20 DARWINISM TO-DAY. 



to conclude all reference to the theory of descent, which is 

 to-day more than ever before an integral and unquestioned 

 part of biological science, and to devote most of the rest of 

 our discussion to the theory of natural selection, which 

 is to-day being subjected to more searching scientific criticism 

 than ever before since its proposal by Darwin, it will be well 

 to distinguish, if we can, in the general influence that post- 

 Darwinian biology has had on associated sciences and 

 disciplines, that particular influence which each of these two 

 great theories has had. So that if our faith in either is to 

 be shaken we may recognise what effects on our sociologic, 

 pedagogic, and philosophic beliefs this particular weakening 

 of the biologic basis may have. 



The relation of theology * to biology is concerned almost 



wholly with the theory of descent. The slow and gradual 



forming of species including the particular one, 



Relation of man, and their genetic relationship, the allying 

 theory of descent f man b blood ith th j animals these 



to theology and J 



philosophy, are the two biological conceptions (both in- 

 cluded in the descent theory) which have been 

 the chief points of attrition in the coming together of 

 theology and biology. Darwinism specifically as such, that 

 is, the selection principle, has had some special attention from 

 theologians because of its substitution of a causo-mechanical 

 for a teleological explanation of species-forming, and because 

 it differs in its interpretation of the time necessary for peopling 

 the globe with a variety of organic forms from the inter- 

 pretation, or rather explicitly specific statement, of the first 

 chapter of Genesis. But on the whole the Darwinian selec- 

 tion theories could be utterly done away with without making 

 any appreciable change in the existing relation between 

 theology and biology. Huxley said this to the theologian 

 Darwinophobes many years ago. 



And practically so with philosophy." It is the trans- 

 formation principle, the principle of continuity, of monism 



