Excerpt from Organic Evolution Considered I have not given in detail all of the arguments which have been presented in support of the theory of organic evolution, for this would be a super uous work in view of the fact that this has been most fully and ably done by Darwin and other writers. My endeavor has been to urge more in detail some of the objections to the theory than has been done by others. The evolutionist may be a Theist, an Atheist, an Agnostic, a Pantheist, or a Materialist. To my mind it is not a matter of indifference as to which of these he is. I look upon the theory of evolution as being of no importance except as it involves the well-being of man. My object in what I have written is to promote the belief in Theism and in the existence of a Spiritual nature in man which Theism alone can explain. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works."

Evolution: Components and Mechanisms introduces the many recent discoveries and insights that have added to the discipline of organic evolution, and combines them with the key topics needed to gain a fundamental understanding of the mechanisms of evolution. Each chapter covers an important topic or factor pertinent to a modern understanding of evolutionary theory, allowing easy access to particular topics for either study or review. Many chapters are cross-referenced. Modern evolutionary theory has expanded significantly within only the past two to three decades. In recent times the definition of a gene has evolved, the definition of organic evolution itself is in need of some modification, the number of known mechanisms of evolutionary change has increased dramatically, and the emphasis placed on opportunity and contingency has increased. This book synthesizes these changes and presents many of the novel topics in evolutionary theory in an accessible and thorough format. This book is an ideal, up-to-date resource for biologists, geneticists, evolutionary biologists, developmental biologists, and researchers in, as well as students and academics in these areas and professional scientists in many subfields of biology. - Discusses many of the mechanisms responsible for evolutionary change - Includes an appendix that provides a brief synopsis of these mechanisms with most discussed in greater detail in respective chapters - Aids readers in their organization and understanding of the material by addressing the basic concepts and topics surrounding organic evolution - Covers some topics not typically addressed, such as opportunity, contingency, symbiosis, and progress