The Greatest Show on Earth, Chapter 9

Chapter-by-chapter thoughts on Richard Dawkins’ The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution

by John C. Snider © 2009

Chapter 9: The ark of the continents

Dawkins points out that geography has a profound impact on evolution: the landscape can either allow species to interact, or it can prevent them from interacting.  In the latter case–what Dawkins calls “islands” (be they actual islands or metaphorical ones)–it can lead to new species branching off from existing species.

Not only is there undeniable (except to the most die-hard Creationist) geological evidence of the drift of the continents and the great age of the earth, interpretation of the fossil record supports the idea as well.  Perhaps most devastating to a Young Earther who believes all animals spread over the earth 4,400 years ago when Noah released them from the Ark is the fact that kangaroos can only be found in one place: Australia.  No kangaroos–living, dead or fossilized–have been found in a trail from Mount Ararat in Turkey down across India and Asia leading to Australia.  Similarly for any number of species, the best explanation for which lies in deep geologic time. Dawkins finds is laughable (as do I) the idea that South America and Africa might have separated mere thousands of years ago and sped thousands of miles apart in forty days and forty nights–but that’s what some Creationists would have you believe.

On to Chapter 10…!

The Greatest Show on Earth is available at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk.

Read my thoughts on Chapter 8.

Read my thoughts on Chapter 7.

Read my thoughts on Chapter 6.

Read my thoughts on Chapter 5.

Read my thoughts on Chapter 4.

Read my thoughts on Chapter 3.

Read my thoughts on Chapter 2.

Read my thoughts on Chapter 1.