The Not-So-Intelligent Designer

Why Evolution Explains the Human Body and Intelligent Design Does Not

By: Abby Hafer

Narrated by: Seth Andrews

Why do men's testicles hang outside the body? Why does our appendix sometimes explode and kill us? And who does the Designer like better, anyway--us or squid? These and other questions are addressed in The Not-So-Intelligent Designer: Why Evolution Explains the Human Body and Intelligent Design Does Not.

Dr. Abby Hafer argues that the human body has many faulty design features that would never have been the choice of an intelligent creator.

She also points out that there are other animals that got better body parts, which makes the Designer look a bit strange; discusses the history and politics of Intelligent Design and creationism; reveals animals that shouldn't exist according to Intelligent Design; and disposes of the idea of irreducible complexity.

Her points are illustrated with wit and erudition.

Dr. Abby Hafer has a doctorate in zoology from Oxford University. She is a Senior Lecturer who teaches human anatomy and physiology at Curry College.

©2015 Abby Hafer (P)2023 Abby Hafer

Critic reviews

"For an adequate account of the world, we must take a sober look at life as it really is. Hafer shows that things are a whole lot messier and makeshift than what some intelligent design theories would incline us to believe. This book has the potential not only to alter the political terrain in wars over evolution and creationism but also to prompt believers like me to rethink how we should talk about God as Creator." --Thomas Jay Oord, author of Divine Grace and Emerging Creation

"The Not-So-Intelligent Designer is a much-needed work in an America where anti-intellectualism is rampant and, shockingly, even candidates for high office frequently reject evolution. Abby Hafer has that rare ability to communicate complex scientific ideas in understandable terms for non-scientists, and this book is sure to enlighten many." --David Niose, author of Fighting Back the Right

Thank you, Abby! Great narration, Seth!

Nobody narrates a book quite like Seth Andrews!
Abby, this book was like a 'Greatest Hits' album of all your presentations and interviews on YouTube. Awesome job!

A necessary compilation by Dr Hafer.

Although the illusions of design is strong, some things are not as they seem at first. The sun doesn’t go around the Earth to give us night and day. We evolved. We were not created.
The likelihood of a creator having to do with our existence is remote. When someone with an open mind to observation, thinks about it. What fits is that we evolved by means of mutations and selection by nature of the better suited for reproduction and survival over millions of generations.
Well done.
The voice of Seth Andrews is a wonderful choice. He gives wonderful intonations and emotions. I really wish he would give his voice many more books.

Presently informative.

Well written and presented in a way that's acceptable to most non-science trained readers. You could tell Seth Andrews enjoyed reading the book as there were more than a few impromptu chuck les in his narrative.

Informative

The author presents several examples of poorly designed systems in humans compared to other species and demonstrates that we are not intelligently designed. However, good part of the book is dedicated to speak about the Discovery Institute pseudoscientists and their religious agenda and not about more examples of poor human design.

For Anyone who grew up like me

Excellent discussion, easy to listen to and enjoyable. All the details on Intelligent Design were helpful. My only complaint and not worthy of any less stars, but Abby clearly has a bias against ID and Creationism. While she’s right that these belief systems have no merit in Science, proving them wrong doesn’t automatically mean there isn’t a higher power or an intelligent designer. Evolution is an amazing system, exciting that natural processes can make us. And, we hope make things all across this universe. If we are honest, there are many things we still can’t explain (look at the Quantum World), and we clearly aren’t in a binary world anymore. Even though ID and Creationists have such fault ideas shouldn’t assume that there wasn’t an intelligent design.