The theory of evolution by the natural selection was first formulated in Darwin’s book, in 1959, that was “on the origin of the species”. He defined evolution as the process by which the organisms are changed over time, due to the changes in their heritable, behavioral and physical traits. The changes which help the organisms, for better survival in the changing environmental conditions, lead to their improved survival.
The Concept of Evolution by the Natural Selection
Due to the contribution of Darwin to the theory of evolution, it is also known as Darwinism. He stated that the species of all of the organisms are arise and developed by the natural selection, of the small and the inherited variations, due to which the surviving, competing, and the reproducing abilities of the organisms are improved. The theory of the evolution by natural selection is one of the best-substantiated theories in scientific history, and it is supported by the evidence from the wide range of scientific disciplines including geology, genetics, paleontology, and the developmental biology. Sometimes, this theory can also be described as the survival of the fittest, but it may be misleading.
The Secular View of Life
A new branch of life science was found by Darwin, that is the evolutionary biology. His contributions to biology are extremely important. His first contribution is towards the nonconstancy of the species or his modern concept for the evolution. The second notion is for the branching evolution, which implies the common descend on all the species, living on the earth from the single and the unique origin.
Due to his four insights, a foundation was led for the new branch, philosophy of biology. Historicity was introduced to the science, by Darwin. In contrast to chemistry, and physics, evolutionary biology is the historical science. In describing the evolution, the processes, and the events need to be explained which have already been taken place. Experiments and the laws are the inappropriate techniques to explain these processes and the events. Instead, it needs to construct the historical narrative, comprising of the tentative reconstruction of the particular scenario, which leads to the happening of events, which someone is trying to explain.
Darwin’s Theory as an Extraordinary Advance
The discovery of the natural selection by Darwin is itself counted as the extraordinary advance in the philosophy. The concept he gave about the natural selection, had a remarkable power, for explaining the adaptive, and the directional changes. Due to the above-mentioned characters, his theory is most solid in the scientific disciplines.
