Chapters
23 totalDARWINIANA - PREFACE - ARTICLE I - THE ORIGIN OF SPECIES BY MEANS OF NATURAL SELECTION
ARTICLE II - DESIGN VERSUS NECESSITY— A DISCUSSION
ARTICLE III - NATURAL SELECTION NOT INCONSISTENT WITH NATURAL THEOLOGY - PART I.—Premonitions of Darwinism.—A Proper Subject for Speculation.—Summary of Facts and Ideas suggestive of Hypotheses of Derivation - Part II—Limitations of Theory conceded by Darwin.—What Darwinism explains.—Geological Argument strong in the Tertiary Period.— Correspondence between Rank and Geological Succession—Difficulties in Classification.—Nature of Affinity.—No Absolute Distinction between Vegetable and Animal Kingdoms.—Individuality.—Gradation - PART III.—Theories contrasted.—Early Arguments against Darwinism.—Philosophical and Theological Objections—Theory may be theistic.—Final Cause not excluded.—Cause of Variation unknown.—Three Views of Efficient Cause compatible with Theism.—Agassiz's Objections of a Philosophical Nature.—Minor Objections.—Conclusion - ARTICLE IV - SPECIES AS TO VARIATION, GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION, AND SUCCESSION
ARTICLE V - SEQUOIA AND ITS HISTORY: THE RELATIONS OF NORTH AMERICAN TO NORTHEAST ASIAN AND TO TERTIARY VEGETATION
ARTICLE VI - THE ATTITUDE OF WORKING NATURALISTS TOWARD DARWINISM
ARTICLE VII - EVOLUTION AND THEOLOGY
ARTICLE VIII - "WHAT IS DARWINISM?"
ARTICLE IX - CHARLES DARWIN: SKETCH ACCOMPANYING A PORTRAIT IN "NATURE"
ARTICLE X - INSECTIVOROUS PLANTS
ARTICLE XI - INSECTIVOROUS AND CLIMBING PLANTS
Description
Step into the vibrant scientific debates of the late nineteenth century with this collection of essays that explore the foundations and implications of Darwin’s theory of natural selection. Written by a leading Harvard naturalist, the work surveys everything from the definition of species and the role of variation to the geological record that supports evolutionary change. It also juxtaposes Darwin’s ideas with those of contemporary thinkers such as Agassiz, De Candolle, and Lyell, highlighting both agreement and contention.
Beyond pure biology, the essays venture into philosophy and theology, asking how design, purpose, and divine agency can be reconciled with a world shaped by natural forces. Readers will find clear explanations of concepts like artificial selection, the distribution of plants like the majestic sequoia, and the behavior of insect‑eating species, all illustrated with examples from botany and zoology. The volume offers a thoughtful snapshot of a pivotal moment when scientists and scholars were actively redefining humanity’s place in nature.
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Language
en
Duration
~11 hours (643K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Release date
2004-03-01
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
About the author
Asa Gray
1810–1888
A pioneering American botanist, physician, and teacher, he helped turn plant study in the United States into a modern scientific discipline. His books, collections, and work at Harvard made him one of the most influential figures in 19th-century botany.
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