Origin of Species

Author: (British) Darwin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-10-01
Features: Like many major scientific discoveries and technological inventions, the birth of Darwin's theory of evolution was mainly attributed to three aspects: first, the inheritance and refinement of historical intellectual wealth; second, the accumulation of a large number of direct and indirect scientific practices; and third, the ignition of scientific inspiration. Regarding the inheritance of historical evolutionary intellectual wealth, Darwin, in the opening of this scientific masterpiece and philosophical treatise, briefly summarizes the work of 34 predecessors in the form of an "Introduction." In fact, evolutionary thought has a long history and is widely encompassing, closely related to the birth of Darwin's theory. To help readers better understand this historical background, some additional supplements and introductions are provided here. In the preface, Darwin introduces two of the most significant scientific practices in his life that later led to the origin of the theory of evolution: one was the five-year global voyage aboard the HMS Beagle in 1831, undertaken as a naturalist shortly after receiving his theology degree from Christ's College, Cambridge. The vast collection and in-depth observation of a large number of facts about species variation in nature had a profound impact on the young Darwin's concept of natural theology. From the idea of species variability or biological evolution to the actual creation of a convincing evolutionary theory, it was still necessary to solve the mechanism and driving forces of biological evolution. Before Darwin, early evolutionists such as Lamarck had also attempted to explore the mechanism of biological evolution, but none succeeded. At this moment, Malthus's "Theory of Population" seemed to pierce through a layer of window paper, providing Darwin with great inspiration and giving rise to the formation of the theory of natural selection, "survival of the fittest."