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Aimee Weber · 11-03-2009, 01:46 PM

Some of you may know that Ray Comfort (of banana-the-atheist-nightmare fame) along with Kirk Cameron have published a version of Darwin's Origin of Species where he omits 4 crucial chapters of evidence along with Darwin's introduction, and adds a creationist introduction in its place.

Some folks on YouTube decided to have fun doing a little editing of their own.

YouTube - Don't let Ray and Kirk deface Darwin

Camille Serpentine · 11-03-2009, 01:50 PM

wow...
just wow.

Jerboa Haystack · 11-03-2009, 02:01 PM

Aimee, which 4 chapters have been omitted? It looks to me like all he did was put a poorly-formed 50 page argument for Creationism as an "introduction".

Not crediting "Introduction by: Ray Comfort" on the cover is a little skeevy though.

(Although, I do not have a physical copy to compare with some other printing)

Aimee Weber · 11-03-2009, 02:06 PM

Chapter 10 - On The Geological Succession of Organic Beings
Chapter 11 - Geographical Distribution
Chapter 12 - Geographical Distribution continued
Chapter 13 - Mutual Affinities of Organic Beings: Morphology: Embryology: Rudimentary Organs

Also omitted was a section where Darwin answered his critics. This didn't appear in the original printing of Species but was added to later editions. Comfort's version doesn't have it.

Jerboa Haystack · 11-03-2009, 02:09 PM

ok...found just a little more info.

Ray Comfort Responds to Genie Scott on Creationist 'Origin of Species' - God & Country (usnews.com)

Quote:

A major concern of Genie Scott was that the copy of On the Origin of Species sent to her by my publisher was missing "four crucial chapters," as well as Darwin's introduction. She will be pleased to know that the second printing of 170,000 copies (the one that we will give to students) is the entire book. Not one word will be omitted.

her response
Scientist Genie Scott's Last Word to Creationist Ray Comfort: There You Go Again - God & Country (usnews.com)

Quote:

I am delighted that Ray Comfort has decided to provide a near-unabridged version in his next giveaway of On the Origin of Species. It's still missing a crucial diagram from Chapter 4 as well as the epigraphs from Bacon and Whewell, which Darwin chose with care, but it's more complete than the first version, which was also missing four chapters and Darwin's original introduction.
...
Anyhow, now I am even more enthusiastic about encouraging students to accept a free copy of Darwin's valuable book. But I stick by my advice: Students who are interested in learning about science can skip Comfort's introduction, which, despite a few cosmetic revisions, remains a hopeless mess of long-ago-refuted creationist arguments.

Aimee Weber · 11-03-2009, 02:11 PM

Oh good! I'm glad he backed off from distributing a cut version of Species, though I suspect he still won't include Darwin's answers to his critics.

Jerboa Haystack · 11-03-2009, 02:15 PM

He probably won't. After all his purpose really is to put forward his introduction, and try to sew a grain of doubt.

Aimee Weber · 11-03-2009, 02:22 PM

Also, I would examine the new "unabridged" version carefully (as in ... do a DIFF on them.) Before his hacked version came out, Comfort bragged that he would be distributing Species "unedited." So he's promised this before.

Jerboa Haystack · 11-03-2009, 02:27 PM

Hopefully he's on the up-and-up now, having been caught on the first printing.

I really have no issue with an annotated version, or a new introduction. But it should still contain the complete original text.

Aimee Weber · 11-03-2009, 02:36 PM

Yeah, the thing is public domain so he can do whatever he likes. But I don't get how he thought he would get away with omissions. Did he assume nobody would miss 4 chapters?! (and rather important ones at that.) It doesn't really help his case either ("You'll find that Darwin is quite unconvincing ... as long as you don't read this, and this, Oh and don't read THIS...")

But if he does distribute Origin of Species in its entirety for free, I think that will be a great thing, even if he includes his own spin in the introduction.

By the way, audiobook fans may enjoy a free, public domain reading of The Origin of Species available at librivox:

LibriVox » The Origin of Species by Charles Darwin

Gigs · 11-03-2009, 10:37 PM

I don't know why there's such a big focus on Darwin.

I mean... we have an additional 150 years of scientific data since that was written. And none of that data supports the idea that everything poofed into existence a few thousand years ago.

11-03-2009, 02:36 PM	#10 (permalink)
Aimee Weber Queen of the Metaverse Edit Status Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 6,265 My Mood:	Yeah, the thing is public domain so he can do whatever he likes. But I don't get how he thought he would get away with omissions. Did he assume nobody would miss 4 chapters?! (and rather important ones at that.) It doesn't really help his case either ("You'll find that Darwin is quite unconvincing ... as long as you don't read this, and this, Oh and don't read THIS...") But if he does distribute Origin of Species in its entirety for free, I think that will be a great thing, even if he includes his own spin in the introduction. By the way, audiobook fans may enjoy a free, public domain reading of The Origin of Species available at librivox: LibriVox » The Origin of Species by Charles Darwin Last edited by Aimee Weber; 11-03-2009 at 02:46 PM.

11-03-2009, 10:37 PM	#11 (permalink)
Gigs Backroom Bureaucrat Is it wicked not to care? Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 4,743 Awards: 1	I don't know why there's such a big focus on Darwin. I mean... we have an additional 150 years of scientific data since that was written. And none of that data supports the idea that everything poofed into existence a few thousand years ago. __________________ - - "It is the paramount duty of governments and of politicians to secure the wellbeing of the community under the case in the present, and not to run risks overmuch for the future" - JM Keynes

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11-03-2009, 01:50 PM	#2 (permalink)
Camille Serpentine Reaming your prims Screwing your scripts Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 579 My Mood: Farm Hustle Champion! Fast Food Fiasco Champion! SL Join Date: October 2003 Blog Entries: 1	wow... just wow.

11-03-2009, 02:01 PM	#3 (permalink)
Jerboa Haystack Senior Member The ears make the jerboa! Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 2,571 My Mood:	Aimee, which 4 chapters have been omitted? It looks to me like all he did was put a poorly-formed 50 page argument for Creationism as an "introduction". Not crediting "Introduction by: Ray Comfort" on the cover is a little skeevy though. (Although, I do not have a physical copy to compare with some other printing)

11-03-2009, 02:06 PM	#4 (permalink)
Aimee Weber Queen of the Metaverse Edit Status Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 6,265 My Mood:	Chapter 10 - On The Geological Succession of Organic Beings Chapter 11 - Geographical Distribution Chapter 12 - Geographical Distribution continued Chapter 13 - Mutual Affinities of Organic Beings: Morphology: Embryology: Rudimentary Organs Also omitted was a section where Darwin answered his critics. This didn't appear in the original printing of Species but was added to later editions. Comfort's version doesn't have it.

11-03-2009, 02:11 PM	#6 (permalink)
Aimee Weber Queen of the Metaverse Edit Status Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 6,265 My Mood:	Oh good! I'm glad he backed off from distributing a cut version of Species, though I suspect he still won't include Darwin's answers to his critics.

11-03-2009, 02:15 PM	#7 (permalink)
Jerboa Haystack Senior Member The ears make the jerboa! Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 2,571 My Mood:	He probably won't. After all his purpose really is to put forward his introduction, and try to sew a grain of doubt.

11-03-2009, 02:22 PM	#8 (permalink)
Aimee Weber Queen of the Metaverse Edit Status Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 6,265 My Mood:	Also, I would examine the new "unabridged" version carefully (as in ... do a DIFF on them.) Before his hacked version came out, Comfort bragged that he would be distributing Species "unedited." So he's promised this before.

11-03-2009, 02:27 PM	#9 (permalink)
Jerboa Haystack Senior Member The ears make the jerboa! Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 2,571 My Mood:	Hopefully he's on the up-and-up now, having been caught on the first printing. I really have no issue with an annotated version, or a new introduction. But it should still contain the complete original text.

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