The Evolution of Darwin's Evolutionary Thinking

Uchii, Soshichi (2009) The Evolution of Darwin's Evolutionary Thinking.

Abstract

(1) Darwin inherited Lyell’s methodology and applied it to the animate beings. This led him, eventually, to the principle of natural selection. This principle enabled him to expel God from biology.
(2) Darwin diverged from Lyell on Man and Morality, presumably because of his experience in Tierra del Fuego. This led him to the thesis of continuity of man and animals, and he noticed the function of morality.
(3) The process of Darwin’s theory construction may be likened to gradual evolution. Each element of his theory, by itself, is not revolutionary. But taken together and combined, these elements produced a revolutionary change.