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HomeShop at BookSurgeFictionAnthologies (multiple authors)Darwin's Dove: Faith Embraces Evolution |
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1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
A thoughtful commentary on contemporary clash of ideals Jun 20, 2007
By Roy Li
Darwin's Dove is a thoughtfully written commentary examining how major worldviews interact and mesh together in today's volatile religious environment. Christianity, Islam, and secularism are all poked and prodded from different directions, allowing the reader to see which actions are taken in different situations in the name of faith. The core plot of the book, the development of a computer algorithm that can simulate evolution, allows the reader to understand how these different worldviews interpret the creation of the heavens and earth, and how they react when things don't go as expected.
As TJ and Rachel, the likeable protagonists, develop their controversial digital universe, they open up a Pandora's Box of concerns for everyone from atheists to the most religious. The atheists are annoyed because TJ's world uses a form of intelligent design to enhance and direct the evolution of his digital creatures. The Muslims think that TJ's creation of a universe is a form of blasphemy against God. And in between, there are moral concerns about whether this technology can and should be adopted for military use.
One good thing about Darwin's Dove is that it takes care not to come down too strongly in support of any one side. Passages about Islamic dialogue contain the reverent 'Peace Be Upon Him' following references of Muhammad, and the more aggressive passages from the Quran are tempered by more reasonable ones. Likewise with Christianity and the question about the military application of these creatures, care is taken not to offend those with sensibilities on either side. Perhaps the only group that is not looked upon considerately are the atheists - they are portrayed (I think accurately so) as an intellectually bankrupt mob. Without understanding the tenets of their own faith, they blindly attack those who oppose them in ideas. At least the Muslims considered the intellectual and moral ramifications of their attacks.
The story definitely reads well and is quite enjoyable. But if I had to fault the author on something, it would be on his eagerness to launch into lengthy theological exposition and on his comments on theological symbols. Perhaps the author had a theological education, but it takes this book from the realm of enjoyable fiction and elevates it to theological fiction. To a target audience of well-educated individuals, they suddenly find themselves struggling to follow all the theological arguments. The book does a fine job setting the religious tone, why not let the audience decipher for themselves what this all means? The rebuttals to concepts like Richard Dawkins' teapot in space are well thought out, but it unlikely that TJ could create such a well formed theological argument on the spot when prompted.
The book concludes very pleasantly. Few loose ends are left, and the reader is left with a story that discussed faith yet was not offensive, a rare trait in religious writing these days. You can take the book according to your own level. If you think that universal love will triumph in the end, you can interpret it as such. If you believe in the Christian ideal of a Kingdom of Heaven that is coming - let's say that the book leaves this opportunity open for a continuing guiding hand to make this possible.
1 of 2 found the following review helpful:
A fascinating tale of science and faith May 08, 2007
By C. Srivatsa
"voracious reader"
Juan Zanzeros has created a thought-provoking yarn combining elements of spirituality, religion and faith into a scientific storyline. TJ, a graduate student, uses computer simulation to create "evolution in a teacup", with surprising results and unintended consequences that place him and others he loves in peril. Atheists, governments, military forces, professors and the faithful all look for ways to use TJ and his study to gain advantage for their own selfish purposes.
There are obvious parallels between human historical evolution and the results of the simulator. How the author introduces competing religions into the simulator is a stroke of genius. The storyline seems simple at first glance, but reveals multiple layers of complexity with each passing event.
The author has obviously researched the material quite well. I found his insights into the different world religions are fascinating. Many of the scientific concepts in the book are already close to reality, and make the story very authentic.
The intriguing blend of science and faith in the story makes for a tale that stands out in a crowded field of fiction genres. A great read!
0 of 2 found the following review helpful:
A Synthesis of Faith and Reason Apr 15, 2007
By Pious Ogre
Darwin's Dove is a love story about a graduate student and his girlfriend, who create a computer simulation of evolution that embroils them in a fight for their own survival. In the process they are brought face to face with philosophical questions that are thousands of years old and that still fuel the tension between atheists, Christians, and Muslims.
Since computer scientists are now capable of creating computer simulations of physical laws, self-replication, and evolving organisms, we have existence proofs, in principle, of subuniverses within our own universe. These virtual universes all have creators. So our best mathematical expectation is that our own universe is no different. We are trapped in a simulation. Evolution is a search algorithm, based on competition, that finds beautiful complexity only at the expense of suffering and war. Suffering is intrinsic to the search algorithm. A compassionate creator (or graduate student) might try to alleviate the suffering by revelation authenticated by prophecy and miracle. In Zanzeros' words "The evolutionary algorithm itself is the theodicy that Leibniz sought and Voltaire caricatured."
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