The Origin of Species: 150th Anniversary Edition

For someone who has a great fascination for the theory of evolution (despite being a Software Engineer) I realized that it's unacceptable, not to mention a little hypocritical that I had yet not read On the Origin of Species by the great man Charles Darwin. Yes I had devoted a lot of time to learn the theory which is how I was captivated by the simple elegance of the theory, but I needed to read the original work itself. After all, I believe, nay, I am sure of it, that this is one of the most profound ideas in the history of mankind and I was curious what the actual work was like. I was pretty sure it was going to be a lot complex.I was in for a surprise though.For one of the greatest books ever written, On the Origin of Species is also remarkably simple. So much so that I am pretty sure any fifteen year old kid who has had a reasonable education should not have a problem understanding it. Darwin never goes into complex stuff, instead he tries to explain with evidence the phenomena you see all around you. It's simple, it's also enjoyable.Also, contrary to popular belief there is very little about human evolution in it as well. If fact, there is only one line, but I also think it is the best line in the whole book;"Light will be thrown on the origin of man and his history."Cheeky, witty and brilliant.I highly recommend everyone read this book.

A full reading of this book will warrant plenty of criticism for the theory of universal common descent.

I have to give this book five stars because of its vast and thorough presentation of research and information, rather than for its entertainment value. Charles Darwin was not the first to entertain his views on evolution, but he was the first to present his work so thoroughly and to almost over-explain his beliefs and include so much evidence. He mentions and gives credit to the research and opinions of many colleagues whether they agreed with his positions or not. In fact his work is almost too apologetic and explanatory which makes it somewhat repetitious and almost boring to read at times. Considering the times and level of thinking of that time period, it may have been a wise move to approach the subject with as much explanation and tact as possible. The reaction to his work, and the commotion it caused among the Creationists was bad enough as it was! The sad thing is that the vicious attacks and false accusations are still going on! Recently, the notorious "creationist", Ray Comfort, has published a fake version of "The Origin of the Species" using a cover of the same general design as one that was originally used by Darwin, and has "conveniently" omitted four chapters, supposedly to save space, but has added his own introduction! This unscrupulous and despicable act puts him in the same class as Kent Hovind, who has been convicted and sentenced to 10 years imprisonment and 3 years probation for his criminal acts and unscrupulous activities. It seems that many, or perhaps most, of the devout creationists fall into the same class of professional hucksters, and include colleagues like Jerry Falwell and Jim Bakker among their numbers. This certainly does not speak well of their character or their reliability in telling the truth.One thing I would like to make completely clear, is that DARWIN DID NOT SAY WE DESCENDED FROM MONKEYS. That is just another lie to mislead people and discredit his work and his theories. What he did say, was that humans and monkeys have "common ancestors." It is hard to imagine how so many people choose to believe the likes of proven hucksters and convicted criminals, and yet refute the extensively researched opinions of a humble and honest man like Darwin. I believe that there are very few that have ever taken the time to read his work, and in particular, 'The Origin of the Species' that would refute his theories. I would also venture to say from my own experience, that they have never even read the entire bible on which they mistakenly believe says what they have been taught it says! So I do not see the controversy as being between Evolutionists and Creationists... I see it as being between the literate and informed and the illiterate and uninformed. Anyone who cannot see evolution at work is ignoring reality. To frame it in language that they might understand, "May God forgive them for ignoring his greatest work."

I love the intense floundering with the revolutionary concept. Darwin the man is revealed. I pose one question. Which evolved first male or female?

if you like this sort of thing a good book to read very informative

Starting at the beginning, this is Darwin's first great work on natural selection. His thorough understanding of "human selection" in breeding livestock lends great credence to his speculations of similar selection forces in nature. Indeed, Darwin lived in a time when the word species was not yet well defined. Yet he pretty much sussed out the whole thing (except that even Darwin did not go so far as to suppose a single ancestry (of 3 related wolves) for dogs as we now know is the case from genetic studies. This reminds me of Einstein, who predicted but did not believe in black holes. Well, BH's exist, even at the center of our own galaxy!)Darwin, in this volume, is an amazing character. He is SO humble. Like no man I've ever met. Happily referencing his contemporaries for their own great works; one is given the impression that Darwin's ideas were just part of the milieu of the time (zeitgeist). But Darwin lead the way by supposing that Nature has enough power all on its own to give rise to all species from a single progenitor. He never mentions God, but Darwin talks frequently about acts of independent creation (i.e. God) as a straw-man for the origin of species. His argument is quite strong: Given that so many apparently disparate species presently have "links" or half-way critters connecting them; and given that natural selection can account for adaptations (and importantly, the extinguishing of such "link" species) then why bother invoking another hypothesis requiring God's intervention? Darwin was convinced, as are almost all classically educated scientists and theologists today, that natural selection (or survival of the fittest) is sufficient, if taken as a law of nature, to explain everything.Though many folks believe this is tantamount to leaving God utterly out of the equation, enlightened theology carries on. Just because we understand something about God's ways doesn't deny God. For me, this is still an open question. And if you have any questions about whether natural selection is a true force of nature, read this book! It is suberbly read on this audio edition.

Beautiful book for a great price

Some small avariations that might bother the most perceptive, and yes, it can be a bit tricky to read when the words are so close to the inner edge of the page, but overall it's a pretty book and good addition to my collection, o bought this one to read on long trips without occupying much space so it's good for me

Werde es erst im Urlaub durcharbeiten. Was mir bereits gefallen hat, ist das Vorwort mit den entsprechenden Reaktionen seiner Zeitgenossen. Die 4 Sterne gelten natürlich nur für Leute, die sich für die Ursprünge der Darwinschen Theorie interessieren.

Respecto a la obra se podrían escribir muchos ensayos. El producto es bueno, una portada bonita. El papel no es completamente blanco.

Dopo anni devo ancora finirlo comunque capolavoro