Richard G. Delisle Knihy

Widely seen as evolution's founding figure, Charles Darwin is taken by many evolutionists to be the first to propose a truly modern theory of evolution. Darwin's greatness, however, has obscured the man and his work, at times even to the point of distortion. Accessibly written, this book presents a more nuanced picture and invites us to discover some neglected ambiguities and contradictions in Darwin's masterwork. Delisle and Tierney show Darwin to be a man who struggled to reconcile the received wisdom of an unchanging natural world with his new ideas about evolution. Arguing that Darwin was unable to break free entirely from his contemporaries' more traditional outlook, they show his theory to be a fascinating compromise between old and new. Rediscovering this other Darwin – and this other side of On the Origin of Species – helps shed new light on the immensity of the task that lay before 19th century scholars, as well as their ultimate achievements.

The book reexamines Darwin's Origin of Species, challenging its status as the cornerstone of evolutionism. It highlights how scholars often reference Darwin to support or counter their own theories, illustrating his symbolic role in the evolution debate. By stripping away the rhetorical embellishments, the author reveals the indecisive nature of Darwin's conclusions, urging readers to reconsider the implications and interpretations of this foundational text in the context of modern scientific discourse.