Darwin's Circle and the Evolution of Belief: Science, Faith, and the Struggle for Understanding

Darwin’s On the Origin of Species (1859) marked the public debut of the theory of evolution by natural selection, a seismic event in science and society. While subsequent public debates over the theory are often (and simplistically) portrayed as a struggle between science and religion, the truth is far more nuanced. It is largely unappreciated, for example, that non-religious and religious people alike, including clergy, were (and are) found both among Darwin’s most ardent supporters as well as his most vocal detractors. Or, that Darwin’s own closest friends and fiercest supporters themselves reflected a diversity of religious views ranging from deeply devout to agnostic. In this course and drawing on materials from his most recent book, Radical By Nature: the Revolutionary Life of Alfred Russel Wallace, Dr. Costa will examine the development of the Darwin-Wallace theory, its implications for society, and how doubt and devotion played out in unexpected ways…