Author(s): Paul Strathern

Childrens

Charles Darwin's formulation of the theory of evolution with its now commonplace central idea of "the survival of the fittest" is, if not fully proven, generally accepted as logical and self-evident. Yet at the time, his revolutionary work "On the Origin of Species", and the notion that mankind was just another step in an evolving process of survival and selection, were shocking. This new concept challenged humanity's ingrained historical view that people were both at the centre of and superior to everything else in the natural world. Charles Darwin was to force a leap in human understanding, causing our horizons to shift and expand. So why was his "big idea" so unacceptable to those around him? And why was Darwin reluctant to publish his thoughts? This book presents slices of Darwin's life and work, and gives a clear and accessible explanation of the meanings and importance of the theory of evolution, and its implications for society.