Variations arise from the variables in which they are positioned. That’s what life comes down to. Darwin knew the world is old. He believed the world had been in existence for millions of years, and argued that there was no way the human species has remained the exact same perfect species throughout time. Evolution, doctrines, migration, domestication, all make up the slow evolution of our species. Darwin knew that his theory of natural selection would threaten natural theology. He knew that he would need to convince people that every form of life comes from one common species. “Recapitulation and Conclusion” is Darwin’s last chapter, and last chance, to convince the world of his theory. In order to convince religion, he had to argue that religion and evolution could coexist. With regards of Natural Theologians, he didn’t want to completely disregard the belief of our origin, but rather intertwined the idea that a Creator did in fact give breath to the first species. Note, there is a subtle detail in his text whenever using the word “creator;” it’s always capitalized. He knew that humans migrated throughout the epochs of life, and made an argument to geologists as to why we couldn’t just dig up the strata beneath our feet and find our ancestors. Our very long time here has to state that we are “nomadic,” that the corners of the world contain the answers of the past. Darwin concludes that in the distant future, the fields that make up the studies and branches of knowledge will not only shed more light on each subject, but also provide the more definitive answers to questions we’ve long wondered.
I believe that Darwin’s most convincing argument is the idea of an entangled bank. The idea of a place filled with variety; shrubs, flowers, insects, and birds all entangled into one place. Variation so contrast, that it leaves a sense of both wonder and question as to how that system is so dependent, yet so interconnected. The variation, growth, struggle for life, and extinction, all conceived by the laws acting around us, and all seen in one place. That really is how life works. We come in so many variations because of the things our species has gone through with each revolution and epoch. The growth with reproduction has at time become too great, leading to migration because of the struggle. This too has led to extinction of “less improved forms” as a result of the ratio of increase. This was a great way for Darwin to end his book, because not only did it show the very distinct difference of all of life, but it also showed how life evolves because of the conditions that surround us.
References:
“Recapitulation and Conclusion.” ORIGIN OF SPECIES, by PROFESSOR CHARLES. DARWIN, FORGOTTEN BOOKS, 2015, pp. 482–513.