“The Origin of Species” Response Essay Example for Free

â€Å"The Origin of Species† Response Essay In â€Å"The Origin of Species†, Charles Darwin painstakingly explores the different character traits exhibited among species. He looks at natural selection as a way of explaining extinction and adaptation and tries to prove evolution as the main theory of human origin. He states, â€Å"this whole volume is one long argument† (362), and that is exactly what this book is. There are no definite answers provided to the question of the origin of existence, but instead, many unanswered questions are posed and explored. Darwin argues on the issue of variance, stressing that it is most likely that any single species may derive from one common ancestor. He goes on to state that although not everything is known or can be proven about origin in ‘modern’ times because of ignorance about current climatic effects on our universe, it is most likely that the Earth itself affects certain groups of descendants of a certain species, making them extinct, while other migrated groups continue to thrive. In other words, species who remain in one area are bound to become extinct due to environmental factors, while those who migrate, or move from their homeland may have a better chance of survival. In doing so, roots become harder to trace, and changes in the species are inevitable due to their new surroundings. Darwin also believes that the world has had more groups of species than we will ever be able to uncover in our lifetime, so we will never truly know all that walked or lived on the Earth. I am personally fascinated with Darwin’s theories, experiments, and unanswered questions. It is intriguing how Darwin questions and test life and the origin of life. Many times in my own life I have wondered about the origin of life and questioned the religious answer versus the scientific answer. It was courageous and bold of Darwin to explore this issue the way that he did, especially since he came up with no true answers, merely a very educated and studied argument with sections of admitted ignorance on certain subtopics. The language is highly technical and â€Å"stiff†, so it does not make for a very fun read, but once the reader gets used to the content, it becomes easier. I agree with the concept that ‘only the strong survive’ and believe that natural selection is inevitable or the world would be uninhabitable. I disagree with Darwin’s explanations of complex questions, stating things such as, â€Å"I can answer these questions and grave objections only on the supposition that the geological record is far more imperfect than most geologists believe† (365). This weakens his argument, but still allows room for possible validity in his argument. However, it is noble that Darwin stuck to his theory and defended it, despite his lack of ability to actually prove it, â€Å"Grave as these several difficulties are, in my judgement they do not overthrow the theory of descent with modification† (367). From reading The Origin of Species, I learned how complex science can be. I learned that theories need to be tested and explored, and sometimes even if they fail, the original hypothesis remains unchanged. I learned that one must acknowledge the weaknesses in one’s own argument in order to make it stronger or more valid and I also learned that sometimes in life, there are no answers; some of life’s questions will always remain unanswered. Works Cited Darwin, Charles. The Origin of Species. Spark Publishing: New York. 2003.