Seek Scientific Knowledge by Study and Also by Faith

LDSHE Webinar by David Handy presented Wed. Apr. 29, 2020

YouTube video of the webinar

Handout for the webinar - recommended reading list (PDF format)

Slides from the webinar (PDF format)

Recommended Books

The Power Within Us, by Russell M. Nelson

Published by Deseret Book in 1988, four years after President Nelson became an apostle in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It gave me a greater appreciation for the miracle of life, and the fact that we live in a universe governed by laws that must be understood and obeyed for us to succeed. Motivational, inspirational, and practical.

Signature in the Cell: DNA and the Evidence for Intelligent Design, by Stephen Meyer

I learned so much from this book. Not just about the scientific basis for Intelligent Design theory, but also about how cells work, the history of science, the nature of scientific evidence, and much more. Very highly recommended!

Undeniable: How Biology Confirms Our Intuition That Life Is Designed, by Douglas Axe

I recently finished reading this book, and I really like it. Although Professor Axe is a world-class molecular biologist, his profound respect for “regular human beings” comes through in a liberating, empowering way. His approach really resonates with my engineering philosophy as well. I think a lot of people could benefit from this book. He'll walk you through the mathematical problems of Darwinism and reacquaint you with the wonder and beauty of life, and teach you a little bit of molecular biology along the way.

Relativity: The Special and the General Theory – A Clear Explanation that Anyone Can Understand, by Albert Einstein

Taking the title at face value, I read this book for the first time at age 11. I actually checked it out from my elementary school library! I have since read it six more times, understanding it better each time. The first edition was published in 1916, the 5 th edition (my copy of it) in 1952. It was written in German and then translated to somewhat formal English. It does contain an equation here and there, and only the most basic black-and- white line drawings for occasional illustrations. In other words, it is a true classic that will make you think. The principles taught in this book are truly bedrock essentials for understanding how the universe works. I have literally kept this book by my bedside for years. Highly recommended for you and your children.

Recommended Websites

• Proslogion - Dr. Wile's science blog (recommended!)
• Discovery Institute - Center for Science and Culture - Intelligent Design!
• Python for Non-Programmers - List of books and websites for learning programming using Python

Background photo credit: NASA