The "Origin" Then and Now : an Interpretive Guide to the "Origin of Species"

Charles Darwin's __Origin of Species__ is one of the most widely cited books in modern science. Yet tackling this classic can be daunting for students and general readers alike because of Darwin's Victorian prose and the complexity and scope of his ideas. __The "Origin" Then and Now__ is a unique guide to Darwin's masterwork, making it accessible to a much wider audience by deconstructing and reorganizing the __Origin__ in a way that allows for a clear explanation of its key concepts. The __Origin__ is examined within the historical context in which it was written, and modern examples are used to reveal how this work remains a relevant and living document for today. In this eye-opening and accessible guide, David Reznick shows how many peculiarities of the __Origin__ can be explained by the state of science in 1859, helping readers to grasp the true scope of Darwin's departure from the mainstream thinking of his day. He reconciles Darwin's concept of species with our current concept, which has advanced in important ways since Darwin first wrote the __Origin__, and he demonstrates why Darwin's theory unifies the biological sciences under a single conceptual framework much as Newton did for physics. Drawing liberally from the facsimile of the first edition of the __Origin__, Reznick enables readers to follow along as Darwin develops his ideas. __The "Origin" Then and Now__ is an indispensable primer for anyone seeking to understand Darwin's __Origin of Species__ and the ways it has shaped the modern study of evolution. An accessible modern guide to Darwin's masterwork Charles Darwin's Origin of Species is one of the most widely cited books in modern science. Yet tackling this classic can be daunting for students and general readers alike because of Darwin's Victorian prose and the complexity and scope of his ideas. The "Origin" Then and Now is a unique guide to Darwin's masterwork, making it accessible to a much wider audience by deconstructing and reorganizing the Origin in a way that allows for a clear explanation of its key concepts. The Origin is examined within the historical context in which it was written, and modern examples are used to reveal how this work remains a relevant and living document for today. In this eye-opening and accessible guide, David Reznick shows how many peculiarities of the Origin can be explained by the state of science in 1859, helping readers to grasp the true scope of Darwin's departure from the mainstream thinking of his day. He reconciles Darwin's concept of species with our current concept, which has advanced in important ways since Darwin first wrote the Origin , and he demonstrates why Darwin's theory unifies the biological sciences under a single conceptual framework much as Newton did for physics. Drawing liberally from the facsimile of the first edition of the Origin , Reznick enables readers to follow along as Darwin develops his ideas. The "Origin" Then and Now is an indispensable primer for anyone seeking to understand Darwin's Origin of Species and the ways it has shaped the modern study of evolution. Contents Preface Correspondence between Chapters in the First Edition of the Origin and the Chapters in This Book Acknowledgments Introduction: Charles Darwin and the Origin of Species Part One. Natural Selection Chapter 1. Preamble to Natural Selection Chapter 2. Variation under Domestication Chapter 3. Variation under Nature I Chapter 4. The Struggle for Existence Chapter 5. Natural Selection I Chapter 6. Laws of Variation Chapter 7. Evolution Today: A Modern Perspective on Natural Selection Part Two. Speciation Chapter 8. Preamble to Speciation Chapter 9. Variation under Nature II Chapter 10. Natural Selection II Chapter 11. Hybridism Chapter 12. Evolution Today: The Mosquitoes of the London Underground Part Three. Theory Chapter 13. Preamble: What Is a Theory? Chapter 14. Difficulties on Theory Chapter 15. Instinct Chapter 16. Geology I: Background Chapter 17. Geology II: On the Imperfection of the Geological Record Chapter 18. Geology III: On the Geological Succession of Organic Beings Chapter 19. Geology IV: Evolution Today Chapter 20. Geographical Distribution Chapter 21. Geographical Distribution, Continued Chapter 22. Mutual Affinities of Organic Beings: Morphology: Embryology: Rudimentary Organs Chapter 23. Recapitulation and Conclusion Chapter 24. Evolution Today: The Witness Has Been Found, Again and Again Illustration Credits Index