10)?" Indicating that there is no intellectual discourse on the subject, and, because they have already indicated that they perceive creationists as backward, asocial, and people essentially not capable of intellectual discourse on the subject; this book is done. However, and to the mystery of anyone who reads as far as the first ten pages of the book, the book lingers for more than 200 pages.
Young and Edis begin by informing their audience that, from their perspective intelligent design fails, because that is what they tell people in their title, and, if the title did not sufficiently turn readers away, the first 10 pages wherein the authors come across hostile, demeaning, and finally advise the reader there is no intelligent discourse on intelligent design to be had; that should be the end of the book and the number of people willing to read the book. "So what went wrong (p. 10)?" can be answered by the second author, who is an example of how everything goes right.
The second author, speaking on the same subject, takes a very different approach, as evidenced by his thesis statement. However, even before the thesis statement there is the suggestion in the title, the Roving Mind, that this author, Isaac Asimov, is open minded and willing to consider all the pertinent information, facts and fiction, thereby not just indicating to the reader a potentially interesting read, but a fun one too. Since the reader does not know that Asimov is taking a position on side or the other, the reader might be inclined to think that Asimov has ideas or suggestions to support their own position, or, even to persuade them to a different position; and the reader reads on.
On page 29, Asimov is advising the creationists that scientists do engage in intellectual discussion with creationists. Asimov writes:
Every once in a while, some scientist who accepts the view that the universe, life and human beings have developed over slowly over billions of years through evolutionary processes is lured into a debate with a creationist who insists that the universe, life and human beings have been brought into existence only a few thousand years ago, in just about its present form, by supernatural action (Asimov, 1997, p. 29)."
The hook, catching the creationist and the evolutionist alike, who want to know more about that debate that might prove informative, be fuel for thought, and provide debate insights. While authors Young and Edis contend that the creationists have no argument worth making, and that it is a slam dunk in lieu of the scientists in every answer to every question; Asimov holds that is not always the case (Asimov, 1997, p. 29). Asimov says, "And yet, somehow, in such debates, the creationist often appears to have it all his own way, while the scientist is reduced to an ineffective defense. Why is that? (p....
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