Evolution, Old and New

If an animal had an eye, that eye was regarded as something which had been designed in order to enable its owner to see after such fashion as should be most to its advantage.<br/><br/>Evolution, Old and New is a comprehensive scholarly analysis of the evolutionary theories of notable theorists in the late 19th century. The theorists explored by Butler include influential scholars such as Erasmus Darwin, Jean-Baptiste Lamarck, and Charles Darwin, to name a few. In this book, Butler personally championed the evolutionary theories predating Charles Darwin, arguing that evolution had design and purpose to it instead of being merely a chance or mechanical process. Butler’s bold critique of Charles Darwin took place at a time when Darwin’s theory of natural selection was becoming increasingly dominant. With the theory of natural selection being the commonly accepted evolutionary theory today, readers can rediscover through this book the crucial and now forgotten ideas in the history of evolutionary thought.<br/><br/>Samuel Butler was an English novelist, essayist, and critic. He is best known for his satirical novel Erewhon and his semi-autobiographical novel The Way of All Flesh, which is considered to be a masterpiece.