Responses to Criticisms of Icons of Evolution

In 2000, Discovery Institute biologist Jonathan Wells published his book Icons of Evolution, which documented widespread inaccuracies and junk science in the treatment of evolution in many biology textbooks. This pathbreaking book resulted in significant corrections to many textbooks, although many of the “icons” described by Wells are still used in some textbooks. Here you can read about the continuing debate provoked by this now classic work.

Casey Luskin, “Answering Massimo Pigliucci’s Critique of Icons of Evolution” (July 28, 2014)

Jonathan Wells, “Revenge of the Peppered Moths?” (Feb. 12, 2012)

Casey Luskin, “(Not) Making the Grade: An Evaluation of Recent Biology Textbooks and Their Selected Icons of Evolution” (Nov. 21, 2011)

Jonathan Wells, “Anatomical Homology and Circular Definitions” (Feb. 23, 2009)

Jonathan Wells, “Haeckel, Darwin, and Textbooks” (Feb. 23, 2009)

Jonathan Wells, “Fact and Fiction about the Peppered Moth” (Feb. 23, 2009)

Jonathan Wells, “Misrepresenting the Galapagos Finches” (Feb. 23, 2009)

Jonathan Wells, “Exhuming the Peppered Mummy” (August 30, 2007)

Jonathan Wells, “Flock of Dodos, or Pack of Lies?” (Feb. 9, 2007)

John G. West and Casey Luskin, “Hoax of Dodos: Flock of Dodos Filmmaker Claims Haeckel’s Embryo Diagrams Weren’t in Modern Textbooks—But He Knows Better” (Feb. 7, 2007)

Jonathan Wells, “Alan Gishlick and the NCSE: Full of Sound and Fury, Signifying Nothing New about Icons of Evolution: (Dec. 13, 2002)

Jonathan Wells, “Desperately Defending the Peppered Myth: A Response to Bruce Grant” (October 2, 2002)

Jonathan Wells, “Critics Rave Over Icons of Evolution: A Response to Published Reviews” (June 12, 2002)

Casey Luskin, “Icons Still Standing, a defense of Icons of Evolution” (March 2, 2002)

Jonathan Wells, “Inherit the Spin: Darwinists Answer ‘Ten Questions’ with Evasions and Falsehoods” (January 15, 2002)

Jonathan Wells, “Response to Jerry Coyne’s Review of Icons of Evolution” (April 26, 2001)