Charles Darwin and The Origin of Species

In 1859, a book was published that caused a great deal of debate, controversy and in some cases outrage; so eloquently and passionately written was this book that it remains a topic of discussion even today. This book, originally given a much longer title, is what we know today as "The Origin of Species" by Charles Darwin. Over the years, this book has been misinterpreted, misquoted, and mostly misunderstood. This paper will attempt to accurately summarize Darwin's work, correct some of the myths about the book, and conclude with an objective critique of the book itself.

A Summary of The Origin of Species

Charles Darwin, in writing "The Origin of Species", attempted to bring some logic into the exploration of the origins of all forms of life on this planet; while religious theories about the creation of the Earth and everything in it had existed quite literally for thousands of years, as of the 19th century, there was still an acute need for someone to put together a volume that would try to comprehensively compile the theories and scientific fact that was in existence into a coherent work, which was Darwin's objective according to many who have in the subsequent years analyzed this book.