--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Darwinian theory is in principle…" description: "\"The Darwinian theory is in principle capable of explaining life. No other theory that has ever been suggested is in principle capable of explaining lif..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dcb/richard-dawkins-115_capable_the-darwinian-theory-is-in-principle-cap_75850.jpg" --- # The Darwinian theory is in principle capable of explaining… ![“The Darwinian theory is in principle capable of explaining life. No other theory that has ever been suggested is in principle capable of explaining life.” quote by Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dcb/richard-dawkins-115_capable_the-darwinian-theory-is-in-principle-cap_75850.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dcb/richard-dawkins-115_capable_the-darwinian-theory-is-in-principle-cap_75850.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dcb/richard-dawkins-115_capable_the-darwinian-theory-is-in-principle-cap_75850.jpg) > “The Darwinian theory is in principle capable of explaining life. No other theory that has ever been suggested is in principle capable of explaining life.” [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Darwinian evolution provides a comprehensive framework for the origin and diversity of life, whereas alternative proposals lack explanatory power. **In simple terms:** Evolutionary theory explains life; others do not. Key Takeaway Darwinian evolution is uniquely explanatory. Themes science philosophy biology theory explanation methodology Mood analytical inquisitive confident Type statement assertion scientific claim When to use this quote - educational curricula - public debates on science - policy making on research funding - science communication - academic discourse Key Concepts natural selection genetic variation adaptation falsifiability Practical Applications - teaching evolutionary biology - informing science policy Questions to Reflect On - What criteria determine a theory's explanatory adequacy? - How does the scientific community evaluate competing explanations? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Darwinian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darwinian/) [Evolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evolution/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Principles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principles/) [Society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society/) ## Related quotes > [What Darwinian theory shows us is that all human races are extremely close to each other. None of them is in any sense ancestral…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/what-darwinian-theory-shows-us-is-that-all-human-races-are-extremely/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [“Since the most exquisitely delicate structures, as well as embryonic phases of growth of the most perishable nature, have been preserved from very early…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-c-meyer/since-the-most-exquisitely-delicate-structures-as-well-as-embryonic/) [Stephen C. Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-c-meyer/) > [If you take Darwinian theory, make a 'scientific' principle out of it, put it into political action, then you have something like Nazi Germany.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-lipton/if-you-take-darwinian-theory-make-a-scientific-principle-out-of-it/) [Bruce Lipton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-lipton/) > [“According to Teleology, each organism is like a rifle bullet fired straight at a mark; according to Darwin , organisms are like grapeshot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-henry-huxley/according-to-teleology-each-organism-is-like-a-rifle-bullet-fired/) [Thomas Henry Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-henry-huxley/) > [The classics of Marxism, while fully appreciating the significance of the Darwinian theory, pointed out the errors of which Darwin was guilty. Darwin's theory,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trofim-lysenko/the-classics-of-marxism-while-fully-appreciating-the-significance-of/) [Trofim Lysenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trofim-lysenko/) > [First, Darwinian theory tells us how a certain amount of diversity in life forms can develop once we have various types of complex living…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillip-e-johnson/first-darwinian-theory-tells-us-how-a-certain-amount-of-diversity-in/) [Phillip E. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillip-e-johnson/) > [I have been scientifically studying the traits and dispositions of the "lower animals" (so-called,) and contrasting them with the traits and dispositions of man.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/i-have-been-scientifically-studying-the-traits-and-dispositions-of/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“Before you can ask 'Is Darwinian theory correct or not?', You have to ask the preliminary question 'Is it clear enough so that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-berlinski/before-you-can-ask-is-darwinian-theory-correct-or-not-you-have-to-ask/) [David Berlinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-berlinski/) > [Even if there were no actual evidence in favor of the Darwinian theory, we should still be justified in preferring it over all rival…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/even-if-there-were-no-actual-evidence-in-favor-of-the-darwinian/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [There is such a difference between life and theory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-trollope/there-is-such-a-difference-between-life-and-theory/) [Anthony Trollope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-trollope/) > [Life is more than a theory, and love of truth butters no bread: old men who have had to struggle along their way, who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-anthony-froude/life-is-more-than-a-theory-and-love-of-truth-butters-no-bread-old-men/) [James Anthony Froude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-anthony-froude/) > [Life is not theory. It is reality, with inherent duties to everything and everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tivadar-kosztka-csontvary/life-is-not-theory-it-is-reality-with-inherent-duties-to-everything/) [Tivadar Kosztka Csontvary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tivadar-kosztka-csontvary/) > [“Do not read history. Read biography for it is life without theory.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/do-not-read-history-read-biography-for-it-is-life-without-theory/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [Read no history: nothing but biography, for that is life without theory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/read-no-history-nothing-but-biography-for-that-is-life-without-theory/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [The interesting question would be whether there's a Darwinian process, a kind of selection process whereby some memes are more likely to spread than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/the-interesting-question-would-be-whether-there-s-a-darwinian-process/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) ## More by Richard Dawkins > [At the deepest level, all living things that have ever been looked at have the same DNA code. And many of the same genes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/at-the-deepest-level-all-living-things-that-have-ever-been-looked-at/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [The word 'mundane' has come to mean 'boring' and 'dull', and it really shouldn't - it should mean the opposite. Because it comes from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/the-word-mundane-has-come-to-mean-boring-and-dull-and-it-really/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [We animals are the most complicated things in the known universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/we-animals-are-the-most-complicated-things-in-the-known-universe/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [“The fundamentalist Kurt Wise proclaims that all the evidence in the universe would not change his mind. The true scientist, however passionately he may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/the-fundamentalist-kurt-wise-proclaims-that-all-the-evidence-in-the/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [“I have found it an amusing strategy, when asked whether I am an atheist, to point out that the questioner is also an atheist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/i-have-found-it-an-amusing-strategy-when-asked-whether-i-am-an/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [Religions do make claims about the universe--the same kinds of claims that scientists make, except they're usually false.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/religions-do-make-claims-about-the-universe-the-same-kinds-of-claims/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [“much of the Bible is not systematically evil but just plain weird, as you would expect of a chaotically cobbled-together anthology of disjointed documents,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/much-of-the-bible-is-not-systematically-evil-but-just-plain-weird-as/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [The recurrent laryngeal nerve - which runs from the head to the voice box - goes all the way down into the chest, loops…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/the-recurrent-laryngeal-nerve-which-runs-from-the-head-to-the-voice/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [The Roman Catholic Church is an institution for whose gains the phrase "ill-gotten" might have been specially invented. And of all its money-making rip-offs,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/the-roman-catholic-church-is-an-institution-for-whose-gains-the/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [Let us understand what our own selfish genes are up to because we may then at least have the chance to upset their designs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/let-us-understand-what-our-own-selfish-genes-are-up-to-because-we-may/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [What's going to happen when I die? I may be buried, or I may be cremated, I may give my body to science. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/what-s-going-to-happen-when-i-die-i-may-be-buried-or-i-may-be/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [Or why it is acceptable to train fast runners and high jumpers but not to breed them. I can think of some answers, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/or-why-it-is-acceptable-to-train-fast-runners-and-high-jumpers-but/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [We have seen that living things are too improbable and too beautifully 'designed' to have come into existence by chance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/we-have-seen-that-living-things-are-too-improbable-and-too/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [“We will not go quietly away. If in the future that requires violence”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/we-will-not-go-quietly-away-if-in-the-future-that-requires-violence/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [It's a truly disgusting idea that the creator of the universe - capable of inventing the laws of physics and designing the evolutionary process…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/it-s-a-truly-disgusting-idea-that-the-creator-of-the-universe-capable/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) [Explore all 1,239 Richard Dawkins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) ## More Capable quotes > [When we are capable of living in the moment free from the tyranny of "shoulds," free from the nagging sensation that this moment isn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-z-borysenko/when-we-are-capable-of-living-in-the-moment-free-from-the-tyranny-of/) [Joan Z. Borysenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-z-borysenko/) > [Everybody is different. Some writers can write reams of great books and then J. D. Salinger wrote just a few. Beethoven wrote nine symphonies.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/everybody-is-different-some-writers-can-write-reams-of-great-books/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [People are capable of great, great change during the span of one lifetime. And women even more than men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/people-are-capable-of-great-great-change-during-the-span-of-one/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [When you lived it for years and years and years and seen different characters just get pummeled and squashed because 'I said so,' it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arn-anderson/when-you-lived-it-for-years-and-years-and-years-and-seen-different/) [Arn Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arn-anderson/) > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [But, outside of being a sweet little girl, she was awfully dumb and capable of doing horrible things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/but-outside-of-being-a-sweet-little-girl-she-was-awfully-dumb-and/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [I was terrible student. I was capable, but I never like being told what to do, so I was always in the bottom class…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-lilley/i-was-terrible-student-i-was-capable-but-i-never-like-being-told-what/) [Chris Lilley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-lilley/) > [Not everyone is capable of madness; and of those lucky enough to be capable, not many have the courage for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-strindberg/not-everyone-is-capable-of-madness-and-of-those-lucky-enough-to-be/) [August Strindberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-strindberg/) > [ \[The Community's\] crosses and trials give me confidence. But I derive my hope above all, and most especially, from our utter incapacity, for it… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-guerin/the-community-s-crosses-and-trials-give-me-confidence-but-i-derive-my/) [Theodore Guerin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-guerin/) > [The mathematical facts worthy of being studied are those which, by their analogy with other facts, are capable of leading us to the knowledge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-poincare/the-mathematical-facts-worthy-of-being-studied-are-those-which-by/) [Henri Poincare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-poincare/) > [“If you not yet try How to know you can or not?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sopharat/if-you-not-yet-try-how-to-know-you-can-or-not/) Sopharat > [I'm attracted to the garden, without a doubt, but I always try and image the wolf that's there, too. And that wolf would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-light/i-m-attracted-to-the-garden-without-a-doubt-but-i-always-try-and/) [Michael Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-light/) > [A man, as a man, could arrive at all the dignity that a man was capable of obtaining or receiving; but it needed a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-taylor/a-man-as-a-man-could-arrive-at-all-the-dignity-that-a-man-was-capable/) [John Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-taylor/) > [Playing is much, much harder than composing in my opinion, becoming a player. If you want to be a player for all your life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-powell/playing-is-much-much-harder-than-composing-in-my-opinion-becoming-a/) [John Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-powell/) > [How difficult the task to quench the fire and the pride of private ambition, and to sacrifice ourselves and all our hopes and expectations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/how-difficult-the-task-to-quench-the-fire-and-the-pride-of-private/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) Browse all 3,861 Capable quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The Darwinian theory is in principle capable of explaining life. No other theory that has ever been suggested is in principle capable of explaining life.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Richard Dawkins" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/the-darwinian-theory-is-in-principle-capable-of-explaining-life-no/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Capable" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/the-darwinian-theory-is-in-principle-capable-of-explaining-life-no/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dcb/richard-dawkins-115_capable_the-darwinian-theory-is-in-principle-cap_75850.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dcb/richard-dawkins-115_capable_the-darwinian-theory-is-in-principle-cap_75850.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dcb/richard-dawkins-115_capable_the-darwinian-theory-is-in-principle-cap_75850.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The Darwinian theory is in principle capable of explaining life. No other theory that has ever been…” — Richard Dawkins", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Richard Dawkins", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The Darwinian theory is in principle...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/the-darwinian-theory-is-in-principle-capable-of-explaining-life-no/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/the-darwinian-theory-is-in-principle-capable-of-explaining-life-no/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```