Daily Archives: 22/09/2011

Darwin’s original theory caught the world’s imagination because it was simple and plausible. Hereditary variation was obvious, and natural selection could mimic the role of the intelligent livestock-breeder in ensuring that the best-adapted organisms survive. In later versions of the “Origin” he adopted the term “survival of the fittest”, which he personally viewed in Malthusian and, at times, even eugenic terms. There is no doubt that Darwin had in mind “progress” and “perfection”, as reflected in the beautifully adapted and diverse life-forms we see all around us. In a previous post I tried to show by analogy that the progress of science has complicated, and weakened, that simple view. But I … Continue reading →