Charles Darwin, On the Origin of Species, 1-4, 143-146, 421-429

1. "Introduction," pages 1-4
What kinds of questions is Darwin asking in the introduction?
To what audience (or audiences) are his questions addressed?
How does the introduction compare to the introductions of other books we have discussed by Copernicus, Galileo, and Newton?

2. "Organs of Extreme Perfection and Complication," pages 143-146
What do you make of Darwin's discussion of the evolution of the eyes?
Were you surprised at the final sentence of the section on page 146?

3. "Conclusion," pages 421-429
How does Darwin conclude On the Origin of Species?
What types of arguments does he make?  What evidence does he use to support his arguments?

What does he say about religion?

Do you think he had some sort of obligation to try to address or defuse the debates that his book would ignite? In other words, should scientists be responsible for the social implications of their scientific research?