The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution

The Creation Lie: Why Darwin was right is a 2010 on the German Ullstein published popular science fiction book by the British evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins. It appeared in the original English under the title The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution in 2009 by Bantam Press, New York.

Dawkins sees his work as " personal summary of all the evidence that it is the " theory " of evolution is actually a fact that is as undeniable as it can be a scientific fact at all. " P.7 Dawkins' arguments directed against the public ministry of supporters or representatives of creationism and intelligent design, which provide the evolution in agreement ( " history deniers" pp. 15 et al ), the theory of evolution into perspective with the argument that it was " not proven" p. 19, " just a theory " pp. 18 et seq, 488 et al or " a matter of personal faith," page 12, and this cite as justification, for example, the teaching of evolution in schools to be loaded or prevent. Pp. 12 and 488

Background

In his earlier works such as The Blind Watchmaker (1986 ), and it sprang from a river in Eden (1995) and the summit of the improbable (1996 ) undertook Dawkins attempt to eliminate the biggest misconceptions about evolution. The 200th birthday of Charles Darwin and the 150th anniversary of the publication of his work The Origin of Species Dawkins took as an opportunity to arguments and evidence for evolution in a book together. It was important to him thereby to refute the often heard argument that evolution is merely a theory, since the term with which the hypothesis would thereby confused. For this reason, the book was originally published under the title Only a Theory. However, the U.S. biologist Kenneth Miller Dawkins came with his work Only a Theory: Evolution and the Battle for America's Soul (2008) previously.

By his own admission, Dawkins was unhappy about the German title of the book, since this merely out pranks its negative aspects. The Greatest Show on Earth should explicitly not be a book against religion, since he had already written to the God Delusion such a book. p. 14

Motivation

For Dawkins, the rejection of the theory of evolution is no margins of society in some countries. He cites surveys from the years 2005 to 2008 that are committed in the United States, Britain and Turkey 39 percent or more of respondents to positions of creationism or intelligent design or deny central insights of evolutionary theory. Pp. 482-486 According to Dawkins result, much of the rejection of the theory of evolution from " a very general scientific ignorance ." S. 486 In this regard, he regarded the book as "necessary". S. 482

Against this background, Dawkins is concerned about the significance of the theory of evolution in the science classroom. He complains that "the history deniers, especially in America and in much of the Islamic world a considerable power over schools and their curricula " have p 126. Him grieved the educational influence of representatives of creationism and intelligent design in the United States, which

In the UK, fears Dawkins, could make school the example of the Emmanuel City Technology College ( Gateshead ). Meanwhile, spokesman had claimed that the theory of evolution is just a " attitude of faith ." S. 13 would therefore, as Dawkins, the curriculum of this school and the " foreseen faith schools of the new generation (...) to be closely monitored ." p. 14

The target group of the book looks Dawkins by him as " history deniers" designated. Above all, he sees his work as a reasoning aid for people who acknowledge evolution as scientific fact, but do not feel adequately armed " to argue on the merits " against Unlike my end. S. 16 f

Content

Chapters 1-3

Dawkins shows that with selective breeding and domestication (using the example of dog or cabbage) to achieve significant changes in living things within a few centuries. A selection takes place in nature but also without the intervention of a breeder instead, although over much longer periods of time.

The creationist argument that the theory of evolution is " only a theory ", Dawkins countered by pointing out that creationists have a different understanding of "theory" as a scientist would. Creationists would use the term in the more " colloquial " p.20 sense: as mere hypothesis, speculation, conjecture or tentative idea that is still waiting for their confirmation. Scientists, however, understand the " theory " a confirmed or established by observation or experiment hypothesis. S. 18 f For clarity, Dawkins characterizes the scientific term variant the neologism " Theorum ". Pp. 20 and 22

The other creationist argument that the theory of evolution is "not proven ," Dawkins confronts with the statement, strictly speaking, only mathematical propositions ( theorems ) could be proved. S. 20 f A Theorum could be, however, only by evidence confirm p.23 - in the case of the theory of evolution by a " rising tide of evidence ", page 173 " ( were ) never sound than today " the. page 7

Chapter 4

This section is mainly aimed at the representatives of the young-earth creationism, which assume that the Earth is not older than a few thousand years. The dendrochronology and the radiometric dating possibilities for determining the age will be presented (about fossils ) on geological scales.

Chapter 5

That evolution also in relatively short periods of time can be observed, is explained here in particular to guppies and bacteria. Very detailed Dawkins is doing a on the Lenski experiment.

Chapter 6-7

It is made clear that the question of a Missing Link in humans and most animal species no longer is today. Dawkins cites numerous examples of transitional forms, including extinct members of the genera Homo and Australopithecus and the land-living ancestors of whales, turtles and manatees. The reference to missing links and the demand by some creationists mixed forms between extant species based on false interpretations of the theory of evolution.

Chapter 8

Embryonic development and other highly complex biological structures are thus explains that an organism is not made for a specific blueprint. The finished body is rather a necessary consequence of local rules that operate within and between cells. Due to the length of time it had the evolution available, could this rule works - favored by natural selection - always assume more complicated forms.

Chapter 9

This chapter deals with the formation of new species as a result of geographic isolation. This is demonstrated by the example of the Galapagos Islands. Another cause of plate tectonics is headed.

Chapter 10

The phenomenon of homology allow conclusions to relationships between species. Regardless of molecular biology, finding coincides almost perfectly with the predictions of the theory of evolution.

Chapter 11

Also rudiments (second pair of wings in flies, creeps ) give indications of the phylogenetic development. Special attention is given in this chapter, however, the fact that many institutions are apparently not as structured as you would expect from an intelligent designer. As examples, Dawkins gives to the vertebrate eye, the human vas deferens, the declining laryngeal nerve in man and giraffe. Furthermore, he cites the fact that the bag Koala bear is opened downwards, although this lives on trees. This is explained lived with the pedigree of an animal that is similar to the modern wombat, and in caves and underground passages.

Chapter 12

This is about an evolutionary view of the theodicy. For Dawkins, the ubiquitous suffering in nature is in contradiction to a benevolent creator. This conflict, however, there for Dawkins on the condition of evolution, since these can neither think in the categories of "good" and "evil" or in any other form.

Chapter 13

In the last section Dawkins employs, among others, with hypotheses regarding the origin of the first life. Finally, he answered the question of human existence with the anthropic principle:

Reviews

"The Greatest Show on Earth, Dawkins shows in top form: unambiguous, nice arguing with a liquid language. (...) Dawkins makes it clear that evolution is verifiable and each test has passed. "

" Dawkins argued from the beginning to the end of his book, easy to understand, witty, even brilliant. He writes with a passion and so personal that the thoroughly scientific book so exciting reads like a thriller. "

" In summary, [ ... ] hold for all potential target groups: Read this book. It makes intelligent. And it's fun. "

"Intellectual passion, the art of free speech and a rousing educational Impetus: Richard Dawkins does not read it. You experience it. And, it may be repeated, not by reading historical novels, but of treatises on cecal valves and flatworms. "

"And so understands Dawkins also the task he set himself for this book: to lead Namely in mind how the evidence for the evolutionary events intertwine, so that the rejection of evolutionary explanations of the history of life on our planet as a rather grim denial is indicated. "