The development of Darwin's theory : natural history, natural theology, and natural selection, 1838-1859 / Dov Ospovat.

  • Dov Ospovat
Date:
1995, ©1981
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

Credit: The development of Darwin's theory : natural history, natural theology, and natural selection, 1838-1859 / Dov Ospovat. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    294/328 (page 276)
    Notes to pp. 224-8 quite so unpleasant as it is often portrayed. In his Autobiography he said, According to my judgment happiness decidedly prevails [over suffering in nature], though this would be very difficult to prove. If the truth of this conclusion be granted, it harmonises well with the effects which we might expect from natural selection (p. 88). 50 Greene, Darwin as a Social Evolutionist, p. 26. Darwin's hopes for the future are well indicated by his remark to Lyell that it would be an infinite satisfaction to him to believe that mankind will progress to such a pitch that we should [look] back at [ourselves] as mere Barbarians {MLD, 2:30). 51 Assuming, that is, that the process of transmutation and therefore increasing perfection would begin at all. Darwin expressed perplexity as to why the simplest forms should ever have changed (Peckham, Origin of Species by Darwin, p. 225; MLD, 1:164). 52 DAR 48:82; Peckham, Origin of Species by Darwin, p. 222. See also LLD, 1:528. 53 Charles Darwin, The Descent of Man and Selection in Relation to Sex, pp. 99, 130 (beginning of chap. 4, beginning of chap. 5). 54 See, e.g., J. D. Y. Peel, Herbert Spemer, p. 142. 55 An omniscient creator could of course know beforehand every detail of his evolving universe. But if so, why work through the wasteful and irrational process of chance variations and selection? If not, can there be said to be an omniscient creator? See Darwin, The Variation of Animals and Plants under Domestication, 2:514-16; and see the discussion in Moore, Post-Darwinian Controversies, pp. 273-7, 290-2. 56 Darwin, Autobiography, p. 93; MLD, 1:321. 57 В notebook, p. 216; see also p. 49. 58 Darwin, Autobiography, p. 92. 59 Hodge, England, p. 16; see also Gould, Ever since Darwin, p. 37. 60 Quoted in John C. Greene, Reflections on the Progress of Darwin Studies, p. 256П. 61 Ibid. See also Bowler, Changing Meaning of'Evolution,' pp. 108-9. Lamarck's theory the necessity of adaptation to various environments could deflect organisms from their upward course. 62 Gould, Ever since Darwin, pp. 36-7. 63 For example, Begin with what is meant by gradations. DAR 205.9. 64 Darwin, Cirripedia, 2:19-20. 65 LLD, 1:498; MLD, 1:114-15. 66 IJ. B. Mozley], The Argument of Design, Quarterly Review, 127 (1869); 172: Supposing Mr. Darwin's theory of Progress to be true (quoted by Robert Young in Darwin's Metaphor, p. 484). 67 Instead he wrote, I can say nothing against your side, but I have an 'inner consciousness' (a highly philosophical style of arguing!) that something could be said against you; for I cannot help hoping that you are not quite as right as you seem to be. Finally, I cannot tell why, but when I finished your Address I felt convinced that many would infer that you were dead 276