Darwin

by Professor Charles Darwin

Librarian's note: There is an Alternate Cover Edition for this edition of this book here.

The impact of Charles Darwin’s work on Western civilization has been broad and deep. As much as anyone in the modern era, he changed human thought, and his influence is still felt in virtually all aspects of our lives. This new edition, larger and more varied than the previous ones, includes more of Darwin's own work and also presents the most recent research and scholarship on all aspects of Darwin’s legacy. The biological sciences, as well as social thought, philosophy, ethics, religion, and literature, have all been shaped and reshaped by evolutionary concepts.

Excerpts from the most important books and articles of recent years confirm this Darwinian heritage. New work by Richard Dawkins, Edward O. Wilson, Kevin Padian, Eugene C. Scott, Steven Pinker, Daniel Dennett, Michael Ruse, Frans de Waal, Noretta Koertge, George C. Williams, George Levine, Stephen Jay Gould, Gillian Beer, Ernst Mayr, and many others illuminates this exciting intellectual history. A wide-ranging new introduction by the editor provides context and coherence to this rich body of engaging material, much of which will be shaping human thought well into the new century.

This collection of Darwin's writing, those of his critics and those of his intellectual descendants, includes:
- The Voyage of the Beagle (1845): Ch. I, XVII
- On the Tendency of Species to Form Varieties; And on the Perpetuation of Varieties and Species by Natural Means of Selection (1858): Ch. I-II
- An Historical Sketch of the Progress of Opinion on the Origin of Species Previously to the Publication of this Work (1861) The Origin of Species (1859): Introduction, Ch. I-IV, VI, IX, XIII-XIV
- The Descent of Man (1871): Introduction, Ch. I-III, VI, VIII, XIX-XXI

Genres: Science, Biology, Classics, Evolution, History, Nonfiction, Biography

720 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1908

Reviews

[Iza Braun · Rating 4 out of 5]

interesting selection of works in dialogue with each other! terribly dense at times. but I suppose most of these guys do not claim to be writers.

[Zach Brandt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Setting all controversy aside for the moment, Darwin is justly considered one of the great geniuses of human history. Reading his primary source material demonstrates his overwhelming compilation of empirical data, his measured judgements, and his courage in claiming that variation leads to speciation.

[Travis Lindeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had to give this entire book and all of its components a pretty thorough reading for a class. I don't know if I would have given it the effort outside of an academic setting but I loved it for what it was. This book is great in that it discusses all aspects of Darwin's thought, the myriad detractors, and those who have sought to reinterpret the implications for political purposes i.e. Spencer using natural selection to explain the plight of the poor. Even Darwin, in spite of being very cautious about making all of his proposal (thus making his writings exceedingly wordy), is quite an enjoyable read.

[Carl · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want all of Darwin's books this is the one and only for 99cts! Even has the original On the Origin of Species along with the 6th edition. I put this on my Nook but I am sure Kindle users can also.

[Steven Sills]

For those of you who are so bold that truth matters more to you than hiding yourself--your furry skin and tail--behind comforting fig leaves try Darwin. This Norton Anthology takes you through Darwin and neo Darwinian science

[Jonah Copeland]

I read this book a while back, and truthfully I didn’t read it in its entirety, but I feel like it was significant enough that I should have it on my shelf. Reading this gave me a clearer view of how Darwinism was viewed in his time — both by those of Christian profession and humanist. I recall it being very interesting and opened my eyes to the true meaning of what was being claimed by Darwin as opposed to the straw-man arguments made by most southern evangelicals (which isn’t a direct attack, so much as it is just a piece of factual context for my prior views and issues which I took with Darwinism). So yeah, I learned a lot about how evolution actually “works” and while I’m still not convinced Darwin had it right, I do believe I am much more educated on the subject.

[Courtney]

I was assigned to read the bulk of On the Origin of Species and various essays later in the anthology for a Science and Politics class, but because I didn't read the entire anthology and ultimately do not plan to, I'm marking it as DNF.

There's definitely no shortage of scientific, social, and ethical issues to discuss when it comes to Darwin's work and legacy. Especially in regard to the debate between evolutionism and creationism and the horrible effects of Social Darwinism, Darwin's writing itself and the commentary included here offers a lot to think about, discuss in classes, and incorporate into politics and future actions.

[Robbie Willis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good informational text read. very interesting at times and other times is difficult to read. I would recommend to anyone who wants to learn about Charles Darwin in depth.

[Krista · Rating 5 out of 5]

**Read for Class**

[Charlie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Darwin may be a great scientist, and he is also a man who rode Galapagos Tortoises for "science". A humaniser of a monumental scientist

[Darya]

Uh what

[William Crosby]

[Iowa mention]

[Madeleine]

249
108 “can adapt organic beings to his own uses”
118 “Thus I can understand how a flower and a bee might slowly become, either simultaneously or one after the other, modified and adapted in the most perfect manner to each other, by the continued preservation of individuals presenting mutual and slightly favorable deviations of structure.” ... “Natural selection can act only by the preservation and accumulation of infinitesimally small inherited modifications, each profitable to the preserved being; and as modern geology has almost vanished such views as the excavation of a Greta valley by a single diluvial wave, so will natural selection, if it be a true principle, banish the belief of the continued creation of new organic beings, or if any great and sudden modification in their structure.”
133-135 variation, inheritance, “sexual selection will give its aid to ordinary selection, by assuring to the most vigorous and best adapted males the greatest number of offspring ... Natural selection, also, leads to the divergence of character, for more loving beings can be supported in the same area the more they diverge in structure, habits, and constitution ... the more diversified these defendants become, the better will be their chance of succeeding in the battle of life ... Natural selection, as has just been remarked, leads to divergence if character and to much extinction of the less improved and intermediate forms of life. On these principles, I believe, the nature of the affinities if all organic beings may be explained.” ... “As buds give rise by growth to fresh buds, and these, if vigorous, branch out and overtop on all sides many a feebler branch, is by generation I believe it has been with the great Tree of Life, which fills with it’s dead and broken branches the crust of the earth, and covers the surface with its ever branching and beautiful ramifications.” *
171 “Therefore I should infer from analogy that probably all the organic beings which have ever lived on this earth have descended from some one primordial form, into which life was first breathed.”
174 “And as natural selection works solely by and for the good of each being, all corporeal and mental endowments will tend to progress towards perfection.”* ... “Thus, from the way of nature, from famine and death, the most exalted object which we are capable of conceiving, namely, the production of the higher animals, directly follows. There is grandeur in this view of life, with its several powers, having been originally breathed into a few forms or one; and that, whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from some simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being evolved”*
213 “The ancestors of man were, no doubt, inferior in intellect, and probably in social disposition, to the lowest existing savages ... And as natural selection arising from the competition of tribe with tribe, in some large area as one of these, together with the inherited effects of habit, would, under favorable conditions, have sufficed to raise man to his present high position in the organic scale.”
249 “I am aware that the conclusions arrived at in this work will be denounced by some as irreligious; but he who denounced them is bound to show why it is more irreligious to explain the origin of man as a distinct species by descent from some lower form, through the laws of variation and natural selection, than to explain the birth of the individual through the laws or ordinary reproduction. The birth both of the species and of the individual are equally parts of that grand sequence of events, which our minds refuse to accept as the result of blind chance. The understanding revolts as such a conclusion, whether or not we are able to believe that every slight variation of structure, — the union of each pair in marriage,— the dissemination Id each seed,— and other such events, have all been ordained for some special purpose.”

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked up this anthology for a class but I found myself reading a lot more than was assigned. While the excerpts from Darwin's own writings are useful, I like the anthology for its excellent selection of supplementary texts, which cover Darwin's profound influence in a number of fields from the publication of The Origin of Species to the present. The selections on the conflict of science and religion are not only relevant, but quite fascinating.

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's kind of interesting to read the "Origin of Species" because it is talked up to be this beacon of scientific light. And I'm sure it was at the time, but now that we have scientific information that is much more updated (and let's face it, a lot less racist), Origin of Species seems a little silly and also slightly religious. I felt the same way about "Descent of Man." I guess you just have to keep in mind that Darwin, like all other authors in the 19th century, was a man of his time.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like Darwin, what can I say? The Darwin reader has selections of Darwin's most important works (Descent of Man & Origin of Species) as well as contemporary reactions. Plus, all sorts of essays/reactions from scholars and prominent figures since then.

[Bernie_dunham · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm reading the Second Edition (1979) of this famous Norton Critical Edition (NCE)of selections from Darwin's work, plus numerous essays about Darwin's work, which comprise the majority of the book. Norton's Critical Edition series is one of my favorite formats.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Only 200 pp of this 700 pp work is by Darwin. But Appleman has put together an excellent selection of pieces about Darwin from his contemporaries up to ours. Read about Charlie on this, the 200th anniversary of his birth. (201st now!)

[John Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

very good anthology of readings . . . . . . . .

[anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I only read snippets here an there but, from what I could tell, it's a great little comprehensive collection, especially if you're into Darwin and the history of Evolution.

[Bud · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like other books available in the Norton Critical Edition series, this one provides very important secondary material. Excellent!

[Todd · Rating 4 out of 5]

On the Origin of species was much better than I thought it would be. Not polarizing or condescending, but often beautifully written.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Given to my by Kyle Sterup

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I don't agree with most of it, it is a classic well worth reading.

[Joe Scal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating introduction to Darwin. Only on page 100, but it is great so far. I will make you want to read Beagle and Origin.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good selection from 'Origin,' plus some fun 'Voyage of the Beagle.' Good biographical materials.