This Book Sucks,
It's condescending to creationists. It's not written to convince the creationist that darwinism is wrong, it's written to provide ammunition for darwinists to defend their lofty and humanist positions.
It's not written to convince the creationist that darwinism is wrong...
Creationists don't need to be convinced that Darwinism is wrong—they already believe that. Perhaps you meant that the book's not written to convince the creationist that Darwinism is right. If so, you're correct; the authors are doubtless aware that creationists are largely impervious to evidence and argument.
"Under cover of advanced degrees, including a few in science, obtained in some of the major universities, the Wedge’s workers have been carving out a habitable and expanding niche within higher education..."
Yes, I'd call that condescending.
"Moreover, there is every reason to think that religiously conservative, anti-science agitation will increase, especially as the life sciences and medical research continue to probe the fundamentals of human behavior."
When discussion enters the realm of Origins, (the code word used by the author is "fundamentals"), then the science teacher must admit that he may not have all the facts at his disposal using the reductionist's definition/ version of the scientific method.
For example, I can give two scientific explanations for my existence.
I was created by the coming together of a sperm and an egg.
It is also true that my parents are Al and Mary Lou.
Both are scientific facts. One view is how a reductionist describes my arrival.
The other is more personal.
Science should not be used to rule out the personal explanation for my existence. Is this a wedge? a wedgie perhaps? Only for those who want a reductionist world view...which is a drift beyond science into a pseudo-scientific world... a philosophical perspective.
John Polkinhorne, a physicist and a priest has written (extremely paraphrased): "The water in the teapot is boiling because the gas fire is heating it up. The water is also boiling because I want a cup of tea."
Tell me which of these two true facts is not scientific.