Darwinian Evolution

ACPL ITEM „ DISCARDED F1 w, Darwinian evolution DARWINIAN EVOLUTION 1 Social Policy and Social Theory Series David Marsland, Series Editor Transforming Men, Geoff Dench The Australian Nation, Geoffrey Partington Darwinian Evolution, Antony Flew DARWINIAN EVOLUTION SECOND EDITION Antony Flew With a new introduction by the author TRANSACTION PUBLISHERS New Brunswick (U.S.A.) and London (U.K.) New material this edition copyright © 1997 by Transaction Publishers, New Brunswick, Newjersey 08903. Originally published in 1984 by Paladin Books, Granada Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publisher. All inquiries should be addressed to Transaction Publishers, Rutgers—The State University, New Brunswick, Newjersey 08903. This book is printed on acid-free paper that meets the American National Standard for Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials. Library of Congress Catalog Number: 97-3659 ISBN: 1-56000-948-9 Printed in the United States of America Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Flew, Antony, 1923Darwinian evolution / Antony Flew ; with a new introduction by the author. — 2nd ed. p. cm. — (Social policy and social theory series) Originally published: London : Paladin, 1984. With new introd. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 1-56000-948-9 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Evolution (Biology) I. Title. II. Series. QH366.2.F565 1997 576.8'2—dc21 97-3659 CIP Allen County Public Library 900 Webster Street P0 Box 2270 Fort Wayne, IN 46801-2270 CONTENTS INTRODUCTION TO THE TRANSACTION EDITION ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I FROM DARWIN’S ORIGIN TO TODAY’S SYNTHETIC THEORY 1. Charles Darwin (1809-82) 2. The Argument of The Origin of Species 3. Blending Variation and/or Saltatory Mutation? 4. Difficulties, Objections and Some Answers II III IV THE PHILOSOPHICAL IMPLICATIONS 1. The Logical Structure and Functions of Darwin’s Theory 2. The Challenge to Religious Assumptions vii xxiii 1 2 10 20 23 32 33 51 SOCIAL SCIENCE, EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY AND SOCIOBIOLOGY 1. Malthus: Powers, Checks and Choice 2. Making Visible the Invisible Hands 3. An Atheist Providence Guaranteeing Utopia? 4. The Challenge of Sociobiology 92 113 PROGRESS, SOCIAL DARWINISM AND AN EVOLUTIONARY PERSPECTIVE 1. A Guarantee of Progress? 2. From Is to Ought 3. Seeing in an Evolutionary Perspective 120 121 124 129 73 74 83 BIBLIOGRAPHY 133 INDEX 145 ' ■ - INTRODUCTION TO THE TRANSACTION EDITION Darwinian Evolution was originally published in 1984 in a series concerned with “Movements and Ideas.” Its scope and limitations are indicated by that title and that inclusion. The key word is “evolution” and the starting point is Darwin. So chapter 1 begins with an account of Darwin’s own life and work, followed by a summary of his theory as it was first publicly presented in The Origin of Species. From a consideration of the difficulties and objections raised then and in the following years it proceeds to explain how these difficulties have been overcome by the progress of research and the consequent development of the Neo-Darwinian Synthetic Theory. The second chapter follows that prefatory first by closely examining the deductive core of Darwin’s theory, and by discussing generally its actual and alleged philosophical presuppositions and philosophical implications. Chapter 3 deals with three major movements and ideas topics: the relations a