Organic Evolution Outstanding Difficulties and Possible Explanations

About this book

Originally published in 1921, Organic Evolution was written by Major Leonard Darwin (1850-1943), a son of Charles Darwin who was involved in numerous fields, including politics, economics and eugenics. The text presents a personal perspective on evolution, produced in the hope of inducing 'some competent biologist to write a book suitable for the general reader in which recent changes of opinion in regard to organic evolution are clearly discussed and wisely criticised'. Organic Evolution will be of value to anyone with an interest in the development of evolutionary theory.

Contents

Preface

1. The selection of infrequent mutations and the inheritance of acquired characters could not alone account for evolution
2. To admit the selection of small and frequent mutations amongst the explanations of evolution demands the solution of several unsolved problems
3. The existence of a system of mutations due to imperfect segregation is suggested as one of the possible explanations
4. The problems to be solved include the appearance of new forms and the bifurcation of species
5. Infertility between species and facts connected with pure lines have also to be explained
6. In experiments designed to test this hypothesis natural conditions should be imitated as far as possible

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