Nature versus natural selection : an essay on organic evolution / by Charles Clement Coe.

  • Coe, Charles Clement.
Date:
1895
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Nature versus natural selection : an essay on organic evolution / by Charles Clement Coe. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    principal agent of Organic Evolution. The object of this work is to show that Natural Selection, thus defined, has no place in the world of nature ; that if it did exist, other factors of evolution would anticipate its action in the transmutation of species now going on ; and last, but not least, that we have no definite proof of its action in the early stages of Organic Evolution. In the third place it may be remarked that this dis- cussion is simply confined to the endeavour to discover what the actual order of nature is. That should be the object of every one who seeks to discover the truth, whether he be a scientific man or a theologian. Whatever order is proved to exist, must be accepted by the scien- tific man as the system of nature, and beyond that point physical science cannot go. But the theologian is left at liberty to give his reasons for believing that this order of nature is the method of God. Hence it is most desirable, in a work like this, to avoid as far as possible all argument based on theological considerations. The stage at which the discussion of this question has now arrived, justifies us in doing so; although, even now, we have to deal sometimes with objections which arose when the debate was largely dominated by theological considerations. It is often said, or implied, that a man who is not a scientific expert has no right to venture into the regions of biological controversy, and he is sometimes characterised as a more or less acute paper philosopher. I venture to think that such a man, if he be only acute enough, may still have his role in the world of science. With the exception of a few universal geniuses who are ready to discuss, and express authoritative opinions on, all possible topics, the necessity of a subdivision of labour has been felt in the scientific world no less than in the economical world.
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