Rating: 
Summary: An Alternative Scenario for Human Origins
Review: During a 1989 sabbatical leave from Niagara University, I investigated philosophical problems arising from the interface of evolution theory and religious revelation, especially respecting the historicity of human first parents as depicted in Genesis. The 1993 publication of "Forbidden Archeology" brought my attention to concerns about the manner in which the scientific community treats anomalous evidence of earlier than Late Pleistocene anatomically modern human beings. This, combined with a few apparently well-documented examples of anomalous finds, such as Reck's skeleton, the Castenedolo skeletons, and the Laetoli footprints -- plus a plethora of lesser known and sometimes less well-documented cases -- led me to the conclusion that there exists probable cause to have rational doubt about the current theory of human evolution. Chapter fourteen of my own "Origin of the Human Species," (Sapientia Press: 2003) discusses at length "Forbidden Archeology's" contention that anatomically modern humans predated hominids from which evolutionary theory claims we descended. My book demonstrates that sound natural science is entirely compatible with an authentic reading of Genesis, including Adam and Eve's reality -- and this, without recourse to young-Earth creationism. While my thesis need not rely upon "Forbidden Archeology's" claims, still, I considered its carefully documented analysis of the paleoanthropological record sufficiently credible to devote an entire chapter to analysis of its claims. I am grateful to Michael A. Cremo for his comments and suggestions during the writing of this chapter, which I include as a possible alternative scenario for human origins - one still consistent with belief in a single pair of historical first parents for the human race. We must recall that even a single instance of an anatomically modern human being prior to the Late Pleistocene period would be catastrophic to the current human evolution theory. The telling admission made in a review by the "Social Studies of Science" (26:1 (1996): 207) that "much of the historical material that they (Cremo and Thompson) resurrect has not been scrutinized in such detail before" should forewarn critics to beware of a priori dismissal of "Forbidden Archeology's" claims concerning the early presence of true humans in the fossil record. "Forbidden Archeology" explains how practical epistemological limitations place paleoanthropology in a category far removed from experimental science conceived as easily verifiable in a laboratory and universally replicable. These epistemological limitations, combined with Cremo and Thompson's extensive documentation of what appears to be anomalous evidence of true man living earlier than the Late Pleistocene period, renders credible the contention that, even in the early years of the 21st Century, educated persons can have rational doubts about the standard human evolution scenario. Indeed, the entire process of human origins might prove to be much more mysterious than atheistic Darwinians suppose. "Forbidden Archeology" deserves careful consideration in any serious discussion of evolution and human origins.
Rating:
Summary: Wow!
Review: Few books on such subjects ever provide full sustenance to their statements. This one does and in a great manner. It not only provides ancient civilizations but also provides with evolution lines, normally not quet well spread.
Rating: 
Summary: Much of its style/content taken from earlier work of Corliss
Review: Great Book, but i was surprised to find an earlier work: Ancient MAN: a Handbook of Puzzling Artifacts,
isbn# 0915554038 I need to go back to my shelf and see if Cremo and Thompson
give this earlier work credit. the style and content are similarly edited both books are a great read.
Rating: 
Summary: Thought provoking
Review: I am not a scientist, but I have been fascinated by science since I was young. This book goes to great pains to try to document its claims, and in many cases does an admirable job. The author is obviously sincere in his belief that humankind is much older and, in times past, has been more intelligent than it is now. Personally, I would love to believe this is so, therefore I am prejudiced towards wanting to believe what is here. "Forbidden Archeology" is, more than anything else, important for its thought provoking content and assertions. It is so difficult to get the average American to question the status quo any more that any work, no matter how outre, that stirs the fancy is welcome. I look forward to more books like this. In spite of everything, I think intelligent people will not depend solely on one reference to form their beliefs and opinions on the truth of man's history. I trust to the instinctual skepticism of each person toward things out of the ordinary to protect them from the more bizarre assertions while they assimilate the more obviously useful.
Rating:
Summary: My bias doesn't match the authors but...
Review: I can't as easily dismiss the facts presented in this book as some negative reviewers. The book, though scholarly size, leaves holes unexplained. I don't come to the same conclusions as the authors regarding the age of humankind. Though my religious views differ greatly it is hard to dismiss the fact that something is fishy with the Evolution religion as we know it. This book is thought provoking at least and certainly provides a detailed if not factual arguement. Great fodder for coffee break debates at the office ;-)
Rating: 
Summary: Fascinated, then disappointed
Review: I have recently started to research the topic of human origins... something I've always wanted to do. Never allowing myself to become too close-minded or to just accept *anything* people tell me without thought, I gathered all the info I could find. This book was perhaps the third significant item I read. At first I was absolutely fascinated by the finds discussed in the book. They seemed soundly researched and presented ... though at odds with the other information I was researching. So I decided to research some of the specific finds discussed in the book, starting with the Hueyatlaco site. One after another, the finds presented in the book lost their "hidden" aspect. Don't just swallow what this book says, do your own research. If you do, and are open-minded, you will be let down by this book like I was...What is really "hidden" is the authors' real agenda ... they do anything, even distort historical facts, to promote their faith. (And to think that, at first, I thought they were open-minded! Man, was I fooled.) Very, very disappointing.
Rating:
Summary: Scary Pseudoscience
Review: I stumbled upon this title being someone of interest in alternative versions of the origin of humans (and life in general) but this book is a sheep in a wolf's clothing. It looks impressive and like it will say something, but turns out to be another sham. Although many reviewers are impressed by the multitude of "facts" in this book that uncover the deceptive secrets of scientists, in reality their argument extracts selective references from very (!) outdated evolutionary ideas or data from scholarly papers and places them out of context. The "facts" are then, with a generous amount of spin, placed into a new hypothesis that has no actual data. This book tries to show modern biology as an entrenched discipline fighting off critics of Darwin, when nothing could be further from the truth. Many of the harshest critics of Darwin's theories are biologists themselves so to pitch this book as an objective view that will "threaten the establishment of science" is ridiculous. If you are spending your time reading this book in search of a version of truth, I think you should also read a scholarly archeology textbook or talk to a practicing scientist. I can guarantee that either approach will show the paucity of the authors' data and the emptiness of their arguments.
Rating:
Summary: Incredibile Views
Review: I too have just ordered this book. Why? To locate the sites where the information has been obtained to cause Mr. Cremo to write this compendium. I am surprised by the many negative comments received against this book, and those books written by other explorative Scientists, and Researchers. If I were to choose just one book of information to congeal my ideas, then I could consider myself a fool; however I have a large and growing library of authors on similar subjects. Much is unknown about our past history, to the average citizen that is, and our Colleges have not properly educated their students for the past approximately fifty years. More about that another time. I find that the two most virulent detractors on the issue of past technologically advanced societies on this Earth, and perhaps Mars, are the Rosicrucians (upper Masonic levels) and the Fundamentalist Christians. The Rosicrucians have a large and growing economic stake in this information, for it uncovers their actions, and shines light on their idea of superiority to us rank and file inferiors. They see themselves as pre-ordained to rule the Earth, and be the supreme rulers when their leader Lucifer returns to this planet. The Christians on the other hand, tend to represent the uneducated, and non-reading group, who have a similar stake in the misapplied Creation theory. Most of them can not explain the first few verses of Genesis, let alone a real interpretation of the Scriptures. They are also led, for the most part, by people are qualified mostly for jobs as Fund Raisers, Car Salesmen, or paid consultants for various products. The timeline given for creation, does not fit any reasonable known data for archaeology, or known historical records. The Bible used by both groups, although more so by the Christians, plainly states in Genesis, that the Gods created the Heavens and the Earth, not a God as they assume. King James was a nefarious person, and should not be held as a good guy who wanted to share spiritual knowledge. He had his reason for the translation, and you can find that reason in many articles. I for one believe the statements and facts given in the Bible, but prefer the Hebrew translations for accuracy and direction. It, along with Sumerian texts, explains why we find so many Giant Mummies filling the caves in many places within the United States, and other Nations. I for one choose to seek "Right" knowledge, and thank all the authors, for whatever reason drives them, for providing me this choice information. It truly gives credence to why I choose to be "A Follower of Christ."
Rating:
Summary: Yet Another Fundamentalist Assault
Review: If you are looking for valid scientifically based understanding of the proto-human theory this book is not the place to begin your search. The proto-human theory is itself a very weak argument, similar to the aquatic ape, or creationist theories of human origins. This book is biased and fundamentalist beggar dressed up in threadbare scientific rags. Only the foolish or uneducated will be swayed by its shoddy arguments, though the length and breadth of the book will probably make the propaganda "look" impressive to the lay reader.
Open-mindedness is a positive trait but naivety is a vice and the uneducated will not be able to distinguish fact from fiction in this book. Do yourself a favor and buy yourself a college-level Anthropology textbook before embarking toward the misty undefined shores of radical extremist theory. Why not at least failiarize yourself with more main-stream theories to begin with?
Rating:
Summary: If scienctists are truly skeptical...
Review: Mr Cremo recently appeared on a radio interview show. To read this book, one gets the feeling he went to considerable pains to cite his sources and at the same time make the book readable for other than the lab-rat culture.
To hear the interview on radio, you are given this one golden nugget:
It is not any one instance of supression or omission that makes a case for this view of mankind's history, but rather the hundreds of well documented cases of proof that the scientific culture has it dead wrong.
Paraphrasing his words there, but the essence is in that statement.
He also has said something else that really grabbed me: The creationists are wrong, insinuating that man has had one continuing trip through the 15000 or so years of existance from day 1 to the present.
The evolutionists are likewise wrong, and the "missing link" is their major flaw. In fact, the modern (scientific) movement has a 2-fold agenda: Advance the Chaos Theory, in which all the universe is one big happy accident, and Reduce humankind to mere animals with higher thinking abilities.
Overall, he shows us a very compelling reason why science and faith can BOTH have some of it right. In this, I have found a sense of hope. I only hope that this is the beginning of a renaissance in modern science and theology. Perhaps the knowlege I have long suspected as supressed by governments and religious institutions (read:Vatican) will yet someday come "out".
I do know this- Dogma exists in every institution. When that dogma is challenged, especially with proof, the reaction can be violent at many levels. Witness some of the other reviews...
Meethink thou doth protest too much.
|
