Abstract
The concluding chapter of On the Origin of Species presents a comprehensive overview of the “one long argument” expounded by Darwin throughout the book. This chapter highlights critical elements of his exposition and the underlying objectives. It follows a detailed examination of the insights offered by the text concerning Darwin’s historical context and the humble way in which he submits his theory for scrutiny, not only by experts but also by his general readership. Building upon the Nature of Science (NOS) pedagogical construct, particular emphasis will be placed on aspects that embody the values inherent in scientific inquiry.
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Notes
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- 2.
In the 1886 edition of Webster’s Complete Dictionary of the English Language, the term “hybridizable” is defined as “capable of producing a hybrid by union with another species or stock.” Notably, the dictionary entry includes a quote from J.D. Hooker, renowned botanist and friend of Darwin, who states, “Hybridizable genera are rarer than is generally supposed, even in gardens, where they are so often operated upon under circumstances most favorable to the production of hybrids” (Webster 1886, p. 647).
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As Waters reminds us, the presence of the ideal of vera causa in Darwin’s book, pointed out by Jonathan Hodge in 1977 and rediscussed in his publications of 1989 and 1992, as well as in his own chapter at the Cambridge Companion to Darwin (2009) and in chapters authored by Philip Sloan, Gregory Radick and David Hull (Waters, 2009, p. 142, note 11).
- 4.
In the sixth and final edition of The Origin published in 1872, Darwin added a new chapter specifically addressing the objections raised against the theory, primarily by Mivart. These objections had accumulated since the book’s initial publication in 1859. As a result, Darwin renumbered the subsequent chapters, causing the chapter previously titled “Recapitulation and Conclusion” to be repositioned from XIV to XV.
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This chapter has also highlighted another significant scientific debate, previously mentioned, which revolved around the contrasting perspectives of uniformitarians and catastrophists. Given its historical significance, we argue that this debate can serve as a valuable tool for teaching and examining certain aspects of the Nature of Science. It sheds light on the clash of scientific viewpoints influenced by personal values, even when the researchers involved are analyzing the same body of evidence (Irzik & Nola, 2011; McComas, 2020, pp. 564–5). Thus, it is crucial to acknowledge that science, like any human endeavor, is inherently subjective.
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Jensen, G.M., Lima, B.F., Pavani, M.M. (2023). Origins’ Chapter XIV: The Good Old Habit of Summarizing. In: Elice Brzezinski Prestes, M. (eds) Understanding Evolution in Darwin's "Origin". History, Philosophy and Theory of the Life Sciences, vol 34. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-40165-7_23
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