Customer Reviews

Origin of Species

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There is only one other book that is so widely known, discussed, and debated, yet so rarely read: that other book is the Bible. To make my point, here is a little quiz:

1) Which name is most closely associated with the theory of evolution?

2) Which book did this person write on evolution?

3) What claims are made in that book?

4) What else is contained in that book?

With astonishing regularity, the average literate adult will respond as follows: 1) Darwin, 2) Origin of Species, 3) Humans descended from apes, and 4) I have no idea. The first two are correct, the third is absolutely false, and the fourth is an admission of complete ignorance. Considering that "Origin of Species" is over 600 pages long, and took nearly two decades to write, one would expect it to contain something more than the four simple words "Humans descended from apes," which, in fact, it neither contains nor implies. So, what DOES it contain? There is one word that best summarizes the bulk of Darwin's magnum opus: "observation".

It is a lengthy book; at times it is tedious, at times politically incorrect, and at times scientifically off-base. But, despite its numerous flaws, it is one of the greatest achievements in the history of mankind. Even if you are among the few who refuse to accept Darwin's ideas, you cannot deny their impact. The theory is the cornerstone--if not the very foundation--of modern biology. Whatever your preconceptions, you will likely be surprised by this work. Darwin was the consummate naturalist and scientist, as well as a refined and articulate gentleman. "Origin" is a delight and an epiphany to read. It's amazing how much Darwin got right, despite the fact that he had essentially no idea of how inheritance worked. It's amazing how much data Darwin carefully assembled, analyzed, and described. It's amazing how meticulously Darwin weighed the evidence, noting when competing theories made different predictions, when the available evidence was not what he would have expected, and what future evidence could completely discredit (falsify) his theory. It's amazing in its honesty.

The misconceptions about "Origin of Species" are not merely rampant, they are effectively universal, fueled (largely in the US) by the rise of creationism, which seeks first and foremost to vilify the theory of evolution as well as Darwin (often failing to distinguish between the two). It's worth the time to read this enormous but meticulously crafted volume, if only to allow you to form your own opinions about such an influential book. Once you have, take the little quiz again. You may need 600 pages to answer the last question.

This is not a difficult book to read, and I would encourage readers to read the original work of Darwin.

"The Origin of Species" is considered to be an important work in both world literature and science. An interesting aspect of the book was the pressure for Darwin to publish the book. Prior to publishing, he had spent almost 30 years developing and testing his ideas. The book is a combination of argument and debate along with descriptions of Darwin's own experiments with birds and plants, including his own cabbage garden. In short, according to Darwin, the evolution of species takes place over a long time period and is a series of random events with survival of the fitest, or what is called "natural selection."

Darwin was born in 1809, trained as a botanist and zoologist at Cambridge University, and made his famous trip on the H.M.S. Beagle from 1831 to 1836. He was first inspired by the writings of the geologist Sir Charles Lyell. This same geologist would play an important role in pushing Darwin to publish his findings in 1856.

Darwin - as he writes in his book - was not working alone. He was not the first to come up with the ideas. Darwin was preceded by many before him with similar ideas. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire wrote as early as 1795 that species are "degenerations of the same type." Lamarck was in fact the first person to suggest that "all species, including man, are descended from other species." He published his ideas in 1801, 1809, and 1815. W.C. Wells presented a paper on human skin colors in 1813 and published his results in 1818. This was followed by The Hon. and Rev. W. Herbert published in the "Horticultural Transactions" in 1822 that "botanical species are only a higher and more permanent class of varieties." In 1826 professor Grant "declares his belief that species are descendent from other species." Also, Von Bush in 1836 "expresses his belief that varieties slowly become changed into permanent species." And, in 1846 M.J. d'Omalius d'Halloy published a paper with his opinion "that it is more probable that new species have been produced by descent with modification than they have been separately created."

After the Beagle trip, Darwin's main pre-occupation was to prepare his five volume work "Zoology of the Voyage of the Beagle" over the years 1840 - 1843. Also, he undertook a series of experiments on evolution and wrote shorter papers. But in 1856 geologist Sir Charles Lyell persuaded Darwin to take his notes and publish "The Origin of Species." As he prepared the book, Alfred Russel Wallace sent him a manuscript with an identical or similar theory. The two men decided to present their works simultaneously to the Linnaean Society. Wallace had visited Malaysia and come up with similar conclusions to Darwin, but he had not yet prepared an impresive large book, as had Darwin.

Darwin had been very cautious, and in the years 1840 to 1856 he had undertaken a number of experiments himself with pigeons and various plants. He had even joined two pigeon clubs and had his own garden in the country. He describes some of the slightly amusing details in the book. For example, he was able to grow over 200 varieties of cabbages by cross breeding. Among the findings, he had come to the conclusion that domestic pigeons were probably all related back to the rock-pigeon (Columba livia). He undertook a number of experiments including one where he mated two mongrel pigeons, and the resulting offspring looked like rock-pigeons.

So, although Wallace had the same ideas at the same time, Darwin had a fifteen years accumulation of notes, observations, and his own experiments that he could put into the book. Once the book came out it was an instant best seller and Wallace was largely forgotten, along with his other predecessors. Darwin was very cautious with his findings, and the many years researching and thinking about his ideas - almost two decades - paid off for him when he finally released the near 700 page book.

Darwin published a second well known book in 1871: "The Descent of Man."

"The Origin of Species" is a well crafted and interesting book. There are just a few figures in the book. It is an easy read, although some parts have many small details. Darwin lectures us on a variety of subjects such as flower reproduction. The heart of the book is Chapter IV: Natural Selection. He has fifteen chapters covering a range of topics including geology and fossils.

It must be remembered that when the book came out in 1859 it was generally assumed that only God could create life. The book was revolutionary, and too detailed to refute. It was a comprehensive book and came as a major challenge to the accepted norm. At the end in the conclusion Darwin tells the reader that his findings just give a different explanation in the way "the Creator" works, and it does not imply a lack of a God.

I started reading this book expecting to find offensive, disrespectful, and vicious material throughout it. What I came to realize instead, was that people have criticized this book based on offensive, disrespectful and vicious accusations. I can't identify how people have linked this work to God and blasphemy. It has nothing to do with religion, faith, or creation. This is a work of observation, logic, and adaptability. It makes perfect sense, and trust me, it is in no way offensive.

To think that for a century people have been debating, fighting, and cursing Charles Darwin over this work seems comical once you read his book. The book is written in easy to understand common language, allowing the not so biologically or anthropologically astute to understand it as well. Even if you are not convinced by Darwin's observations, you will be convinced that there is no threat to anyone's beliefs from this book.

I found this work to be very convincing and highly compatible with my faith in God. It does not threaten God, and it certainly does not require me to abandon any beliefs even though I fully understand and agree with Mr. Darwin. Read this book, it is worthy of consideration and it is only fair to hold judgment until after you have read it.

The Origin of Species, for the first time offering an adequate explanation for biological change and origins, should be required reading for anyone interested in biology, history, or life in general. Because the book outlines the beginnings of a vast, new theory, it is accessible to laypersons. It does not suffer from the esotericism of most scientific writings, which expect readers to have a working knowledge of a specific scientific idea. Darwin starts from scratch and builds up all the evidence for his theory in a way that renders his argument undeniable.

Darwin's idea explains the production of differing species through natural selection. Darwin did little to explain evolution, or the change, of species, but this book fully outlines how the mechanism of selection would make sure such random changes would produce complex organisms. The mechanism Darwin proposes is at once so simple and seems so obvious with hindsight. It is something evident to any dog breeder--that traits can be selected and passed on to different generations--and Darwin even draws upon knowledge of artificial selection in birds and dogs to bolster his claims. Ultimately, however, the evidence for evolution by natural selection lies not in a vague analogy to artificial selection, but in the predictions Darwin's theory made and fulfilled. Darwin's expectation of biological similarity in ancestors and descendants is fulfilled by simply looking at exterior features or even bone structures. He also notes that his theory thoroughly predicts and explains the existence of rudimentary features like teeth in whale embryos and flightless wings in birds. The fact that island species correspond most with similar species on the nearest continent, instead of in distant lands, shows that these species are descended from them and changed after migrating to a separate environment. Darwin also showed how his theory explained the difficulties with classifying species, because evolution thoroughly broke down the distinction of species as pure and distinct.

Not only is this book useful in gaining an understanding of evolution, but it is also a good outline for scientific methodology and research. One comes into reading the book wondering how one could prove an unobservable process that takes millions of years to occur, and is overwhelmed by the ingenuity of the predictions offered by the theory that are fulfilled by subsequent observations. Darwin's book shows that the predictive power of theories are vital, allowing them to be tested and refuted. The entire book outlines the vacuousness of the design inference as a common explanation for life, showing that an inference of design does not explain similarity in biological structures, vestigial and rudimentary parts, the geological distribution of life, and the difficulty in classifying species. All of these observations are explored in meticulous detail by Darwin, and shown to be thoroughly explained by evolution combined with natural selection.

From a historical perspective, reading the book causes one to marvel at Darwin's ingenuity. One can see glimmers of later discoveries reflected in Darwin's reasoning. One shakes one's head at his ability to explain the distribution of life by glaciers and flight and rafting...only to realize that the theory of plate tectonics would have been a delightful solution to the several problems Darwin noted with distribution for fossilized species. Darwin often makes bold predictions that the modern reader knows come true, and it is simply a wonderful thing to behold such accuracy.

The Origin of Species is a wonderful book, accessible to all, and a treasure to read for anyone with a passion for history, science, or life.

This edition (Modern Library Paperback) has several distracting typos. I had to refer to project gutenberg editions to find the correct text in several places. Other reviewers have done justice to the content.

Darwin's Origin of Species is the first book I've read on evolution and being someone that appreciates the scientific manner of explaining observed phenomena with consistent theories, I tried to pay attention to the merits of Darwin's argument. I believed Darwin's theory was generally right(or at least on the right track) before reading this book and after reading it, I'm only more convinced.

Although I knew the general ideas put forth by Darwin, I'm now more educated as to the manner in which Darwin came to his conclusions. It was interesting the way in which he considered, for example, how two similar species of mammals or plants could be found on two different continents very far from each other. I particularly liked his consideration of our knowledge of geological history and its relationship to his theory. I also enjoyed learning about the difficulties in distinguishing varieties and species and why it is this distinction may be somewhat arbitrary.

One of the things I like about this book was the fact that Darwin addressed the various counterarguments against his theory and usually provided compelling discussions as to why his theory provided better explanation as to the observed nature of things than the idea of Creationism, which he mentions a few times throughout the book. He was meticulous enough to give much thought to potential weaknesses in his theory and yet offer explanation to how these supposed weaknesses may not be as formidable as they initally appear.

I found that Darwin's work was rather thought-provoking as I found myself thinking more of mankind's development and the potential uses and development of our own organs and how they may have given us an advantage over other species.

Darwin was sometimes a little long-winded in his discussion, but considering the importance of the subject matter, I appreciated his thoughtful and thorough exposition.

I'm no expert in evolutionary theories or how Darwin's theory is regarded by experts today. And I don't necessarily think he got everything completely right, but I found his argument generally pretty convincing and think he was closer to being right than wrong. The origin of species, particularly ourselves, is a very important subject and I believe someone would be doing themselves a service to read such an important work.

Many people assume that Darwin's initial account of natural selection is so out of date that it is to be avoided in favour of more recent text books of evolutionary theory. While it is true that huge gains have been made in the one and a half centuries since the first publication of "The Origin", there is nothing in this work which is wrong. Darwin was too good a scientist and too cautious.

Some claim that Darwin admitted of the possibility of Lamarkian mechanisms. They have not read the original. Darwin knew nothing of the molecular basis of genetics, but knew that natural selection did not need a Lamarkian mechanism. He simply did not rule it out, although he found it improbable. Everything that is stated in this great classic is as true today as it was at the time of first publication.

It is also said that Charles Darwin was a lesser intellectual when compared to most other great names of science; that he was a plodder, a naturalist, a sort of gentleman stamp collector who pressed flowers into his books and barely a scientist in the contemporary sense. This is nonsense. Darwin was one of the giants of rigorous systematic thinking; the kind of rigorous thinking and critical attitude that asks the right questions and provides the capacity to answer them. Let me buttress this claim with one example.

At the end of chapter six Darwin noted that the theory of natural selection could not account for structures or behaviors found in one species that exist solely for the benefit of another unrelated species. In setting out the theoretical terms for the refutation of the theory in this way, he anticipated Karl Popper, that analytical non-nonsense philosopher of science, by more than a century.

I recommend you read this book with an attentive curious analytical mind. You will find yourself walking in the footsteps of an intellectual giant.

There are many different versions of Darwin's "The Origin of Species" available, but I found this one particularly helpful. First, while it is nicely printed and easy to read on good paper, it is not terribly expensive. Second, it reprints the first or original version of the book which Darwin subsequently modified substantially in the the further five editions he published. Third, it also includes Darwin's "Historical Sketch" and "glossary" which had not appeared in the first edition. Fourth, the color cover illustration by the Victorian artist Henry de la Beche is an important indicator of why the Victorians were so into prehistoric studies. However, the thing that really distinguishes this Penguin Books edition is the incredibily incisive and invaluable introduction by the editor, J.W. Burrow. Burrow is beyond question one of the most significant intellectual historians of our time. Among other things he has written extensively on the concept of evolution in Victorian thought in his classic "Evolution and Society: A Study in Victorian Social Theory." In 37 crisp pages, Burrow incomparably sketches the Victorian intellectual background against which Darwin wrote. Although the essay is nearly 40 years old, it has stood the test of time very well. It alone is worth the price of the book. Altogether, a very nice introduction to this critical event in scientific and intellectual history.

Many reviewers start with the warning that this is primarily a scientific
work, and therefore a casual reader may find it difficult to read. I would
take quite the opposite view: given that this _is_ a scientific work,
comparable in its impact to Newton's Principia, it is a surprisingly
easy and lively read. While the text is a bit dry, and the numerous examples
may seem overwhelming, I still found Darwin to be a gifted writer, and his choice
of examples enlightening, and entertaining (this is the first time I read about
ants that enslave other ants, for instance). I wish
that modern scholarly works in biology, or any other science, were
written nearly as well as the "Origin of Species."

Even so, it is difficult to give this book a rating. It's impact on the view we
have of ourselves as a species is so enormous that judging the literary
merrits of the book is, perhaps, beside the point. Darwin's amazing prescience,
and the thoughtfulness in presenting an "abstract" of his argument for
descent with modifications are awe inspiring.

It is a crying shame that many reviewers have used this forum to try and critique evolutionary theory, making no references to the text at all and drawing on erroneous conclusions about Darwin in general. The Origin of Species is most definitely the most important work in the field of biology, as it is the most succinct and well developed explanations of the unifying principle of the field, evolution via descent with modification. I don't want to spend a lot of time explaining the theory or why a person should study it. I want to explain who should read this book and why. If you are looking for an introductory text on the theory of evolution you need to stay well away. There are other better books. In many cases Darwin's examples and arguments are outmoded or have been changed. The book overlooks many aspects that are included in modern evolutionary theory, such as genetics, simply because Darwin did not know about them. Natural selection as Darwin wrote it is one of the most effective explanatory theories in all of science but by reading this book you miss almost 150 years of the things it has explained. It is also a flat out PAIN to read, they where much "wordier" in the 1800's and Darwin's English is rather stilted and formal, even compared to modern scientific writing. So, who should read this book? Any person who is an advanced student in biology (I read it the summer before my senior year) should be aware of how the modern theory of evolution was born. You can't really achieve this without reading Origins. I am aware of no better way of understanding evolution that to follow its development through time, beginning with Darwin. And, if you don't understand evolution, you don't understand biology. As something to read it is a classic, arguably the most influential work of all time.

A note on edition: this copy is the one I have. I would suggest the facsimile of the First Edition found elsewhere on Amazon. I don't know why the publishers felt the need to put the caricatured human evolution (addressed nowhere in the book) on the cover.