Plot-wise the book suffers from a worsening of two of the main flaws of the
first book: (a) a mis-use of chaos theory, (b) the plot only happens because
characters who should know better, when faced with the possibility of going
to a place where carnivorous dinosaurs might exist, go only lightly armed
and in small groups, rather than in large groups and armed to the teeth with
grenades, pistols, knives, etc.
Theologically, though, Crichton is amazingly frank about the limitations of
evolution.
Page 205-210 has the naive mathematician Ian Malcom discussing evolution.
Notable is the quote: "everybody agrees evolution occurs, but nobody
understands how
it works. There are big problems with the theory. And more and more
scientists are admitting it."
He goes on to do a hard-hitting discussion of:
(a) "natural selection" being a meaningless, circular tautology.
(b) Not enough time for chance to cause the needed changes.
(c) The coordination problem -- major features like bat sonar requiring several
disparate parts of the animal to evolve simultaneously, and being useless
until there in functional form.
(d) Many animals don't evolve -- sharks, opossums, etc. No one knows why they
didn't, even though their environment underwent significant change.
One of Crichton's characters then dares to ask if a supernatural force might
be responsible.
Crichton (through the mouth of the mathematician) sharply shuts down that
heretical notion with,"That's Creationism, and it's wrong. Just plain wrong."
And that's that. (clap hands to shake dust off, then go on to the next topic)
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