Zombie Science: More Icons of Evolution Discovery Institute Press By Jonathan Wells Reviewed by Jack Kettler A brief bio: Jonathan Wells has earned two Ph.D.s, one in Molecular and Cell Biology from the University of California at Berkeley, and one in Religious Studies from Yale University. He is a Senior Fellow at Discovery Institute's Center for Science and Culture, he has previously worked as a postdoctoral research biologist at the University of California at Berkeley and the supervisor of a medical laboratory in Fairfield, California. He also taught biology at California State University in Hayward and continues to lecture on the subject. What others are saying: “In Zombie Science, Jonathan Wells gives both a very informative and entertaining account of the problems surrounding Darwinian evolution. He makes a compelling argument that the case in favor of evolution is being driven by a commitment to materialistic philosophy and not by scientific evidence. In fact, Wells convincingly shows that the ‘icons’ used to support evolution continue to be taught in spite of the increasing evidence against them. Whether a person is convinced of the truth of evolutionary theory, a skeptic, or convinced of the design argument, a clearer and greater understanding of the evolution/design debate will be gained by reading this book.” (Russell W. Carlson, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, Dept. of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and the Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia) “Evolutionary biologists provide contradictory hypotheses of the tree of life and mistaken answers on walking whales, junk DNA, the human eye, the origin of life, and many other captivating topics. To be up to date and informed on the many falsehoods dominating contemporary science and biology textbooks, I strongly recommend Zombie Science, the latest ‘politically incorrect’ book by Jonathan Wells.” (Wolf-Ekkehard Lönnig, Ph.D., Senior Scientist, Dept. of Molecular Genetics, Max Planck Institute of Plant Breeding Research, Cologne - retired) “When I read Zombie Science, the old phrase ‘My mind is made up, don’t confuse me with the facts’ kept coming to mind. Against the facts, Establishment Science continues to push a materialist narrative with religious zeal. Dr. Wells provides a very readable account of Establishment Science’s efforts to shore up a failed theory. Like zombies, neo-Darwinism just refuses to die. But readers will come away with good protection from the zombie arguments that keep appearing.” (Ralph Seelke, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, Dept. of Natural Sciences - Microbiology, Cell Biology, Genetics, University of Wisconsin-Superior) “In this sequel to his seminal book Icons of Evolution, molecular biologist Jonathan Wells not only responds to his critics, but reveals even more examples of dubious and overrated scientific evidence for evolution. He shows that the theory of macroevolution still lacks empirical support, and that the materialist dogma has corrupted modern science, which desperately tries to close the door for any alternative explanations like Intelligent Design. Wells’ book represents an important contribution for a paradigm change that is long overdue. It is easy to understand even for laymen, and an enjoyable read as well.” (Günter Bechly, Ph.D., Paleontologist and Former Curator for Amber and Fossil Insects, Dept. of Paleontology, State Museum of Natural History, Stuttgart, Germany) My thoughts: Are you a professed Christian who teaches evolutionary biology in a government school? I challenge you to read this book. This is Jonathan Wells’ second book on the Icons of Evolution. In this book, he deals with icons of evolution that refuse to die even after being completely discredited and some new icons that have recently emerged. According to Wells, these icons are like; zombies, the walking dead. In science, a theory or image is dead when it doesn’t fit the evidence. These zombies or icons of evolution, just like in an old horror movie refuse to die. In chapter one Wells deals with the important definition of science and how it has been hijacked by the philosophy of materialism. Evolutionary theory had accomplished the overthrow of empirical science and replaced it with a a-priori commitment to materialistic philosophy. Using materialism as the grid to interpret and exclude evidence. Older science that did not have a problem with a creator or intelligent designer have now been excluded by a false definition of science. Some of the icons that Wells knocks down are: The Miller-Urey Experiment, Darwin’s Tree of Life, Homology in Vertebrate Limbs, Haekel’s Embryos, Archaeopteryx, Peppered Moths, Darwin’s Finches, Four-Winged Fruit Flies, Fossil Horses and The Ultimate Icon, drawing of ape-like creatures gradually evolving into humans. Chapter five on Walking Whales is extraordinary. Wells deals with blow-holes in whales, the reproductive system whales have internally and the complex blood cooling apparatus that does not allow the whales sperm to overheat. Collapsing lungs and the ability of deep diving whales to avoid “narcosis” is remarkable. Chapter six on the human appendix and other so-called junk is a gold mine of great new knowledge that make older Darwinian assumption look foolish. Chapter seven on the human eye corrects other unwarranted bold Darwinian assumption with newer scientific research. In his concluding chapter, the Zombie Apocalypse, Wells quotes C.S. Lewis: Oxford professor, C.S. Lewis pointed out in 1947 that a theory “which made it impossible to believe that our thinking was valid, would be utterly out of court.” The of evolution “would itself have been reached by thinking, and if thinking is not valid that theory would, of course, be itself demolished. It would have destroyed its own credentials.” Wells then quotes Thomas Nagel, a New York University atheist professor: He pointed out that mind is “a basic aspect of nature.” But materialistic doctrine of evolution denies the reality of mind, so it “provides an account of our capacities that undermines their reliability, and in so doing undermines itself.” Since “the materialist neo-Darwinian conception of nature” does not make conscious organisms intelligible, Nagel concludes that it “is almost certainly false.” In fact, he says he is “willing to bet that the present right-thinking consensus will come to seem laughable in a generation or two.” Well then says: “For now, however, materialistic science rules” (176). Wells does an admirable job of showing that “materialistic science (in the practical sense as well as the theoretical sense) is corrupting empirical science” (178). The Lewis and Nagel observations are spot on. He sums the up the situation: I have used the zombie metaphor throughout this book, but maybe the popular lore on battling vampires contains the best metaphor for fighting the dogmatic materialism masquerading as empirical science. One way to kill a vampire, according to popular lore, is to expose it to direct sunlight (180). Since evolutionary advocates are religiously committed to materialism, don't expect immediate conversion experiences on the part of Darwinian dogmatists. I highly recommend this book. It should be in every Christian’s library. Mr. Kettler is the owner of Undergroundnotes.com a conservative web hub and the author of the new book, The Religion That Started in a Hat: A Reference Manual for Christians who Witness to Mormons that is available at Amazon.