CONTENTS 



CHAPTER I 



PAGE 



RISE OF THE THEORY OF NATURAL SELECTION AND 



ITS SUBSEQUENT DEVELOPMENT i 



Pre-Darwinian Evolutionists Causes which led to the speedy triumph 

 of the theory of Natural Selection Nature of the opposition 

 which Darwin had to overcome Post-Darwinian biology 

 Usually accepted classification of present-day biologists as Neo- 

 Lamarckians and Neo-Darwinians is faulty Biologists fall into 

 three classes rather than two Neo-Lamarckism : its defects 

 Wallaceism : its defects Neo-Darwinism distinguished from 

 Neo-Lamarckism and Wallaceism Neo-Darwinism realises 

 the strength and weakness of the theory of Natural Selection, 

 recognises the complexity of the problems which biologists are 

 endeavouring to solve. 



CHAPTER II 



SOME OF THE MORE IMPORTANT OBJECTIONS TO THE 



THEORY OF NATURAL SELECTION . . 30 



Brief statement of Theory Objections to the Theory fall into two 

 classes Those which strike at the root of the Theory Those 

 which deny the all-sufficiency of Natural Selection Objections 

 which strike at root of Theory are based on misconception 

 Objections to Wallaceism The Theory fails to explain the 

 origin of Variations Natural Selection called on to explain too 

 much Unable to explain beginnings of new organs The 

 Theory of change of function The co-ordination of variations 

 The fertility of races of domesticated animals Missing links 

 Swamping effects of intercrossing Small variations cannot 

 have a survival value Races inhabiting same area Excessive 

 specialisation Chance and Natural Selection Struggle for 

 existence most severe among young animals Natural Selection 

 fails to explain mimicry and other phenomena of colour 

 Conclusion, that scarcely an organism exists which does not 

 possess some feature inexplicable on the theory of Natural 

 Selection as held by Wallace and his followers. 



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