Luck, or Cunning, as the Main Means of Organic ModificationButler, Samuel
Philosophy
Luck, or Cunning, as the Main Means of Organic Modification
Butler, Samuel
Evolution; Natural selection
The _Times_ continues—“The position which Mr. Romanes takes up is the
result of his perception shared by many evolutionists, that the theory of
natural selection is not really a theory of the origin of species. . . .”
What, then, becomes of Mr. Darwin’s most famous work, which was written
expressly to establish natural selection as the main means of organic
modification? “The new factor which Mr. Romanes suggests,” continues the
_Times_, “is that at a certain stage of development of varieties in a
state of nature a change takes place in their reproductive systems,
rendering those which differ in some particulars mutually infertile, and
thus the formation of new permanent species takes place without the
swamping effect of free intercrossing. . . . How his theory can be
properly termed one of selection he fails to make clear. If correct, it
is a law or principle of operation rather than a process of selection.
It has been objected to Mr. Romanes’ theory that it is the re-statement
of a fact. This objection is less important than the lack of facts in
support of the theory.” The _Times_, however, implies it as its opinion
that the required facts will be forthcoming by and by, and that when they
have been found Mr. Romanes’ suggestion will constitute “the most
important addition to the theory of evolution since the publication of
the ‘Origin of Species.’” Considering that the _Times_ has just implied
the main thesis of the “Origin of Species” to be one which does not stand
examination, this is rather a doubtful compliment.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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