thinking: On the Origin of Species

A must read.
"the Struggle for Existence amongst all organic beings throughout the world, which inevitably follows from their high geometrical powers of increase, will be treated of. This is the doctrine of Malthus, applied to the whole animal and vegetable kingdoms. As many more individuals of each species are born than can possibly survive; and as, consequently, there is a frequently recurring struggle for existence, it follows that any being, if it vary however slightly in any manner profitable to itself, under the complex and sometimes varying conditions of life, will have a better chance of surviving, and thus be naturally selected. From the strong principle of inheritance, any selected variety will tend to propagate its new and modified form.
This fundamental subject of Natural Selection"
"namely, that each species has been independently created - is erroneous. I am fully convinced that species are not immutable"
The first of our six abridged extracts; can't wait for the res

clipped from www.guardian.co.uk

On the Origin of Species: Introduction

In the introduction the great naturalist lays out his "mystery of mysteries" - where do new species come from?

When on board HMS 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.

After five years' work I allowed myself to speculate on the subject

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.

clipped from www.guardian.co.uk

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 each species had not been independently created, but had descended, like varieties, from other species

clipped from www.guardian.co.uk