Darwin’s Outlook

Charles Darwin is the famous natural scientist accredited with the idea of ‘Survival of the Fittest’. On his voyage on the HMS Beagle, he observed the different traits of sparrows from island to island, how their diets and beak shapes were altered. His evolutionary theory revolutionized the way we look at ourselves as a species, as well as our role in the universe. Darwin researched the adaptive habits of many animals to determine how their feeding habits, mating habits, ecosystems and other factors affected their genetic makeup. Darwin specifically studied animals adapting to diet and climate changes to see how their species developed, in order to determine ideas about their origin. This is why I would categorize Darwin’s work under Creation.

Darwin’s goal was to explain where we came from and animals and plants descended, evolved, and mutated to become whatever they are today. I have read the book, “On the Origin of Species,” and drew conclusions that Darwin sought answers to creation-like questions; how are we different from other primates? Natural selection as an ecological principle is based on the branching pattern of evolution over time. Scientists (who accept this theory) believe that living organisms innately need their genes to prevail.

Extremely controversial, this principle is thought to deny the existence of a God in some ways, although it is not popularly believed that this was his intention. The immense theological implications of this theory of evolution were unparalleled. People could not believe that Darwin would deny divine creation. Still today, people have trouble distinguishing the difference between the theory of evolution and atheism.