Darwiniana: Essays and Reviews Pertaining to Darwinism

About this book

A reprint of a classical work in the Cambridge Library Collection.

Darwiniana is a collection of critical essays on Charles Darwin's theory of evolution that were originally published in scientific journals by his friend and correspondent Asa Gray, Professor of Botany at Harvard. Gray was one of Darwin's strongest supporters in the American scientific community; he was also a Presbyterian and discussed questions of natural theology, design and teleology, including an earlier version of Chapter 3 of this book, with Darwin by letter over several years. Darwiniana (1876) was intended to provide a balanced assessment of Darwin's theory of evolution and to familiarise readers with the different aspects of Darwinism and its implications. The opening essays of the volume focus on the scientific and philosophical features of the theory, others analyse the reactions of Darwin's contemporaries and, most famously, argue for a reconciliation of religion and science in the light of Darwin's theory.

Contents

Preface

1. The origin of species by means of natural selection
2. Design versus necessity – a discussion
3. Natural selection not inconsistent with natural theology
4. Species as to variation, geographical distribution, and succession
5. Sequoia and its history: the relations of North American to north-eastern Asian and to tertiary vegetation
6. The attitude of working naturalists toward Darwinism
7. Evolution and theology
8. 'What is Darwinism?'
9. Charles Darwin: sketch accompanying a portrait in 'Nature'
10. Insectivorous plants
11. Insectivorous and climbing plants
12. Duration and origination of race and species
13. Evolutionary teleology

Index

Customer Reviews