On the Origin of Species

Charles Darwin

Description

In this groundbreaking scientific study, Charles Darwin introduces his theory of evolution and the process of natural selection. The seminal work went on to form the foundation of the modern understanding of biology and natural science.

First published in 1859, On the Origin of Species presents Darwin’s scientific study of the process of natural selection. Illustrating his evolutionary theory and the interrelatedness of heritable variation and the evolution of humans, animals and plant life.

Darwin wrote for non-specialist readers, aiding the book in reaching a wide audience. By the 1870s, Darwin’s theory of evolution was commonly regarded as fact within the scientific community. The book includes his own sketches of evolution to support his theory, as well as abstracts of his experiments and research.

The chapters in this volume include:

- ‘Variation Under Domestication’

- ‘Variation Under Nature’

- ‘Struggle for Existence’

- ‘Natural Selection’

- ‘Laws of Variation’

Preserving a key scientific text for future generations, On the Origin of Species has been proudly republished by Read & Co. Books, featuring a specially commissioned biography of the author. An essential read for those with an interest in the groundbreaking work of Charles Darwin and the study of the history of evolution.

Charles Darwin

1. Variation Under Domestication

2. Variation Under Nature

3. Struggle for Existence

4. Natural Selection

5. Laws of Variation

6. Difficulties on Theory

7. Instinct

8. Hybridism

9. On the Imperfection of the Geological Record

10. On the Geological Succession for Organic Beings

11. Geographical Distribution

12. Geographical Distribution Continued

13. Mutual Affinities of Organic Beings: Morphology

14. Recapitulation and Conclusion

Sujets

• Sciences de la nature
• Biologie
• Géographie
• Géographie
• Géographie
• Géographie
• Science
• Biology
• Sciences et techniques
• Life Sciences

Informations

• Publié par: Read Books Ltd.
• Date de parution: 20 août 2018
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781528785921
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

ON THE ORIGIN OF SPECIES
OR THE PRESERVATION OF FAVOURED RACES IN THE STRUGGLE FOR LIFE.
By
CHARLES DARWIN, M.A.,
Fellow of The Royal, Geological, Linnaean, Etc., Societies;
Author of 'Journal of Researches During H.M.S. Beagle's Voyage Round the World.'

First published in 1859


This edition published by Read Books Ltd. Copyright © 2018 Read Books Ltd. This book is copyright and may not be
reproduced or copied in any way without
the express permission of the publisher in writing
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library


Contents
Ch arles Darwin
1. VARIATION UNDER DO MESTICATION.
2. VARIATION U NDER NATURE.
3. STRUGGLE FO R EXISTENCE.
4. NATURA L SELECTION.
5. LAWS O F VARIATION.
6. DIFFICULTIE S ON THEORY.
7. INSTINCT.
8 . HYBRIDISM.
9. ON THE IMPERFECTION OF THE GEOLOG ICAL RECORD.
10. ON THE GEOLOGICAL SUCCESSION OF ORG ANIC BEINGS.
11. GEOGRAPHICAL D ISTRIBUTION.
12. GEOGRAPHICAL D ISTRIBUTION
CONTINUED.
13. MUTUAL AFFINITIES OF ORGANIC EINGS: MORPHOLOGY:
14. RECAPITULATION AND CONCLUSION.


Charles Darwin
Charles Robert Darwin was born on 12 February 1809, in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK. He is best known for his pioneering work in evolutionary theory; establishing that all species of life have descended from common ancestors through a process of ‘natural selection’. This theory of evolution was published in the 1859 book, On the Origin of Species, a text which has become a seminal work of mode rn science.
Darwin was the fifth of six children of the wealthy society doctor and financier Robert Darwin, and his wife Susannah Darwin ( née Wedgwood). He was the grandson of two prominent abolitionists: Erasmus Darwin on his father's side, and Josiah Wedgwood on his mother's side. Darwin spent his early education in the local Shrewsbury School as a boarder, before moving to Edinburgh in 1825 to study medicine at the University. Darwin’s early interest in nature led him to neglect his medical studies however. He found the medical lectures dull, and the surgery distressing. Instead, he helped investigate marine invertebrates in the Firth of Forth with Robert Edmond Grant. This neglect of medical studies annoyed his father, who sent Darwin to Christ's College, Cambridge , in order to undertake a Bachelor of Arts degree - as the first step towards becoming an Anglican parson. As Darwin was unqualified for the Tripos , he joined the ordinary degree course in January 1828. He successfully graduated in 1831, but continued his investigations into the natural world, particularly partaking in the popular craze for beetle collecting. On his graduation, Darwin was invited to join the voyage of the HMS Beagle, with Capt ain Robert FitzRoy - a journey which lasted almost five years and traversed the globe. The journal of this voyage on the HMS Beagle (published in 1839) established Darwin as a popular author; he detailed his time spent investigating geology and making natural history collections whilst on land. He kept careful notes of his observations and theoretical speculations, and at intervals during the voyage his specimens were sent to Cambridge University. When the Beagle reached Falmouth, Cornwall, on 2 October 1836, Darwin was already a celebrity in scientific circles. Puzzled by the geographical distribution of wildlife and fossils he collected on the voyage, Darwin began detailed investigations in 1838 – leading to the conception of his theory of natural selection. Although he discussed his ideas with several naturalists, Darwin needed time for extensive research and his geological work had priority. He was in the process of writing up his theory in 1858 when Alfred Russell Wallace sent him an essay which described the same idea, prompting the immediate joint publication of both of th eir papers.
Despite repeated bouts of illness during the last twenty-two years of his life, Darwin's work continued. Having published On the Origin of Species as an abstract of his theory in 1859, he pressed on with experiments, research, and the writing of what he saw as his magnum opus. The Variation of Animals and Plants under Domestication of 1868 was the first part of Darwin's planned ‘big book’, and included his unsuccessful hypothesis of pangenesis; an attempt to explain heredity. It was a moderate commercial success and was translated into many languages. This was followed by a second part, on natural selection, but it remained unpublished in his lifetime.
Darwin also examined human evolution in specific, and wrote on sexual selection in The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex (1871) . This text was shortly followed by The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals, and a series of books on botany, including Insectivorous Plants, The Effects of Cross and Self Fertilisation in the Vegetable Kingdom , and The Power of Movement in Plants . In his last book he returned to The Formation of Vegetable Mould through the Action of Worms (1881). By this time, Darwin’s health was failing however, and in 1882, he was diagnosed with ‘angina pectoris’; a disease of the heart. Darwin died shortly after this diagnosis, at Down House, Kent, on 19 April 1882, and was honoured with a major ceremonial funeral. He is buried at Westminster Abbey, close to John Herschel and Isaac Newton. As a result of his scientific work, Darwin has been described as one of the most influential thinkers in history.


"But with regard to the material world, we can at least go so far as this—we can perceive that events are brought about not by insulated interpositions of Divine power, exerted in each particular case, but by the establishment of general laws."
W. Whewell: Bridgewat er Treatise.


"To conclude, therefore, let no man out of a weak conceit of sobriety, or an ill-applied moderation, think or maintain, that a man can search too far or be too well studied in the book of God's word, or in the book of God's works; divinity or philosophy; but rather let men endeavour an endless progress or proficience in both."
Bacon: Advancement of Learning.


ON THE ORIGIN OF SPECIES.
INTR ODUCTION.
When on board H.M.S. 'Beagle,' as naturalist, I was much struck with certain facts in the distribution of the inhabitants of South America, and in the geological relations of the present to the past inhabitants of that continent. These facts seemed to me to throw some light on the origin of species—that mystery of mysteries, as it has been called by one of our greatest philosophers. On my return home, it occurred to me, in 1837, that something might perhaps be made out on this question by patiently accumulating and reflecting on all sorts of facts which could possibly have any bearing on it. After five years' work I allowed myself to speculate on the subject, and drew up some short notes; these I enlarged in 1844 into a sketch of the conclusions, which then seemed to me probable: from that period to the present day I have steadily pursued the same object. I hope that I may be excused for entering on these personal details, as I give them to show that I have not been hasty in coming to a decision.
My work is now nearly finished; but as it will take me two or three more years to complete it, and as my health is far from strong, I have been urged to publish this Abstract. I have more especially been induced to do this, as Mr. Wallace, who is now studying the natural history of the Malay archipelago, has arrived at almost exactly the same general conclusions that I have on the origin of species. Last year he sent to me a memoir on this subject, with a request that I would forward it to Sir Charles Lyell, who sent it to the Linnean Society, and it is published in the third volume of the Journal of that Society. Sir C. Lyell and Dr. Hooker, who both knew of my work—the latter having read my sketch of 1844—honoured me by thinking it advisable to publish, with Mr. Wallace's excellent memoir, some brief extracts from my manuscripts.
This Abstract, which I now publish, must necessarily be imperfect. I cannot here give references and authorities for my several statements; and I must trust to the reader reposing some confidence in my accuracy. No doubt errors will have crept in, though I hope I have always been cautious in trusting to good authorities alone. I can here give only the general conclusions at which I have arrived, with a few facts in illustration, but which, I hope, in most cases will suffice. No one can feel more sensible than I do of the necessity of hereafter publishing in detail all the facts, with references, on which my conclusions have been grounded; and I hope in a future work to do this. For I am well aware that scarcely a single point is discussed in this volume on which facts cannot be adduced, often apparently leading to conclusions directly opposite to those at which I have arrived. A fair result can be obtained only by fully stating and balancing the facts and arguments on both sides of each question; and this cannot possibly b e here done.
I much regret that want of space prevents my having the satisfaction of acknowledging the generous assistance which I have received from very many naturalists, some of them personally unknown to me. I cannot, however, let this opportunity pass without expressing my deep obligations to Dr. Hooker, who for the last fifteen years has aided me in every possible way by his large stores of knowledge and his excelle nt judgment.
In considering the Origin of Species, it is quite conceivable that a naturalist, reflecting on the mutual affinities of organic beings, on their embryological relations, their geographical distribution, geological succession, and other such facts, might come to the conclusion that ea