Topic > The evidence behind Darwin's claims: a rhetoric of inquiry and transformation

The idea of ​​what constitutes legitimate scientific evidence is subjective and varies from one circumstance to another, but the collection of various types of evidence Supporting a claim has long been an accepted, respected, and even encouraged means of providing accurate testimony. The concept of mass accumulation of hard evidence as a means of proving a point is one explored repeatedly in Darwin's On the Origin of Species, as Darwin builds a case and defends his theory of evolution and the topic of natural selection. The way Darwin presents and re-presents his evidence functions as a way to establish meaning in his work as it highlights the importance and relevance of his discovery. He accomplishes this task through detailed and constant repetition of his findings, while also attempting to secure the trust of his readers by using his collection of examples on various species and the changes he had observed in their expressed characteristics over time. This method of explanation in which new evidence is often provided, however, is a necessary part of this specific scientific abstract as a method not only to corroborate Darwin's argument and technical claims about his theory of natural selection, but also as a means to keep information current. on a constantly changing topic. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay To begin with, Darwin was the first of his time to publish research on this particular topic of the evolution of species and for this reason he was unable to draw on the research of other scientists, making it important for Darwin to establish a relationship of trust between him and his readers. Not only that, but his research was composed almost entirely of observational rather than experimental studies, as evolution is extremely difficult to capture over the course of one's lifetime as it can take multiple generations of a species for new traits to become visible. Darwin recognizes that what he is trying to capture and understand is a world in motion and that therefore his theories must be somehow imperfect as he states: “This Abstract, which I now publish, must necessarily be imperfect. I cannot here provide references and authorities for my many claims; and I must trust the reader to have some confidence in my accuracy. No doubt errors will have crept in, though I hope I have always been cautious in trusting only good authorities” (Darwin, 2). Darwin recognizes that most of the evidence he can offer his readers is not strong evidence, meaning that it has the potential to be wrong and does not provide direct evidence for his findings about evolution. As something that can only be seen after the course of many generations, it is impossible to obtain evidence of evolution and natural selection by immediate observation. It is a process that requires patience and many years of closely monitored research. Darwin counters this claim by conveying as much information as possible on the subject of his discoveries. It gives meaning and creates a convincing thesis by building a more or less indisputable collection of facts about the topic. Furthermore, Darwin asks his readers to believe his scientific claims based on good faith, but only through sufficient presentation of evidence for his claims will this be possible. be able to truly convince them. To validate his arguments he recognizes that he must provide as much evidence as possible regarding the claims for and against evolution as he admits: "No one can feel moresensible to me of the need to later publish in detail all the facts, with references, on which my conclusions were based […] A fair result can only be achieved by fully stating and balancing the facts and arguments on both sides of each question” (Darwin, 2). Through this statement, Darwin is demonstrating his recognition that blind statements cannot serve as legitimate evidence and that this alone would not be sufficient to convince any of his readers of the truth behind his discoveries. He strives to provide the reader with as much evidence as possible, as demonstrated by his statement: “My work is now almost finished; but as it will take me another two or three years to complete it, and as my health is far from strong, I have been invited to publish this Abstract” (Darwin, 1). This abstract, however, is 490 pages long and contains numerous detailed examples of his discoveries and observations as well as the analysis of those discoveries that led to Darwin's theories. Although an incomplete version of his findings, The Origin of Species provides a very convincing argument due to the evidence it presents. Therefore, the way in which Darwin presents and re-presents his information establishes meaning in the sense that it allows his discoveries to be seen as significant and accurate and thus to retain meaning for his readers and to convince them of the truth behind his discoveries. In addition to this, Darwin recognizes through his research that the evolution of species is something that occurs constantly and that for this reason, no matter how much evidence he provides, the organisms of the earth will always be in continuous change and that therefore he must be able to provide a large and continuous collection of evidence for his theory. Darwin states: “Because of this struggle for life, any variation, however slight and from whatever cause, if suitable, is in some measure advantageous to an individual of any species, in his infinitely complex relations with other organized and with external nature, will tend to the preservation of that individual and will generally be inherited by his offspring. The offspring will also have a better chance of surviving” (Darwin, 61). In this Darwin is addressing the fact that advantageous traits, no matter how small, will help the species until the age of reproduction and therefore aid in the transmission of said trait. This implies, however, that species change occurs gradually and continuously over time and that the evidence provided for such adaptations must also change and develop over time, thus signifying the importance of mass evidence accumulation. Note that species change over time due to competition with each other and it is essential to support the theory of evolution that any adaptation is documented. As the world around species changes in terms of climate, space, potential predators and food availability, the ideal traits they can express also change, meaning they can never reach a state of perfection and therefore must face what Darwin calls the fight. for existence as he states: “Nothing is easier than to admit in words the truth of the universal struggle for life, or more difficult […] than to keep this conclusion constantly in mind” (Darwin, 62). It recognizes that living organisms are not immutable and are therefore subject to constant transformation. Since the theory of evolution is based on the constant change and mutability of physical traits, it is essential that the evidence supporting it also varies and changes over time. Here, the presentation and re-presentation of evidence is essential as a method of creating meaning in Darwin's discoveries for the theory to remain.