Accentuate the negative: Locating possibility in Darwin’s ‘long argument’ |
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Authors: | James G Lennox |
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Institution: | 1. University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom;2. Technical University Berlin, Straße des 17. Juni 135 10623 Berlin, Germany;1. Department of Philosophy and Religion, Northeastern University, 360 Huntington Ave, 413 Renaissance Park, Boston, MA, 02115, USA;2. Department of Philosophy, Dartmouth College, 6035 Thornton Hall, 19 College St, Hanover, NH, 03755, USA |
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Abstract: | Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species has an unusual format. After presenting his theory of Natural Selection in its first four chapters, there follows a series of five chapters presenting a large number of problems and objections to the theory which, he admits, appear overwhelming. Not until chapter 10 does he begin to present what he takes to be the positive evidence for his theory. In this paper I trace the evolution of this structure from its first hints in his Species Notebooks , through the 1842 Sketch and 1844 Essay to the Origin, showing that it reflects a growing awareness on Darwin’s part of what I call ’In Principle Impossible’ arguments against his theory, and of a systematic strategy for disarming them. |
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Keywords: | Probability Possibility Natural Selection Argumentative strategy Thought Experiment |
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