Darwin's Doubt

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

Very detailed and scientific

Worth the read but it does mire the listener in detail. It might be better to read a physical book.

3 people found this helpful

What does science really say about evolution

It never ceases to amaze me how people with supposedly scientific minds believe blindly in random mutation evolution. Like any scientific theory it has things it explains and things it does not explain. Like any scientific theory it must constantly be reevaluated in light of new evidence. It seems like our world has changed Darwin's evolution from a scientific theory into a religion of its own. Meyer offers a thought provoking look at the evidence. This is a great book for Christians to equip their children with as they enter Middle school "science" classes. It is a good book for anyone with an open mind on the subject. As Mark Twain is quoted as saying: "It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so."

14 people found this helpful

Intelligently "Design-ates" The Blind Watchmaker an antiquated philosophy.

Having now listened to Dawkins' Blind Watchmaker as well as MEYERS' Signature in the Cell and Darwin's Doubt I am convinced the latter has the more scientifically compelling argument. Very enlightening!

25 people found this helpful

Astonishing

Meyer's comprehensive review of the science and continuing controversy surrounding the Cambrian fauna is fair and thoroughly researched. Then he goes on to discuss several post-Darwinian variations of the standard mutation/selection model that are sometimes used to account for these creatures. His critiques of these newer models along with the standard one are fair and well-thought out. Meyer is a thoughtful, cautious writer and his review of this controversy is profound. Even breathtaking. Notwithstanding the flaming invective and ad-hominim attacks of some of the one star reviewers, the bibliography reveals that many scientists are as openly doubtful of the Darwinian mechanism as Meyer is, though they remain committed to solving the dilemma within a materialistic framework. Meyer discusses these questions in the open and argues for non-material, intelligent causation, as do a number of recent books on fine-tuning and the evident fitness of earth for life. A stunning listen. Steve, your are a clear, careful, fair, respectful, even friendly voice in this debate. Looking forward to more from you. Kudos to the reader, who does a mostly great job with mouthfuls of somewhat technical language. I found him clear and devoid of idiosyncrasies. Just a few troubling pronunciations, but nothing too severe.

9 people found this helpful

Solid and compelling

I believe that when this book is read with an objective mindset, it provides a very clear and balanced and thoughtful argument. At the end of it all, I believe it does come down to a basic philosophical worldview. But I can't help but think that the scientific community and it's self righteous power today is mimicking the religious community from centuries past.

6 people found this helpful

Cambrian Explosion Blows Up Neo-Darwinism

In this follow-up to Signature in the Cell, author Stephen C. Meyer writes the book that the critics of his first book thought they were attacking. The first book is a rigorous defense of Intelligent Design from a genetic level. In this second book Meyer continues his assault on conventional evolutionary wisdom and focuses his attention on the Cambrian Explosion. His argument draws attention to the incredible amount of biological information that supposedly came into being—using evolutionary terms and time-scales—in just a few million years. When ever since—again in evolutionary terminology—no new phyla or body plans have evolved. Forgetting the typical Creationist arguments Meyer starts by accepting the evolutionary time-scale and sequence of events, then goes on to informing his listeners of just how much information is needed to bring a new living organism into existence. The magnitude is staggering and should give any thinking person reason to abandon materialistic evolution and at least entertain intelligent Design as a possibility.

Derek Shetterly us a good choice to narrate this book full of difficult technical concepts.

3 people found this helpful

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.

5 people found this helpful

Atheism is a Religion and Blinds even Scientists to Serious Evidence.

It is interesting to hear the argument against bro-Darwinism. Meyer presents a very strong case. He also goes over recent efforts to save materialistic explanations for life and new body plans. I am Catholic, but having been educated at UC Berkeley (once upon a time) and taken Prof Tim White’s paleoanthropology course, I was convinced that random mutation and selection of the fittest was reasonable. Over time, I learned of many of the serious problems discussed here. I still learned a great deal and strongly encourage everyone—whether theists or atheists—to read this book. Prof Meyer has a lot of great YouTube presentations, too. This is one of the most interesting and relevant questions there is. R. Hill 2020

well argued.

amazing he cover every angle and shows why scientifically, the theory of evolution doesn't make sense.

Excellent book

Clear and convincing arguments. Crisp and well-organized writing. Excellent narrator. This book kept me engaged throughout.

A Must Listen For Anyone!

This book goes into great biological and scientific details... It is a must listen to anyone interested in the subject... Highly recommend intelligent audio book !

1 person found this helpful

Heavy going but worth the read

This is a great read, heavy going sometimes, but worth persevering. Presents the challenges with Darwinism and the case for Intelligent Design, including how it uses the same methodology that Darwin developed to present his theory.

1 person found this helpful

Captivating and Convincing!

Presents a compelling, detailed and carefully documented account of the numerous failures of neo-Darwinism as a credible hypothesis to account for the complexities of life. It should convince even Richard Dawkins! For such a subject It is a surprisingly gripping read and the author does an excellent job of explaining in everyday terms many of the scientific concepts involved. The reader was excellent, so much thoroughly involved with the message of the book that I had assumed it was Myers himself and only discovered his identity at the end. A wonderful well presented book indeed.

3 people found this helpful

Darwin himself would scrap his theory

A sort of sequel to the Signature in the Cell, but this time looking at the subject from the opposite perspective. Rather than mostly making case for the intelligent design, it highlights how are various theories of evolution (yes, there is more than one, what a shocker eh?) inadequate.
Provides information the mainstream media will not, allowing a peek into what is actually going on among the scientists, which I found both surprising and refreshing. An honest look at the theory of evolution, explanation of the various ideas that were made to support it and a logical points that I can't imagine a sane person that understood them could argue against.
Discourse on principles of science and ultimately how has scientific community become irrationally, purposefully and aggressively against anything even remotely related to God, aka "Anything but God", or ABG if you will (Dr. Meyer doesn't say that directly here, but those are the implications extrapolated from the facts and real-life experiences).
Science does not equal to Methodological naturalism!
As with the previous book, I'd advise listening at 80% of the original speed.

Go to Stephen's youtube as well

A very smart book but a little difficult to follow for the less initiated. I prefer the Discovery institute youtube as the information there is a lot more easily digestible. If your looking for a massive bank of information on the cambrian explosion look no further, but it was to much for my needs and a little over specific. I expected various subjects to be covered but it is almost exclusively about the fossil record. I should have known really by the title.

A very comprehensive book

A great read and a solid argument based of undeniable facts. It's well put together fully covering all the evidence and theories that try to explain it with a logical and scientific approach

1 person found this helpful

Neo Darwinism as faith without evidence

I can't understand that the writer is so fair and comprehensively puts the case for Neo Darwinism and then devastating shows that it takes great faith to continue in that belief due to the lack of genuine evidence and impossible probabilities.

Not a light read, but essential reading for new biologists to save them wasting their career researching a failing theory.

1 person found this helpful

exceptional logic and reasoning

This is a serious work. not really good for driving around hence not perfect Audible score. However this must be regarded as essential to any half interested biology buff. Meyer is a serious intellectual, dealing with mainstream science and philosophy. The fact that some of the arguments are complex to grasp, is my deficiency. I know I will listen again quietly on vacation to savour and understand fully. I am a graduate in science and biology and have never bought into the idea that random mutations edited by natural selection is an adequate explanation to the abundance of life forms. Meyer confirmed many of my private conclusions, and invites a viable alternative explanation. An exceptional work!

1 person found this helpful

The cornerstone of an intellectual revolution.

This book is a masterpiece. A truly lucid, incredibly broad view of the case for design in life, which describes honestly and in detail the shocking inadequacies of the current Darwinian model and the irrationality of a scientific orthodoxy too dogmatic to accept the evidence being thrown up. In generations to come, after scientific materialism has been thrown out for it's now glaring failures, this book and a handful of others will be seen as cornerstones of a real intellectual revolution. An absolute must read.

1 person found this helpful