Book Review | Undeniable

UNDENIABLE: Evolution and the Science of Creation | Bill Nye, St. Martin's Press, 320p (Kindle version). 


Undeniable is a quick survey of the science driving the creation of our geography, planet, and us as people. It's aimed at the lay reader but likely overshoots in many regards. However, its lack of thoroughness or haste is not its primary flaw, which is humility. 

Nye opens his tome with the backdrop of a debate with a Creationist advocate (Ken Ham). Throughout the book, he returns to jab those who hold this view. He often mentions their motivations without evidence of his assumption. Meaning it appears he is often jousting with a Straw Man. This is unnecessary and undermines his credibility. 

Science as a process flourishes in humility; its advocates also ought to. As imperfect as Creationism is, it is an epistemological attempt.  


Some of Nye's tangents are non-sequitur lobbying pitches: "This is neat research, so the government should fund more of it (like planetary exploration)." Does it matter if free enterprise pioneers the solution or the taxpayer? To the scientist, no; to an advocate, apparently. 


While Nye is only sometimes compelling, his science has no shortcomings. From GMOs (which he favors, generally) to space exploration, he paints the broad picture of the fantastic universe we inhabit, how much we know, and how far we have yet to go. It will raise more questions than it answers, which is ultimately the goal of education.  

Nye makes the compelling and much-needed argument for why there are no races amongst us “humans.” That race is itself a completely artificial construct biologically. While Nye wrote this in 2014, scientists still maintain this truth in the face of the anti-science critical race theory and other forms of pervasive racism. 

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His political agenda aside, it's worth the time if you have the inclination.