Customer Reviews

The Origin of Species

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

It is a crying shame that many reviewers have used this forum to try and critique evolutionary theory, making no references to the text at all and drawing on erroneous conclusions about Darwin in general. The Origin of Species is most definitely the most important work in the field of biology, as it is the most succinct and well developed explanations of the unifying principle of the field, evolution via descent with modification. I don't want to spend a lot of time explaining the theory or why a person should study it. I want to explain who should read this book and why. If you are looking for an introductory text on the theory of evolution you need to stay well away. There are other better books. In many cases Darwin's examples and arguments are outmoded or have been changed. The book overlooks many aspects that are included in modern evolutionary theory, such as genetics, simply because Darwin did not know about them. Natural selection as Darwin wrote it is one of the most effective explanatory theories in all of science but by reading this book you miss almost 150 years of the things it has explained. It is also a flat out PAIN to read, they where much "wordier" in the 1800's and Darwin's English is rather stilted and formal, even compared to modern scientific writing. So, who should read this book? Any person who is an advanced student in biology (I read it the summer before my senior year) should be aware of how the modern theory of evolution was born. You can't really achieve this without reading Origins. I am aware of no better way of understanding evolution that to follow its development through time, beginning with Darwin. And, if you don't understand evolution, you don't understand biology. As something to read it is a classic, arguably the most influential work of all time.

A note on edition: this copy is the one I have. I would suggest the facsimile of the First Edition found elsewhere on Amazon. I don't know why the publishers felt the need to put the caricatured human evolution (addressed nowhere in the book) on the cover.

'The Origin of Species' by Charles Darwin is the most important book of biological science. Even though the book may be dead in detail, it is basically the "big bang" of evolutionary thought. If one is a student of Biology, this is the book they want to read in order to develop true scientific thought.

So much has been written about Darwin's genius and the monumental success this text represents in human history that I don't need to repeat. In a word: read this!

This book has helped me to understand the evolution of human form, human knowledge, and our relationship not only to each other but to all of the natural world.

There is only one other book that is so widely known, discussed, and debated, yet so rarely read: that other book is the Bible. To make my point, here is a little quiz:

1) Which name is most closely associated with the theory of evolution?

2) Which book did this person write on evolution?

3) What claims are made in that book?

4) What else is contained in that book?

With astonishing regularity, the average literate adult will respond as follows: 1) Darwin, 2) Origin of Species, 3) Humans descended from apes, and 4) I have no idea. The first two are correct, the third is absolutely false, and the fourth is an admission of complete ignorance. Considering that "Origin of Species" is over 600 pages long, and took nearly two decades to write, one would expect it to contain something more than the four simple words "Humans descended from apes," which, in fact, it neither contains nor implies. So, what DOES it contain? There is one word that best summarizes the bulk of Darwin's magnum opus: "observation".

It is a lengthy book; at times it is tedious, at times politically incorrect, and at times scientifically off-base. But, despite its numerous flaws, it is one of the greatest achievements in the history of mankind. Even if you are among the few who refuse to accept Darwin's ideas, you cannot deny their impact. The theory is the cornerstone--if not the very foundation--of modern biology. Whatever your preconceptions, you will likely be surprised by this work. Darwin was the consummate naturalist and scientist, as well as a refined and articulate gentleman. "Origin" is a delight and an epiphany to read. It's amazing how much Darwin got right, despite the fact that he had essentially no idea of how inheritance worked. It's amazing how much data Darwin carefully assembled, analyzed, and described. It's amazing how meticulously Darwin weighed the evidence, noting when competing theories made different predictions, when the available evidence was not what he would have expected, and what future evidence could completely discredit (falsify) his theory. It's amazing in its honesty.

The misconceptions about "Origin of Species" are not merely rampant, they are effectively universal, fueled (largely in the US) by the rise of creationism, which seeks first and foremost to vilify the theory of evolution as well as Darwin (often failing to distinguish between the two). It's worth the time to read this enormous but meticulously crafted volume, if only to allow you to form your own opinions about such an influential book. Once you have, take the little quiz again. You may need 600 pages to answer the last question.

The cover of this edition is misleading as Darwin only refers to man once in this book. It was in "Descent of Man" that he addressed the subject of evolution in man. That aside, this is a great book. Darwin wrote one of the most readable scientific texts in history. It also happens to be one of the most important science books in all of history. If you have never read a seminal science book before, treat yourself and see what a pleasure it can be.

While neo-Darwinism is still struggling and many prominent biochemists, physicists, and biologists themselves are predicting its demise in its current form, Darwinism, as presented in the Origin of Species is still undisputed. Instead of reading claptrap that evolutionary theory has inadvertently produced, I recommend reading the book that started it all. Yes, much of it is refutable, but this books stands as a testament to one of the best theories science ever put forward. And unlike neo-Darwinism, it is not just one giant contradiction. Recommended.

On the Origin of Species is perhaps the best known (but least understood) book of the modern age. I say least understood, because Darwin advances several theories (all relating to) evolution. It is a fascinating read, and a marvelous experience to "peek" into the mind of a genius.

First, Darwin's theories are about natural selection, adaptation, extinction, species variation, and significantly, a common ancestor - all of which are a part of the bigger picture, that all life has evolved and is continuing to evolve. His evidence is overwhelming (it had to be in order to advance such radical ideas) and, for lack of a better word, brilliant.

Much has been made about religion and evolution - which is why I mentioned that his theories are not well understood. At no point is God (or a Supreme Being, or whatever you want to call it) mentioned, let alone removed from Darwin's theory (regardless of how you feel about the matter.) Yet it is these theories that have laid the ground work for entire disciplines of science, and which has revolutionized science as a whole.

With that said, the book tends to beat the points to death a bit. (Again, understandable given the magnitude of the ideas), but the lay reader can get a good flavor of the arguments, and the evidence about a third of the way through. Its interesting, to be sure, but a bit dry, which is why I can only give it 4 stars.

A well-written, well-argued treatise on the volatile subject of the evolution of new species by natural selection. At the time, this flew in the face of accepted theories, and especially upset current theological doctrine, Archbishop Ussher would be particularly upset!.

Darwin agonised for years over the publication of his book, and it was only at the urging of his friends (that he was about to be upstaged by Wallace) that he finally published. The delay was of his own making - torn between the evidence of his notes and correspondence with Wallace, and the furore that would inevitably result. The furore was bound to happen anyway, surrounded as he was by small-minded [people], so he should have published earlier. But ... this might have deprived us of the brilliant arguments he puts forth in support of each section in the book.
He obviously knew what he was up against, so he tried to present his case as lucidly as possible - and here's the unusual aspect of the work - in layman's language! This was almost unheard of in a Victorian Scientific treatise - they were meant to be read by Scientists, not the hoy-poloy! He tries to counter every conceivable objection to each statement, as nicely (in both senses of the word) as possible, without any of the fervour and tunnel vision that one expects from a convert to a new ideal. He takes us by the hand and gently walks us through the evidence in support of his theory, helping us to realise that, yes, he is talking sense, no matter what our pre-conceptions of life might be.
Discover for yourself that evolution is not 'survival of the fittest', but 'survival of the most fit' - that is, fitted for that particular ecological niche - fittest being a Victorian word that has taken a different modern meaning.

An amazingly good read, even for our enlightened times, but recommended reading - I'll bet there are hundereds of copies on dusty bookshelves that have never been read - time to dust it off and find out for yourself the genius of the man.

The shockwaves from the publication of this book still resound today. The full title of the book is "On the Origin of Species By Means Of Natural Selection or Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life" by Charles Darwin and it was first published on November 24th of 1859. The importance of the work was not in the originality of the idea; the idea of evolution had been a theory long before as Darwin discusses in the text, nor was Darwin the only scientist at the time to arrive at the theory, as a paper by Alfred Wallace arrived the same year as Darwin's. What made "The Origin of Species" so significant was the way Darwin discusses the theory, and that it was not written just for scientists, but for everyone. This makes it a work of Literature as well as one of Science.

Another key aspect to "The Origin of Species" is that it has completely changed the focus of the subject from the point of its publication until now and undoubtedly will do so for some time to come. It is still the dominate point of reference in the argument between those who oppose the theory and those who support it. Those on both sides of the argument (and I use the term argument because the term discussion would lead one to believe that the discourse is much more civil than it actually is) would do well to emulate Darwin in the way he discusses his theory.

"The Origin of Species" in many ways sets the standard for scientific argument. Though again Darwin did not create the standard with this book, the significance of the work and the readability of the book make it stand out as an example of the correct way to present and defend a theory. Of course Darwin presents facts which support his theory, but it is his discussion of problems with the theory which is the strength of the book and his theory. Darwin admits he doesn't have answers to all of the issue, and he offers ways to prove his theory wrong or at least force a significant adjustment to the theory.

It is interesting that the issues with Darwin's theory and the methods of proving it wrong are in many ways unchanged. There will always be gaps in the fossil record, and there will probably always be questions of reducibility, but that doesn't mean that there isn't more evidence to support the theory than there ever has been, there is a lot more which has strengthened the theory, and the key point is that there hasn't been any evidence found to disprove the theory. And with regards to species being fixed, the scientific argument has long been over, though one can still find non-scientists who would argue the point.

"The Origin of Species" remains an important work of science and literature today. Understanding Darwin's theory is necessary to understanding the political discussions and ramifications that continue to take place. It also serves as a great guide to understanding what a scientific discussion is and how it works, and by contrast how it differs from a political, social, or theological discussion. It should go without saying that "The Origin of Species" gets five stars, and the introduction by John Burrow enhances the experience by putting it in the context of Darwin's life, and the times in which it was written and published. I was a little surprised that the Penguin Classics edition didn't include any notes on Darwin's text, but it does include a bibliography of Darwin's works. Also, while the text included is from the first edition of the book, it does include "An Historical Sketch" and a Glossary which were in later editions.

Because these reviews are cross-posted this is a review of ISBN: 0517123207, with a cover that was defiantly made to be provocative. It depicts an (ape) allying view of going from all fours to upright. If this is what you are looking for then you need to read " 2001: A Space Odyssey" by Arthur Charles Clarke.

This is a quick review of the book not a dissertation on Darwin or any other subject loosely related. At first I did not know what to expect. I already read " The Voyage of the Beagle: Charles Darwin's Journal of Researches" (see my review). I figured the book would be similar. However I found "Origin" to be more complex and detailed.

Taking in account that recent pieces of knowledge were not available to Charles Darwin this book could have been written last week. Having to look from the outside without the knowledge of DNA or Plate Tectonics, he pretty much nailed how the environment and crossbreeding would have an effect on natural selection. Speaking of natural selection, I thought his was going to be some great insight to a new concept. All it means is that species are not being mucked around by man (artificial selection).

If you picked up Time magazine today you would find all the things that Charles said would be near impossible to find or do. Yet he predicted that it is doable in theory. With an imperfect geological record many things he was not able to find at the writing of this book have been found (according to the possibilities described in the book.)

The only draw back to the book was his constant apologizing. If he had more time and space he could prove this and that. Or it looks like this but who can say at this time. Or the same evidence can be interpreted 180 degrees different.

In the end it is worth reading and you will never look at life the same way again.