Darwiniana; Essays and Reviews Pertaining to Darwinism
Gray, Asa, 1810-1888
English
We will print you a perfectly bound paperback of your selected title and send it to you at your nominated address
Below is a summary of Darwiniana; Essays and Reviews Pertaining to Darwinism
DARWINIANA
ESSAYS AND REVIEWS PERTAINING
TO DARWINISM
BY
ASA GRAY
FISHER PROFESSOR OF NATURAL HISTORY (BOTANY) IN
HARVARD UNIVERSITY
NEW YORK:
1876.
CONTENTS
DARWINIANA
PREFACE
ARTICLE I
THE ORIGIN OF SPECIES BY
MEANS OF NATURAL SELECTION
Views and Definitions of Species--How Darwin's differs from that of Agassiz,
and from the Common View--Variation, its Causes unknown.--Darwin's
Genealogical Tree--Darwin and Agassiz agree in the Capital
Facts--Embryology--Physical Connection of Species compatible with
Intellectual Connection--How to prove Transmutation.--Known Extent of
Variation--Cause of Likeness unknown--Artificial
Selection.--Reversion--Interbreeding--Natural Selection.--Classification
tentative.--What Darwin assumes.--Argument stated.--How Natural Selection
works.--Where the Argument is weakest.--Objections--Morphology and
Teleology harmonized.--Theory not atheistical.--Conceivable Modes of
Relation of God to Nature
ARTICLE II
DESIGN VERSUS NECESSITY--
A DISCUSSION
How Design in Nature can be shown--Design not inconsistent with Indirect
Attainment
ARTICLE III
NATURAL SELECTION NOT INCONSISTENT
WITH NATURAL THEOLOGY
PART I.--Premonitions of Darwinism.--A Proper Subject for
Speculation.--Summary of Facts and Ideas suggestive of Hypotheses of
Derivation
Part II--Limitations of Theory conceded by Darwin.--What Darwinism
explains.--Geological Argument strong in the Tertiary Period.--
Correspondence between Rank and Geological Succession--Difficulties in
Classification.--Nature of Affinity.--No Absolute Distinction between
Vegetable and Animal Kingdoms.--Individuality.--Gradation
PART III.--Theories contrasted.--Early Arguments against
Darwinism.--Philosophical and Theological Objections--Theory may be
theistic.--Final Cause not excluded.--Cause of Variation unknown.--Three
Views of Efficient Cause compatible with Theism.--Agassiz's Objections of a
Philosophical Nature.--Minor Objections.--Conclusion
ARTICLE IV
SPECIES AS TO VARIATION,
GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION,
AND SUCCESSION
Alphonse De Candolle's Study of the Oak Genus.--Variability of the
Species.--Antiquity.--A Common Origin probable.--Dr. Falconer on the Common
Origin of Elephants--Variation and Natural Selection
distinguished.--Saporta on the Gradation between the Vegetable Forms of the
Cretaceous and the Tertiary.--Hypothesis of Derivation more likely to be
favored by Botanists than by Zoologists.--Views of Agassiz respecting the
Origin, Dispersion, Variation, Characteristics, and Successive Creation of
Species contrasted with those of De Candolle and others--Definition of
Species--Whether its Essence is in the Likeness
or in the Genealogical Connection of the Individuals composing a Species
Back