Humanistic Reading · Darwin Reader

Author: (British) Darwin
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2007-01-01
Features: The Voyage of the Beagle is a beautiful prose work that describes the tropical natural landscapes, discusses the animal and plant kingdoms, geological phenomena, and their interrelationships, expresses hatred and condemnation of slavery, and more, all of which are captivating to read. On the Origin of Species comprehensively proposes the theory of evolution based on natural selection. The book's publication shook the academic world at the time and became a turning point in the history of biology. Darwin was a prolific writer and also published works such as The Descent of Man and Selection in Relation to Sex, The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals, and The Movements and Habits of Climbing Plants. He provided a systematic account of artificial selection, proposed theories of sexual selection and human origin, and further enriched the content of the evolutionary theory. This book is part of the Humanistic Reading series, featuring excerpts from Darwin's The Voyage of the Beagle, On the Origin of Species, The Descent of Man and Selection in Relation to Sex, The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals, and The Movements and Habits of Climbing Plants, along with insightful commentary on each work. The book is a blend of scientific rigor, knowledge, and entertainment, making it worth reading.
Charles Darwin was a British naturalist and the founder of the theory of evolution. He was born on February 12, 1809, into a family of doctors in England. From 1825 to 1827, he studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh. Later, he entered Christ's College at Cambridge to study theology. After graduating from Cambridge in 1831, he embarked on a five-year (1831–1836) global voyage aboard the naval exploration ship HMS Beagle as a naturalist, observing and collecting vast amounts of material on animals, plants, and geology. Through summarization, organization, and comprehensive analysis, he developed the concept of biological evolution. In 1859, he published On the Origin of Species, comprehensively proposing the theory of evolution based on natural selection. The book's publication shook the academic world at the time and became a turning point in the history of biology. The theory of evolution based on natural selection fundamentally challenged various metaphysical theories of divine creation, teleology, and the immutability of species, causing a fundamental shift in the concepts and ideas already established in all fields of biology at the time. Subsequently, Darwin published works such as The Variation of Animals and Plants under Domestication, The Descent of Man and Selection in Relation to Sex, and The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals, providing a systematic account of artificial selection and proposing theories of sexual selection and human origin, further enriching the content of the evolutionary theory. Darwin was a prolific writer, and The Complete Works of Charles Darwin on Evolution consists of 13 volumes and 15 books, totaling approximately 5 million words. This book features excerpts from Darwin's The Voyage of the Beagle, On the Origin of Species, The Descent of Man and Selection in Relation to Sex, The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals, and The Movements and Habits of Climbing Plants, to delight the readers.