Accepting Quote by Charles Darwin
“I am aware that the conclusions arrived at in this work will be denounced by some as highly irreligious; but he who denounces 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 from, through the laws of variation and natural selection, than to explain the birth of the individual through the laws of 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.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Origin of Species, 1859
He argues that both species evolution and individual birth are natural processes, and rejecting one while accepting the other is inconsistent.
In simple terms: Evolution of species and individuals are both natural and linked.
Key Takeaway
Accept the continuity of natural processes.
Themes
evolution
science
philosophy
Mood
thoughtful
analytical
Type
philosophical
scientific
When to use this quote
- education
- debates on creationism
- public lectures
Key Concepts
natural selection
theology
logic
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we reconcile scientific explanations with faith?
- What logical inconsistencies arise in selective acceptance?
A Different Perspective
Some may view this as undermining religious belief.
![“[E]volution is not a cause, but the description of a process … Can we in any way explain the origin of species? Are we to suppose that each species, or what we regard as a species, originated in the fiat of an almighty power? Or are we to suppose that we are to go indefinitely backwards, and…” quote by Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/8b6/george-gabriel-stokes-169397_biology_e-volution-is-not-a-cause-but-the-descri_1817566.jpg)
![“I am quite conscious that my speculations run beyond the bounds of true science…It is a mere rag of an hypothesis with as many flaw[s] & holes as sound parts.” quote by Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/958/charles-darwin-507_bounds_i-am-quite-conscious-that-my-speculation_35382.jpg)
