Charles Darwin

prue evolution A

More than a century after his death, and four generations

after the publication of his chief work, 'The Origin of Species',

Charles Darwin may still be considered the most controversial

scientist in the world. His name is synonymous with the debate

that continues to swirl around the theory of evolution, a theory

that deeply shook the Western view of humanity and its place in

the world.

We tend to speak simply of the theory of evolution, leaving

off the explanatory phrase, 'through natural selection.' At most,

perhaps, the general public has heard of 'survival of the

fittest' a poor phrase as far as I'm concerned, since fitness in

everyday usage is associated with physical conditioning and

athletic ability. 'Survival of the most suited to its

environment' would be a more accurate, and convincing expression

for this pedicular concept. But to most of us, 'evolution' simply

means that human beings are descended from apes, a slight

misunderstanding, since both humans and modern apes are

descendants of a mutual ancestor that is now extinct. It's not

evolution but the theory of natural selection and the evidence he

collected to prove to fellow scientists, peers, students, and

most importantly the masses of public and the church that were at

the heart of Darwin's contribution to biological science.

Charles Darwin did not invent the concept of evolution. A

number of prominent scientists and other thinkers during the

eighteenth century and the first half of the nineteenth century

(among them Charles Darwin's grandfather, Erasmus Darwin) had

offered detailed theories of evolution (Clark, 1984, pg.24-25).

Therefor the idea of evolution went very far back in Western

history.

At that time this concept was referred to as The Great Chain

Of Life and was conceived in the middle ages, based on a mixture

of...