Archive for September, 2010 The essence of Charles Darwin’s
theory, natural selection, is reflected in the title of his
book—The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection.
Natural selection, Darwin argued, is the architect of evolution,
“As square stone, or bricks, or timber, are the indispensable
materials for a building, and influence its character, so is
variability not only indispensible but influential. Yet in the
same manner as the architect is all important person in a
building, so is [natural] selection with organic bodies.”
Charles Lyell and Asa Gray, Darwin’s closest confidants, solidly
disagreed. Lyell argued that natural selection can only preserve
or eliminate; natural selection cannot create: “The destroy[ing]
force is selection, the sustaining [force] preserves things …
but in order that life shd. Exist where there was none before…
this is not [natural] selection, but creation.” Even Darwin knew
that the arguments in The Origin of Species would not stand the
test of time. Critical of his