Darwin's Argument(s): A Comparison of the Origin and the Essays of 1842 and 1844

Author:
 

• John J. Rief (Univ of Pittsburgh)

Abstract:
    
This paper investigates the shifting rhetorical sensibility in Charles Darwin's development of his theory of natural selection. In it, I develop a comparative anatomy of three texts: Darwin's shorter texts of 1842 and 1844 and the 1859 edition of The Origin of the Species. By looking at the differences between these texts, I hope to follow in a long line of rhetoric of science work that looks at the crafting of scientific theories for public consumption.