At the Deathbed of Darwinism: A Series of Papers

At the Deathbed of Darwinism: A Series of Papers

The general tendency of recent scientific literature dealing with the problem of organic evolution may fairly be characterized as distinctly and prevailingly unfavorable to the Darwinian theory of Natural Selection. In the series of chapters herewith offered for the first time to English readers, Dr. Dennert has brought together testimonies which leave no room for doubt about the decadence of the Darwinian theory in the highest scientific circles in Germany. And outside of Germany the same sentiment is shared generally by the leaders of scientific thought. That the popularizers of evolutionary conceptions have any anti-Darwinian tendencies cannot, of course, be for a moment maintained. For who would undertake to popularize what is not novel or striking? But a study of the best scientific literature reveals the fact that the attitude assumed by one of our foremost American zoologists, Professor Thomas Hunt Morgan, in his recent work on "Evolution and Adaptation," is far more general among the leading men of science than is popularly supposed. Professor Morgan's position may be stated thus: He adheres to the general theory of Descent, i.e., he believes the simplest explanation which has yet been offered of the structural similarities between species within the same group, is the hypothesis of a common descent from a parent species. But he emphatically rejects the notionand this is the quintessence of Darwinismthat the dissimilarities between species have been brought about by the purely mechanical agency of natural selection. ......Buy Now (To Read More)

Product details

Ebook Number: 21019
Author: Dennert, Eberhard
Release Date: Apr 10, 2007
Format: eBook
Language: English

Contributors

Translator: O'Harra, Edwin V., Peschges, John H.