--- product_id: 51040084 title: "On the Origin of Species n/e (Oxford World's Classics) Paperback – 13 Nov. 2008" brand: "charles darwingillian beer" price: "$28.16" currency: USD in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.us/products/51040084-on-the-origin-of-species-n-e-oxford-worlds-classics store_origin: US region: United States of America --- # On the Origin of Species n/e (Oxford World's Classics) Paperback – 13 Nov. 2008 **Brand:** charles darwingillian beer **Price:** $28.16 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** On the Origin of Species n/e (Oxford World's Classics) Paperback – 13 Nov. 2008 by charles darwingillian beer - **How much does it cost?** $28.16 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.us](https://www.desertcart.us/products/51040084-on-the-origin-of-species-n-e-oxford-worlds-classics) ## Best For - charles darwingillian beer enthusiasts ## Why This Product - Trusted charles darwingillian beer brand quality - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description Full description not available ## Images ![On the Origin of Species n/e (Oxford World's Classics) Paperback – 13 Nov. 2008 - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81qzHlEgNhL.jpg) ![On the Origin of Species n/e (Oxford World's Classics) Paperback – 13 Nov. 2008 - Image 2](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/513LlHFdTGL.jpg) ![On the Origin of Species n/e (Oxford World's Classics) Paperback – 13 Nov. 2008 - Image 3](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41VeLGx1S6L.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5.0 out of 5 stars I am fully convinced that species are not immutable *by S***X on Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 11 February 2010* This great work is available in so many formats that choosing which one to buy is itself a challenge. My own priority was to have a reprint of the first edition (it went through six during Darwin's lifetime), in hardback, and as well typeset and printed as can be expected in modern publishing, which often cuts corners and quality. This landmark edition fits the bill and is a beautiful object in itself. It ought to go without saying that the work itself is universally acclaimed as a triumph of the human intellect, but sadly that is not the case. That Darwin's masterpiece is not so acclaimed is largely down to the degrading effects of a certain kind of religious belief, one that celebrates faith and ignorance over reason and evidence and truth. (I was once accosted on a street in south London by a woman who said she could prove Darwin wrong. I checked for signs of Nobel Prize winning science but the bible was all she had.)Most scientists think that accepting evolution doesn't necessarily turn you into an atheist. Many Christians also hold to this view. In  God is Not Great: The Case Against Religion  Christopher Hitchens, not noted for his reluctance to champion the atheist corner, thinks that "symptoms of old-style between-the-lines encoded concealment are to be found throughout the first edition" of the Origin. Famously, the word "evolution" never appears while "creation" crops up all over the place. Was Darwin unsure of his ground and hedging his bets?Hardly. There are indeed many references to creation, and they are all unfriendly! Darwin was not afraid of pitting evolution and creation head to head and seeing which came out on top. Again and again he describes facts about the world that can only be explained by natural selection and not by special creation, and he draws analogies to hammer home the point. As "modern geology has almost banished such views as the excavation of a great valley by a single diluvial wave, so will natural selection, if it be a true principle, banish the belief of the continued creation of new organic beings, or of any great and sudden modification in their structure." Here, Darwin is not only suggesting that we banish belief in creation but is also reminding us that the evidence of geology refutes the literal interpretation of another well-known biblical story.Discussing the clustering of subordinate groups within any class he writes (p. 123): "On the view that each species has been independently created, with all its parts as we now see them, I can see no explanation. But on the view that groups of species have descended from other species, and have been modified through natural selection, I think we can obtain some light."Observing that "nature is prodigal in variety, but niggard in innovation", he asks (pp. 177-78): "Why, on the theory of Creation, should this be so? Why should all the parts and organs of many independent beings, each supposed to have been separately created for its proper place in nature, be so invariably linked together by graduated steps? Why should not Nature have taken a leap from structure to structure? On the theory of natural selection, we can clearly understand why she should not; for natural selection can act only by taking advantage of slight successive variations; she can never take a leap, but must advance by the shortest and slowest steps."There is a widespread calumny against the scientific mind that it has somehow sacrificed all appreciation of beauty in order to arrive at its truths about the world. Feynman could see the beauty of a flower as well as his artist friend, but he could also see a deeper beauty. Darwin too was enthralled by nature: "He must be a dull man who can examine the exquisite structure of a [honey]comb, so beautifully adapted to its end, without enthusiastic admiration." Time and again, after describing some structure or behaviour in the natural world, Darwin asks: "What can be more extraordinary than these well-ascertained facts?"Like Feynman, of course, he doesn't stop there, open mouthed but close minded. He seeks further understanding, from whatever source is available: "We hear from mathematicians that bees have practically solved a recondite problem, and have made their cells of the proper shape to hold the greatest possible amount of honey, with the least possible consumption of precious wax in their construction." And the deepest explanation lies within his own theory: "Beyond this stage of perfection in architecture, natural selection could not lead; for the comb of the hive-bee, as far as we can see, is absolutely perfect in economising wax... that individual swarm which wasted least honey in the secretion of wax, having succeeded best, and having transmitted by inheritance its newly acquired economical instinct to new swarms, which in their turn will have had the best chance of succeeding in the struggle for existence."Darwin was well aware of what we now call confirmation bias, the natural human instinct to pay attention only to what suits our ideas and to ignore what is inconvenient. As a good scientist, he was neither arrogant nor complacent but alert to weaknesses or new ways to test his theory. This may come as a surprise to those who have been taught that evolution cannot be tested: Darwin himself writes that the construction of combs "can be tested by experiment" and describes the results, and today there is a wealth of experimental evidence (see, for example,  The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution ). Later, in discussing insect communities, he focuses on "one special difficulty" that "at first appeared to me insuperable, and actually fatal to my whole theory". The challenge for natural selection was to account for the presence of sterile females, and he was able to provide a convincing account.Despite his reputation for reclusiveness later in life, he corresponded widely and valued the work and opinions of others, and apportioned credit where it was due, all the while not granting any individual absolute authority. "Although fully trusting to the statements of Huber and Mr. Smith, I tried to approach the subject in a sceptical frame of mind, as any one may well be excused for doubting the truth of so extraordinary and odious an instinct as that of making slaves." Contrast this with the passage in Luke where, if we accept its historical truth, Jesus demonstrates his compassion by advising us that there are some slaves who should not be beaten as hard as other slaves. Where are those creationists, or even evolution-believing Christians, who will admit that Darwin trumps Jesus on this moral question?This is a book that anyone willing to work a little can read. No degree in biology is needed. It is rare in science to have such a genuinely groundbreaking work still so accessible to the lay reader. Having said that, even some fans of Darwin confess it hard going in parts, and there is no doubt that most readers will flag over some passages - but it is worth persevering. And, to satisfy your curiosity over Mr Brent and his tumbling Glaswegian pigeons and other obscure references, there is a handy bibliographical register and a glossary at the end. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5.0 out of 5 stars Classic *by P***G on Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 17 November 2023* Classic ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting book *by J***T on Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 24 December 2023* Not read it all the way through yet but fascinating so far --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.us/products/51040084-on-the-origin-of-species-n-e-oxford-worlds-classics](https://www.desertcart.us/products/51040084-on-the-origin-of-species-n-e-oxford-worlds-classics) --- *Product available on Desertcart United States of America* *Store origin: US* *Last updated: 2026-05-18*