Page 118 - Faith: The Way to Happiness

FAITH: THE WAY TO HAPPINESS

Darwin based his evolution allegation entirely on the mecha-
nism of "natural selection." The importance he placed on this mech-
anism was evident in the name of his book: The Origin of Species, By
Means of Natural Selection…
Natural selection holds that those living things that are
stronger and more suited to the natural conditions of their habitats
will survive in the struggle for life. For example, in a deer herd
under the threat of attack by wild animals, those that can run faster
will survive. There f o re, the deer herd will be comprised of faster
and stronger individuals. However, unquestionably, this mecha-
nism will not cause deer to evolve and transform themselves into
another living species, for instance, horses.
Therefore, the mechanism of natural selection has no evolution-
ary power. Darwin was also aware of this fact and had to state this in
:
his book The Origin of Species
Natural selection can do nothing until favourable individual differences
or variations occur
.
7
Lamarck's Impact
So, how could these "favorable variations" occur? Darwin tried
to answer this question from the standpoint of the primitive under-
standing of science at that time. A c c o rding to the French biologist
Chevalier de Lamarck (1744-1829), who lived before Darwin, living
creatures passed on the traits they acquired during their lifetime to
the next generation. He asserted that these traits, which accumu-
lated from one generation to another, caused new species to be
formed. For instance, he claimed that giraffes evolved from an-
telopes; as they struggled to eat the leaves of high trees, their necks
were extended from generation to generation.

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