Selections Form Darwin's - The Origin of Species - The Shape of the Argument

Darwin's Origin of Species, one of the great foundational works of modern science, reorganized biology according to a revolutionary idea---that the world of living things that surrounds us, and of which we are a part, is essentially historical; that it has come into being through time, and by means of causes that act in time.

Although it is a scientific work, the Origin was not written solely for specialists. Darwin expected it to be read and understood by generally educated readers, readers like you and me. In Chapter XIV he will state that "this whole volume is one long argument." For the present edition I have chosen selections that attempt to present Darwin's principal lines of argument, while of course passing over many details. I have also provided notes and other remarks designed to help you focus on what is essential in Darwin's argument for his theory of the development of living things.

Nicholas Maistrellis
from the Editor's General Introduction

Nicholas Maistrellis is a faculty member at St. John's College in Annapolis, Maryland, where he has led discussion classes on Darwin's Origin of Species for over forty years. His background in biology and in history of science, together with his extensive teaching experience, makes him ideally suited for presenting Darwin's work to students of the humanities.