Before Darwin could convince his readers of evolution through natural selection, he had to acknowledge the reasons that people did not agree with evolution through natural selection. On page 482, Darwin says “nothing had first can appear more difficult to believe than that the more complex organs and instincts should have been perfected, not by means superior to, though analogous with, human reason, but by the accumulation of innumerable slight variations, each good for the individual possessor.” Darwin admits that the idea is hard to wrap your head around, especially for the time. Darwin then says that we cannot dispute the fact that all organs and instincts are variable, that there is a struggle for existence leading to the preservation of each profitable deviation of structure or instinct, and that gradations in the perfection of any organ or instinct exist or could have existed, each good of its kind. (Pg. 482) Ultimately Darwin talks about infertility of hybrids, imperfections in our geological record, and the geological distribution of the species. He talks about how those are gaps in the theory of evolution for natural selection, and then he explains to the readers why they happen. He takes us through a chain of events that ultimately show us that there is variation in nature, causing different groups to form a different species. He also talks about how there is competition in nature because of the struggle for survival.
One of the arguments I found interesting was the argument about chains of descent. Scientists at the time did not believe in chains of descent and Darwin came along and argued that all species come from a long line of descent. I think the most convincing thing he talked about was just the fact that humans have come from a chain of descent and they have evolved over time. Although it probably seemed weird for the time, Darwin still pursued the idea that humans are involved in an evolutionary process. We now learn about the evolutionary process in class, which makes it even more convincing.
I agree with your statement in your first paragraph, that Darwin knew at the time that this theory would be hard to wrap your head around. But, he had great points to prove what is known as the theory of evolution today. And that is possible due to every naturalist, geologist, biologist, or any person in a field of science working on finding evidence for it. With a holistic approach many decades later, we now understand that he was definitely on to something, and that something was correct. I find the Origin not only an important read to better understand the world and its history, but a beautiful one because it was so, as you put it, weird for his time. In your last paragraph, I agree that the discussion for chains of descent is most interesting because it was a brand new concept that many scientists didn’t want to stand behind. He was the first person to write about and classify us as animals descending from another animal alike. And now, it is a lot more convincing due to the evidence recovered over time and the fact we get to learn and discuss it in this class.
Honestly your argument as well set up in like it makes entire sense but I think that you focus too much on Darwin’s points about why is evolution Theory isn’t believable and not on what he actually says lacks evidence. He discusses quite extensively about why species mixation and simply lack of evidence cause big holes in his argument, I feel like these would be more productive to discuss and talk about then why people wouldn’t want to believe him then. since he does actually provide reasons why she doesn’t have the full picture and why no one arguing against him has a full picture. I do really like your second paragraph though in discussing about how Darwin’s chain discussion is interesting because it really is. He was able to come up with this theory that made sense about the history of different species and actually argue it well.