LECTURE I 



(February 13, 1907) 

 THE HYPOTHESIS AND THEORY OF EVOLUTION IN 



NATURAL SCIENCE 



LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, 



There is certainly much truth in the statement, 

 made in the syllabus to these lectures, that a keen 

 interest is taken in Berlin in the problem of evolution. 

 The mere sight of my distinguished audience is 

 sufficient confirmation of it, and there is abundant 

 justification for this interest, as the question : 

 ' What are we to think of the theory of evolution ? ' 

 is one that attracts universal attention. All are 

 agreed in their interest on this subject, but the 

 answers given to the question are very various, 

 in fact, in many respects actually contradictory. 

 On one side we are told that the theory of evolution 

 is a mere hypothesis devoid of real scientific support, 

 that it is based on no definite facts, and in its 

 further development is an outcome of atheism, 

 which aims at the overthrow of Christianity. On 

 the other side we hear that it is most firmly and 

 satisfactorily supported by scientific facts, and is 

 already so far developed as to claim the recognition 



