Home | Intro | About | Feedback | Prev | Next | Search Was Darwin Wrong? Healing existential worries Robert Pennock's Tower of Babel. A review by Gert Korthof 2 May 1999. Updated 13 May 2001 The main goal of Tower of Babel is to evaluate the position of the Intelligent Design Theorists Michael Behe (biochemist), Phillip Johnson (lawyer), William Dembski (mathematician) and Alvin Plantinga (philosopher). Some attention is also given to the views of Young Earth Creationists John and Henry Morris, Old Earth Creationists (Fred Heeren and Hugh Ross) and Theistic Evolutionists such as Arthur Peacocke and Howard van Till. However, with a little exaggeration, this is a book about Phillip Johnson's views. This book. His sources are not only academic books and he read their books, went to their book is philosophy journals. Typically Internet sites are listed in meetings and conferences, including from a the References, Notes and in some places in the text. a 'guided tour of the Museum of professional The subtitle of the book The Evidence against the New Creation' and discussed with a lot of philosopher Creationism makes it clear that it is a criticism of the them personally. He is good at [1]. But not 'New Creationism', if you wish an 'attack', but it is not creeping into their skins: who are a from an atheist. Robert Pennock is a Quaker. So this is they? What do they want? What philosopher not an anti-religious book. He is a theist criticising other drives them? What are their worries? who is only theists [10]. Pennock gives a philosophical defence of The title of The Tower of Babel interested in evolution, so he is also an 'Evolutionist' [2]. In his view refers to the biblical story of the the history evolution is compatible with theism, so he could be a origin of human languages. Pennock of ideas starting with Plato and 'theistic evolutionist' or a deist. He does not tell anything uses the origin of languages to "spell Aristotle and ending with Popper about his own beliefs, rather his position must be out some of the structural parallels and Kuhn. Philosophy is invoked at inferred from the persons he criticises and the way he between linguistic and biological the right moments when it is needed does it. Since he is also a biologist, he is well qualified evolutionary theory in the hope that for clarifying. There are also for the job. Furthermore he is well prepared to evaluate it can provide a therapeutic elements of story telling and neo-creationism, because personal details throughout the way through the emotional block for This concern reappears explicitly in the paragraphs S.J.Gould [9]: rewinding the tape of those who find it unpleasant or Calming the Creationist's Fears, Evolution Does Not evolution would not guarantee the re- troubling to think of themselves as Imply Atheism and Can We Seek Meaning Together? of occurrence of the human species. being descended from prior animal Chapter 7. As Pennock sees it, creationists fear And Pennock himself quotes forms." (P147). This is one of his evolution, because life is without purpose if 'natural Dawkins: "Evolution has no long- original contributions to the evolution' created us. And this should be so because term goal"(P261). The randomness Creation-Evolution Controversy. natural evolution is mindless and purposeless [3]. And of the mutational process, the Interesting as the linguistic example this derives from the essential random nature of impossibility of 'directed may be in itself, I see an underlying mutations which are the motor of evolution. evolution' [8], the lack of a long- motive suggested by the words term goal, and the long time span 'therapeutic' and 'emotional block' "When evolutionary biologists speak of 'evolution', they before the appearance of humans, all and that is a genuine interest in are not referring to a process that either was or could seem to suggest that the designer creationist worries. And this is a far have been guided by a supernatural could not create humans by means more important contribution to the Creator" (Johnson,1993,P115).[4] of evolution. In Johnson words: it Creation-Evolution Controversy contradicts that "mankind was than for example debunking This central conflict between purpose and randomness designed and exists for a creationists' positive evidence. always seemed to me one of the clearest arguments of purpose" (Johnson,1993,P115).[4] Johnson. It is confirmed by the well-known claim of Pennock does not see it in that way. He does not see randomness as the how we came to be. What appears to most important aspect of evolution "Tower of Babel. The Evidence be random in our eyes, could be anyway [5]. Pennock tries to show in purposeful in God's eyes (P335). against the New Creationism" at least 4 ways that evolution and 4. One conclusion we can draw from by Robert T. Pennock randomness are compatible with evolutionary theory is that a MIT Press,1999 design: Designer is not necessary to explain ISBN 0-262-16180-X 1. Pennock discovered that Johnson, microevolution and adaptation of 429 pages at least in some passages, admits organisms. (Pennock does not Contents: include macroevolution and the that evolution is not necessarily 1. Creation and Evolution of a Controversy...1 origin of life in this list!). However, atheistic [6]: "one can imagine a 2. The Evidence for Evolution...43 Creator who works through natural 3. The Tower of Babel...117 says Pennock, from the fact that X is selection" (P336) 4. Of Naturalism and Negativity...181 not necessary for Y, it does not 2. Dembski is undermined (P95): 5. Chariots of the Gods...215 follow that X does not exist. ! So chance and design are not mutually 6. Deus ex Machina...277 from the fact that God is not exclusive.[7] 7. Burning Science at the Stake...309 necessary for evolution, it does not 3. Could an omnipotent God not 8. Babel in the Schools...343 follow that God does not exist. In Notes...379 have allowed humans to arise this way Pennock argues that the References...399 fears of creationists for evolution are through an evolutionary process Index...413 while still giving us a moral code to unfounded because evolution does uphold and a purpose to fulfil ? not imply atheism (even Johnson (P339). The designer could give us accepted this, sometimes!) and spiritual purpose no matter scientific naturalism is not equivalent to atheism (P328). still exists in nature. We still have the same laws of Is war compatible with a meaningful An alternative view (not present in nature including randomness. We would still have life and high absolute moral Pennock) and a way out of the volcano eruptions, lightning and all kind of other natural standards? How far creationists need randomness-purpose conflict could disasters. to go partly depends on the be Christian de Duve's point of I doubt that Pennock convinces old-fashioned literalists. willingness of evolutionists and view: life, consciousness and However any creationist who accepts Pennock's (or de atheists to acknowledge that intelligence are a necessity, given Duve's) argument would be released from the war evolution logically does not imply the particular conditions existing on against evolution and evolutionists. And that makes the atheism. earth [11]. road free to seek meaning together. Let's hope that at Pennock doesn't seek conflict in However, creationists still could least some are convinced by Pennock's arguments. If the Tower of Babel. Pennock object that Genesis tells otherwise: not: is a creation myth really worth a war, considering intentions are honest and peaceful. the world, plants, animals and that the point of creation myths is giving human He tried to take away the 'how and humans were deliberately created existence meaning? How far can defenders of one why we came into existence'- and not the result of purposeless creation myth go in their war against the other creation worries, in other words: the processes. On the other hand even if myth and still have a meaningful life? existential worries of creationists. the world was created, randomness Notes: 5. In his summary of the four central elements of evolution theory 1. Philip Kitcher is another philosopher who undertook a 'randomness' is mentioned only as the second part of the 4th philosophical analysis of creationism: Abusing Science. The Case element! (P333). Against Creationism(1982). This work is not available anymore. 6. I could make the title of my review in Tom Woodward-style: The work of another philosopher, Del Ratzsch, The battle of "JOHNSON ADMITS EVOLUTION IS NOT NECESSARY Beginnings(1996) is still available. ATHEISTIC!" or: "JOHNSON ADMITS DARWINISM MIGHT 2. Nowadays 'Evolutionist' is a redundant characterisation of a BE THE BEST EXPLANATION OF THE DATA !" (P209). scientist, just as an 'atomist' (someone who believes all matter is 7. Dembski's The Design Inference(1998) is not in Pennock's composed of atoms) or 'heliocentrist' (someone who believes references. Pennock send his manuscript in 1998 to the publisher. planets are orbiting around the sun). Otherwise 'evolutionist' is a However there are 3 publicatons of Dembski in the references. biologist/biochemist specialised in evolution. A deist is someone 8. I showed in my review of Denton(1998) that DNA cannot be pre- who believes in a God who made the world but has no influence on programmed to direct the path of evolution to humans. human lives. 9. S.J. Gould(1997) Full House. 3. See also Note 13 in my review of Darwin on Trial: Johnson beliefs 10. However see Pennock's comments on this statement in the feedback in a whimsical creator.