DARWINISM AND

HUMAN LIFE

BY

J. ARTHUR THOMSON, M.A., LL.D.
Regius Professor of Natural History in the University of Aberdeen
AUTHOR OF "THE STUDY OF ANIMAL LIFE," "THE SCIENCE of life,"
OUTLINES OF ZOOLOGY," "HEREDITY," "THE BIOLOGY OF THE SEASONS,'
"THE WONDER OF LIFE," INTRODUCTION TO SCIENCE, ETC.; JOINT
AUTHOR OF THE EVOLUTION OF SEX," EVOLUTION," "SEX"

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66

39.66

31

NEW EDITION, ENLARGED

WITH

ILLUSTRATIONS BY E. L. SHINNIE

NEW YORK
HENRY HOLT AND COMPANY
LONDON: ANDREW MELROSE, LTD.

SCHOOL OF DENTAL MEDICINE

LIBRARY

PREFACE TO THE THIRD EDITION

THE chief aim of this book is to serve as an introduction to the study of organic evolution, and to show how closely "Darwinism" touches human life, both in everyday affairs and in the conflict of nations. It has become clear to many that a misinterpretation of Darwinism, notably of the struggle for existence and the process of natural selection, has been fraught with calamitous evil to civilisation; in these pages an attempt has been made to get back to Darwin's accuracy. The basis of the book consisted of six lectures delivered in South Africa at the time of Darwin's Centenary. Their endeavour was to explain with thoroughness, and yet without technicality, the gist of Darwinismwhat problems Darwin set himself to solve, and what solutions he arrived at, and to indicate what progress has been made as regards the problems of Organic Evolution since Darwin's day-what has been added to Darwinism, what, if anything, has been taken away, and, especially, what is now being reconsidered. A demand for a third edition has afforded opportunity for the incorporation of some new facts and ideas-for Evolution-Theory happily continues to evolve.