in science,” said Robert Crowther, director of communications at Discovery Institute’s Center for Science and Culture, which is the intelligent design research program directed by Dr. Meyer. “Did Darwin refute the design argument? No. And here’s a book about the science of intelligent design that shows how the design argument is being revived with powerful new arguments relevant to our culture.”

In Signature in the Cell Dr. Meyer shows that the digital code imbedded in DNA points powerfully to a designing intelligence and helps unravel a mystery that Darwin did not address: how did the very first life begin? He weaves together a journey of discovery with an argument for intelligent design and explains how intelligent design can be formulated as a rigorous scientific argument using the very same method of reasoning that Darwin used.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; US: Washington
KEYWORDS: bookreview; catholic; cellbiology; christian; christianity; christianright; creation; darwin; darwinism; dna; evangelical; evolution; geneticcode; genome; godsgravesglyphs; intelligentdesign; judaism; molecularbiology; protestant; science; signatureinthecell; stephenmeyer; topten
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To: GodGunsGuts
Here are excerpts from a review of the book on Amazon.com

By DK "DK"

I've skimmed through this tome of IDiotic nonsense. Meyer's essay, yes, essay because he's not a scientist, biologist, evolutionist, nor did he do any original research for this tripe, he simply grabbed other people's work and massaged it to read the way he wanted, i.e., Darwin, science, and evolution cannot possibly be correct. It must all be the work of his supernatural being, i.e., god, that did it all. Sorry, that admission is no secret, that's what he tells all the church groups he talks to on his circut.

The editor's comments stated:
"A leading proponent of intelligent design in the scientific community, Meyer presents a compelling case that will generate heated debate, command attention, and find new adherents from leading scientists around the world."

In reality this book has done none of the above per the editor's glowing (but highly partisan comments). The book and the effort behind it are a total loss - the author continues to peddle it to the church groups he addresses, the scientifically ignorant choir to whom he preaches.

41 posted on 11/17/2009 3:41:39 PM PST by OldNavyVet (A word to the wise. Don't drink the KoolAid.)
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To: OldNavyVet
Ever heard of an analog to digital converter being used to store analog music on something?

Thank you for making my point.

42 posted on 11/17/2009 4:12:01 PM PST by celmak
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To: OldNavyVet
Meyer's essay, yes, essay because he's not a scientist, biologist, evolutionist...

Now you have to be an Evo to comment on evolution... LOL!

43 posted on 11/17/2009 4:25:03 PM PST by celmak
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To: OldNavyVet
Wow, you are quoting a person who acknowledges to have only skimread Dr. Meyer's book, and who doesn't even bother to make an attempt at refuting the book, as an authority on the same. Not very convincing, OldNavy.

And btw, you STILL haven't answered my question. I'm starting to think it's because you already know the answer will make you look bad. I'll ask it again just in case you're one of those people who needs to take extra time for simple questions sink in.

I repeat...you called Dr. Meyer an "idiot" for supposedly being in error about DNA being digital. If it turns that you are completely wrong (and Dr. Meyer is 100% correct), wouldn't it be more appropriate to call you the idiot?

44 posted on 11/17/2009 5:16:14 PM PST by GodGunsGuts
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Signature in the Cell: DNA and the Evidence for Intelligent Design Signature in the Cell:
DNA and the Evidence
for Intelligent Design

by Dr. Stephen C. Meyer

Kindle
Paperback
search Amazon

website


45 posted on 11/17/2009 5:39:17 PM PST by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/__Since Jan 3, 2004__Profile updated Monday, January 12, 2009)
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To: tpanther
If you knew anything about the peer review process you would know that as part of the review the author, and the scientist conducting the review are all unknown to each other.

Photobucket

46 posted on 11/17/2009 9:09:09 PM PST by Ira_Louvin (Go tell them people lost in sin, Theres a higher power ,They need not fear the works of men.)
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To: GodGunsGuts; OldNavyVet
Dr. Meyer if it turns out that you are completely wrong (and he is 100% correct) re: DNA being a digital code???

I agree that DNA is digital, in that it's primary structure (simple sequence) encoding is in the form of discrete rather than continuous values, i.e. particular nucleotides.

But the "100%" emphatic goes too far. Although many of the aspects have, I think, yet to be well understood, DNA certainly also functions in analogue modes. My understanding of this subject matter is poor, but it seems pretty clear to me that things like, for instance, the complex manner in which DNA is packed and unpacked, must have a lot to do with tertiary structure (basically the 3-D shape of DNA).

This is kind of ironic, really, since you often say things like this:

And let’s not forget the neo-Darwinian reductionist beads-on-a-string notion of genetics is being completely overturned by the new biology.

And yet here you are, treating DNA as if it's digital "beads-on-a-string" aspect represented "100%" of it's significance and all of how it's functions are encoded.

Equally ironic, you've also frequently derided "evolutionists" for assuming that "junk" (properly "non-coding") DNA is without function. (As with the "beads-on-a-string" argument, evolutionists don't actually assume this, you just say they do in furtherance of straw-man abuse.)

But certainly many aspects of non-coding DNA function have to do with analogue (continuously variable) factors, rather than digital (discrete, discontinuously variable) factors. For instance the functional significance of repeating DNA is obviously related to continuously variable factors such as the length and number of repeats.

47 posted on 11/18/2009 12:24:28 AM PST by Stultis (Oceania has always been at war with Eastasia; Democrats always opposed waterboarding as torture)
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To: GodGunsGuts
...made the top ten in the science category...

Ooooooooo....that must mean something. Means to me that they allowed Creationism into the "science" category.

Dr. Meyer shows that the digital code imbedded in DNA points powerfully to a designing intelligence and helps unravel a mystery that Darwin did not address: how did the very first life begin?

Geeee....Dawin's book didn't address it because.....the origin of life has nothing to do with the differentiation of the species through evolution.

Who exactly is this mysterious designer?

48 posted on 11/18/2009 5:12:49 AM PST by ElectricStrawberry (Didja know that Man walked with 100+ species of large meat eating dinos within the last 4,351 years?)
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To: ElectricStrawberry
“Dr. Meyer shows that the digital code imbedded in DNA points powerfully to a designing intelligence and helps unravel a mystery that Darwin did not address: how did the very first life begin?

Geeee....Dawin’s book didn't address it because.....the origin of life has nothing to do with the differentiation of the species through evolution.

Who exactly is this mysterious designer? “

Firstly, Meyer is agreeing with you that Darwin and evolution do not address the origin of life, and he is not being critical of either for not addressing it.

Secondly, ID does not attempt to identify the designer. Meyer admits that his personal belief is God, but that he cannot prove it, and ID does not try to prove it. None of that really detracts from the position that the complex, specific information in the DNA code is best explained, based on what we know now, by the intervention of an intelligent agent. We have seen such information come from intelligent agents, and only intelligent agents, and hence it stands now as the best explanation. If a better means for the origin of such information is demonstrated, then it will prevail I would presume. He attempts to show how chance and natural law does not explain it.

49 posted on 11/18/2009 7:50:18 AM PST by Mudtiger
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Comment #50 Removed by Moderator

To: Stultis
I agree that DNA is digital, in that it's primary structure (simple sequence) encoding is in the form of discrete rather than continuous values, i.e. particular nucleotides.

The way I see it is that all real things are subject to being mathematically described using digital coding (most often binary) processes.

Picture a beautiful rose, and say to yourself: "The world is analog."

51 posted on 11/18/2009 8:00:17 AM PST by OldNavyVet ( Don't drink the KoolAid.)
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To: GodGunsGuts

Even a child ought to understand that DNA coding is binary, discrete, and thus digital.

Am I missing something?


52 posted on 11/18/2009 10:17:20 AM PST by blackpacific
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To: blackpacific

Nope, not at all. You obviously get it. Now tell me, for the benefit of others, how hard was that to grasp?


53 posted on 11/18/2009 10:29:54 AM PST by GodGunsGuts
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To: blackpacific

How is DNA binary?
Please expand on your explanation.

What represents a 0?
What represents a 1?


54 posted on 11/18/2009 11:05:41 AM PST by Wacka
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To: GodGunsGuts

It’s been almost 24 hrs and you still haven’t addressed post #7 yet.

When will you?

Too busy crying to mods on string theory thread where you inserted your idiotic keywords?


55 posted on 11/18/2009 11:37:58 AM PST by Wacka
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To: Wacka

The keywords were thought up by your fellow evos, so what you say makes sense.


56 posted on 11/18/2009 11:44:46 AM PST by GodGunsGuts
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To: GodGunsGuts

knot, not-a-knot, knot, knot, not-a-knot,...kind of like Morse code.


57 posted on 11/18/2009 7:27:57 PM PST by blackpacific
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To: blackpacific

I saw the book in the store this evening, I think it was $28.99 list. Same price as Palin’s book, but much more lasting and metaphysical in its content. They had it hidden in the religion section.


58 posted on 11/18/2009 7:30:23 PM PST by blackpacific
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To: blackpacific

It was right where it is supposed to be.


59 posted on 11/18/2009 8:33:05 PM PST by Wacka
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To: blackpacific

Still no explanation.


60 posted on 11/19/2009 6:54:48 AM PST by Wacka
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