Darwinian Evolution: A Scientific Pip-Squeak in a Suit of Cultural Armor

Theodosius Dobzhansky (1900-1975), leading contributor to the evolutionary "New Synthesis" during the 1930s, once declared, "Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of [neo-Darwinian] evolution." Richard Dawkins has called Darwin's theory of evolution "the most powerful idea ever." Indeed, for Dawkins, On the Origin of Species "gave biology its guiding principle, a governing law that helps the rest make sense." Of Darwin himself David Quammen has said, "Work was his opiate, and...