Samenv.: Het bekendste werk van Charles Darwin waarin hij zijn destijds revolutionaire, maar nu algemeen aanvaarde evolutietheorie uitlegt. Nauwkeurig beschrijft hij de werking van de natuurlijke selectie, de basis voor het ontstaan van soorten. Darwin concludeerde dat soorten veranderen en ontstaan uit andere soorten: 1) soorten veranderen (door verschillen in eigenschappen of aanleg kunnen sommige individuen van een soort beter onder de heersende milieu omstandigheden leven dan andere en daardoor treed natuurlijke selectie op: individuen met gunstige eigenschappen overleven en planten zich beter voort dan de andere, die mogelijk op den duur uitsterven); 2) er ontstaan nieuwe soorten (door een fysieke barrière kan een aantal individuen geïsoleerd raken van de rest zodat er twee populaties ontstaan; door mutatie en natuurlijke selectie worden de verschillen tussen beide populaties steeds groter totdat individuen elkaar niet meer herkennen als soortgenoot. Tenslotte is voortplanting tussen de beide populaties niet meer mogelijk en zijn de populaties verschillende soorten geworden).

(posted on my blog: davenichols.net)

Having found that I'm hopelessly addicted to popular science books, especially those dealing with evolution, natural selection, and other wonders of biology, I promised myself that I'd pick up this foundational classic at some point. So much of what I had known previously about Origin was from reading the works of Dawkins, Quammen, and others, and I felt it was vitally important to take up Darwin's masterpiece and see for myself what he had to say. It is quite safe to say it was an excellent decision, and Origin stands up just as well in 2009 as it did when it was published 150 years ago.

Darwin's enthusiasm for the natural world comes through strongly on every page. I can easily imagine him sitting in his workshop, encouraging me, the reader, to see what he sees, to notice the details he explains with such passion. And he does not skip the scientific data. Darwin's arguments are strongly based on observation, experimentation, and an amazing convergence of multiple disciplines. Throughout the book, the reader feels he might be sitting in a room while Darwin leads a fascinating exhibition with the help of eminent biologists, zoologists, geologists, anthropologists, naturalists, and others.

I especially loved reading Darwin's original words dealing with biogeography and the migration of life. It is stunning just how prescient he was in so many things which he admits freely are greatly educated guesses. Sure, there are places where his thoughts were later shown incomplete or erroneous, but the vast bulk of his thoughts showed keen insight that often took many decades of research to prove correct. Darwin was quite literally one of the very few fundamental thinkers to ever risk putting his thoughts into writing, and his work is even more impressive given how little was known about genetics at the time by anyone but the largely-unknown Gregor Mendel.

While the book is quite dense at times, it is well worth the reader's effort to push through and experience this book's amazing insights. Darwin's enthusiasm is infective, and I think any reader of science who is interested in reading the classics should take the time to read and enjoy this groundbreaking and fascinating work. Five big stars. ( )

I recommend reading of this book because of the importance of it. When Charles Darwin published this in 1859 it rocked the English speaking world. Up to that point the religious idea of creation was unquestionably accepted. Religion held a lot of power over people and their lives. Then this book came out, and it put into question all that the English world held dear about God and creation. I don't know if any piece of literature has had such a profound affect on society and its beliefs. When I read it, I thought that it might be boring because of the scope of the work, but it's actually not boring because it's simply and plainly written. Remember the whole theory of evolution originated from this one work. ( )

Facsimile of first edition, with "An Historical Sketch" and "Glossary" from sixth edition. ( )

This is a very important book both in Western culture and in Science. There is before and after Charles Darwin.

Charles Darwin managed in this book like some of his contemporary scientists to use facts to come in the end to some conclusions. Those conclusions were tearing down all the superstitions and misuse of science by religion like the reaction of bishop Wilberforce.

All research since Charles Darwin has tested the evolution of species by natural selection and it is nowadays uncontroversial to say that it is the only explanation to all the changes that our planet and all the plants and animals have undergone through all the ages.

Science is not a matter of belief as Karl Popper would have said. Any theory has to be based in facts if it is to be science. That is what is Charles Darwin's great achievement.
Belief and religion on the other hand have other roles and methods. Religion is altogether different from science , but not opposed to science. This book is not about religion or belief.

On the whole, this a very important book to keep people away from superstition and human arrogance concerning other species. ( )