At the Deathbed of Darwinism: A Series of Papers

Published in 1902, when Darwinism still stirred fierce scientific and cultural battles, this provocative collection argues that the theory of natural selection is already breathing its last. German scientist Eberhard Dennert marshals voices from across the European scientific establishment biologists, paleontologists, philosophers to challenge the reigning orthodoxy of evolutionary doctrine. He contends that the complexity of adaptation, the apparent design in nature, and the inadequacy of random variation as an explanation for life's diversity point toward something more than mechanical chance. Dennert writes from a theistic perspective, yet his critique is grounded in scientific observation rather than pure theology. The book captures a fascinating historical moment when the theory of evolution faced serious resistance from within the scientific community itself, years before the Modern Synthesis would reshape the debate. For readers interested in the intellectual history of science, the evolution wars, or how earlier generations wrestled with questions that still divide us today.