The Variation Of Animals And Plants Under Domestication. Volume 1 - Couverture souple

Darwin, Charles

Couverture souple

ISBN 10 : 0801858666 ISBN 13 : 9780801858666

Editeur : Johns Hopkins University Press, 1998

Synopsis

The publication of Darwin's "On the Origin of Species" in 1859 ignited a public storm he neither wanted nor enjoyed. Having offered his book as a contribution to science, Darwin discovered to his dismay that it was received as an affront by many scientists and as a sacrilege by clergy and Christian citizens. To answer the criticism that his theory was a theory only, and a wild one at that, he published two volumes in 1868 to demonstrate that evolution was obvious to anyone who cared to look at a bull in a pasture or a dog on a hearth. In response those who insisted that species were distinct since creation, Darwin pointed to breeders of pigs and pigeons. In reply to those who protested that human intervention is one thing and natural selection another, he argued, "If organic beings had not possessed an inherent tendency to vary, man could have done nothing". To counter those who scorned his descriptions of species in exotic places he submitted local evidence of cabbages and cauliflower. Based on a wide array of sources, from skins and from skeletons, from scientific journals and breeding manuals, Darwin assembled a mass of proof - and a hypothesis about species reversion that risked his reputation anew. "The Variation of Animals and Plants Under Domestication" is a two-volume compilation of his thorough and intensive research and the revolutionary conclusions that resulted. A wealth of illustrations support and enhance his findings. This fascinating and courageous undertaking eventually formed the foundation for our current understanding of evolution.

A propos du livre

Présentation de l'éditeur

Charles Darwin (1809–1882) first published this work in 1868 in two volumes. The book began as an expansion of the first two chapters of On the Origin of Species: 'Variation under Domestication' and 'Variation under Nature', and it developed into one of his largest works; Darwin referred to it as his 'big book'. Volume 1 deals with the variations introduced into species as a result of domestication, through changes in climate, diet, breeding and an absence of predators. He began with an examination of dogs and cats, comparing them with their wild counterparts, and moved on to investigate horses and asses; pigs, cattle, sheep, and goats; domestic rabbits; domestic pigeons; fowl; and finally cultivated plants. The work is a masterpiece of nineteenth-century scientific investigation; it is a key text in the development of Darwin's own thought and of the wider discipline of evolutionary biology.

Présentation de l'éditeur

This is a pre-1923 historical reproduction that was curated for quality. Quality assurance was conducted on each of these books in an attempt to remove books with imperfections introduced by the digitization process. Though we have made best efforts - the books may have occasional errors that do not impede the reading experience. We believe this work is culturally important and have elected to bring the book back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. This text refers to the Bibliobazaar edition.

Détails de l'édition

• Éditeur: Johns Hopkins University Press
• Date d'édition: 1998
• Langue: anglais
• ISBN 10: 0801858666
• ISBN 13: 9780801858666
• Reliure: Broché
• Nombre de pages: 504
• Coordonnées du fabricant: non disponible
• Personne responsable: non disponible