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Entry: The Right's Science Problem Link: http://www.takimag.com/site/article/the_rights_science_problem#17356 Post contents: Darwin often used the term "tribe," when he talked about what many people today would mean by "race". "Natural selection follows from the struggle of existence; and this from a rapid rate of increase. It is impossible not to regard bitterly, but whether wisely is another question, the rate at which man tends to increase; for this leads in barbarous tribes to infanticide and many other evils, and in civilized nations to abject poverty, celibacy, and to the late marriage of the prudent. But as man suffers from the same physical evils as the lower animals, he has no right to expect an immunity from the evils consequent on the struggle for existence. Had he not been subjected during primeval times to natural selection, assuredly he would never have attained to his present rank. Since we see in many parts of the world enormous areas of the most fertile land capable of supporting numerous happy homes, but peopled only by a few wandering savages, it might be argued that the struggle for existence had not been sufficiently severe to force man upwards to his highest standard. Judging from all that we know of man and the lower animals, there has always been sufficient variety in the intellectual and moral faculties, for their steady advancement through natural selection. No doubt such advancement demands many favourable concurrent circumstances; but it may well be doubted whether the most favourable would have sufficed, had not the rate of increase been rapid, and the consequent struggle for existence extremely severe." Charles Darwin, "The Descent of Man and Selection in Relation to Sex", (New York: D. Appleton and Company, 1922), 145. Note the key point in the above: a brutal, ruthless competition is necessary for the eveolution of a species -- including humans. As a result, some members of the species are more advanced than others, and thus deserve to triumph over the more backward ones. Note that there are two stark contrasts with traditional Christian morality: 1) In Christian thinking all humans descended from Adam. They had originally been created good, were corrupted by the fall and now struggle to get back up from that corruption. All humans thus were potentially the same, and would be so regarded in the last judgment. In Darwinism, all humans are making their way up from animals. In this race, some have progressed further than others. Equality thus is inherently incompatible with Darwinism. The second contrast is between Darwinism's moral implication of a brutal struggle for existence being absolutely necessary for evolution and thus progress. This moral principle is in direct opposition to Christianity's emphasis on humility, chastity, monogamous marriage, loving one's enemies and helping the disadvantaged. Indeed, from Darwinian perspective it looks like Christianity's morals were designed to do everything wrong. Sent at: 2008 07 24