Product Description

Armed with cutting-edge techniques, biochemists have unwittingly uncovered startling molecular features inside the cell that compel only one possible conclusion--a supernatural agent must be responsible for life. Destined to be a landmark apologetic work, The Cell's Design explores the full scientific and theological impact of these discoveries. Instead of focusing on the inability of natural processes to generate life's chemical systems (as nearly all apologetics works do), Fazale Rana makes a positive case for life's supernatural basis by highlighting the many biochemical features that reflect the Creator's hallmark signature.

This breakthrough work extends the case for design beyond irreducible complexity. These never-before-discussed evidences for design will evoke awe and amazement at God's creative majesty in the remarkable elegance of the cell's chemistry.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #63010 in Books
• Published on: 2008-06-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 336 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780801068270
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
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From the Back Cover
The scientific evidence of design just got stronger. Armed with cutting-edge techniques, today's biochemists have uncovered startling molecular features inside the cell that can compel only one reasonable conclusion--a supernatural agent must be responsible for life. Destined to be a landmark apologetic work, The Cell's Design explores the scientific and theological impact of these discoveries. Instead of focusing on the inability of natural processes to generate life's chemical systems (as nearly all apologetics works do), Fazale Rana makes a positive case for life's supernatural origin by highlighting the many biochemical features that reflect the Creator's signature. This breakthrough book extends the case for design beyond irreducible complexity. These never-before-discussed evidences will evoke awe and amazement at God's creative majesty in the remarkable elegance of the cell's chemistry. "In Darwin's day, a living cell was thought to be quite simply--for all practical purposes--little more than a microscopic blob of gelatin. Rana lays out what contemporary science has learned about the cell's design, and he poignantly and provocatively shows that it is the handiwork of not only an Intelligent Designer but specifically the God revealed in Scripture."--Hank Hanegraaff, president, Christian Research Institute; host, Bible Answer Man broadcast "Fazale Rana's welcome sequel to Origins of Life makes a significant contribution to the growing scientific literature pointing to intelligent design."--Kenneth Boa, president, Reflections Ministries Fazale Rana is vice president of research and apologetics at Reasons To Believe. He is the coauthor, with Hugh Ross, of Origins of Life and Who Was Adam?

About the Author
Fazale Rana (PhD, Ohio University) is vice president of research and apologetics at Reasons To Believe. He is the coauthor, with Hugh Ross, of Origins of Life and Who Was Adam? Rana lives in Upland, California.

Customer Reviews

Comprehensive examination of how cells work
Dr. Fuz Rana attempts to show that cellular biochemistry points to the existence of the Creator who designed it. Whereas most intelligent design books attempt to show the existence of design by demonstrating the existence of irreducible complexity, Dr. Rana examines the cell's biochemistry with broad strokes of how everything works together with such marvelous fidelity. So, even if a single piece or line of evidence might be dismissed as a statistical outlier, the weight of evidence makes a powerful case for design by a Creator. Each chapter begins with an analogy from the art world that relates to the topic at hand. Apparently, Dr. Rana is quite an art enthusiast.

One of my favorite sections was the discussion of how proteins are made within a cell. A large amount of the cell's molecular systems are involved in the process by which DNA is transcribed into RNA then translated into proteins. The process is like a beautifully choreographed symphony in which all the instruments come together to produce a sound that seems to be more than just the addition of the individual pieces. The protein manufacturing process is amazing in its own right. However, the quality control systems that operate at each step of the process ensure that the fidelity of the copies remain high without slowing down the process. Even so, just manufacturing proteins is not the end of the process. Many of these proteins undergo post-translational modifications, such as formation of disulfide bonds (one aspect of the protein folding process), folding of proteins into specific three-dimensional structures, addition of carbohydrate moieties, cleavage of the protein chain, and assembly into protein complexes. For most proteins, the linear structure of the protein does not define its three dimensional structure sufficiently so that it will fold properly on its own. Accessory molecules are required to ensure that the protein folds properly so that it will function as designed. How these systems co-evolved along with the proteins themselves is quite a mystery for evolutionists.

Until the last century, we humans were blissfully unaware of amazing processes operating within each cell of our bodies. Even now, recent research continues to reveal such things as epigenetic control of transcription that goes beyond the mere genetic sequences upon which it operates. With such refinements "identical" cells operate differentially within discrete microenvironments. This not a discussion of your father's biochemistry, but an up-to-date examination of the latest evidence pointing toward the design hypothesis operating within our cells. Get the book, and be awe-struck with the incredible systems operating within your body.

Well argued, content-rich, and effective in making its point
Rana's chief argument, i.e., that the microbiological features of cells' designs are analogous to man-made machines and systems, succeeds because it is completely detailed and the comparisons fully developed. The nature of biochemistry is detail, long exotic names, and complexity. When you read this book as a layman, some of the complexity is daunting--even overwhelming at times. If you're a biochemist or even a microbiologist, you will be in comfortable territory. Because I had to struggle through much of the book's technical detail, it took me a long time to read. Yet when I was done I recognized that I had just been exposed to secrets of cellular components and systems that few laymen ever know.

The effort was surely worth the work: no one who reads this book open-mindedly could ever believe that the cell is the product of randomized evolution. The cellular machines and systems are so convincingly revealed AS machines and systems that the argument from analogy is clearly validated, each point of relevant comparison explicated and affirmed by peer-reviewed evidence.

While I was enthralled with the beauty and intricate perfection of the astounding number and complexity of just-right relations among parts, functions, timing, feedback, self-correction, and many other features of cells, I focused on the legitimacy of the argument from analogy when I was all done. Those who wish to deny that living things are analogous to man-made machines can only do so effectively when their audience is ignorant of the facts. Rana's book elucidates the facts. Yet the facts are only meaningful if they show the points of relevant comparison between man-made machines and the machines/systems within the cells. Rana here uses a leitmotif of an art mystery through the book to help us understand those points of relevance. Although I'm not sure creating this extra literary layer made it easier to read the book, it did help the layman understand the connections that make the analogy work. It may even be better to say there are many analogies, and Rana did a great job explaining them, complicated as some may be.

In the end, this book contributes greatly to the general argument for the existence of God by defeating Paley's opponents with rich evidence for keen mechanical, chemical, and system-engineering designs throughout cells. More complex than any watch Paley (or Hume!) could have imagined, the designs of cells are obviously intelligently designed.

Rana is clear Who the Designer is, and he therefore goes beyond the timidity of the "Intelligent Design" movement. As such, this book is clearly a Christian apologetic. But whether atheist, skeptic, Christian, or otherwise, anyone will find the book worth reading for its novel approach to the argument from analogy, its candor, its expertly detailed descriptions, and its revelations of cellular systems and machines that astonish and awe.

Wow, the details in this Book!
I read the whole book in five days, and it was just a wonder to behold, the detail, and the machinery (which resembles human machinery) of a living cell is amazing. I was looking for a book like this for awhile and was glad this one came along. The approach is using an art comparison rather than just using irreducible complexity. It builds a foundation of many functions in a cell and it's reasoning on why it would considered intelligent design. It also covers new discoveries which indeed have made intelligent design even stronger. Even junk DNA was found to have an important function where years past it was considered a crutch for the creationist, or believer in intelligent design. I wish it spend a little more time in this area of some of these arguments, but understand the author's focus and massive detail on the living cell and it's design.