The Relation of Science and Religion.pdf - Online Christian Library

156 SCIENCE AND RELIGION.I have altered the fifth edition of the Originso as to confine my remarks to adaptivechanges of structure. I had not formerlysufficiently considered the existence of manystructures, which appear to be, as far as wecan judge, neither beneficial nor injurious, andthis I believe to be one of the greatest oversightsas yet detected in my work." Whenit is certain that deviation from the normalstructure may take place which is a disadvantageto the individual, and that this nzay descendto offspring; when it is also shown thatdeviation may occur which appears to serveno end, that is, contributes to no phase offunctional activity; when besides advantagesgained are lost, and the race returns to itsoriginal type of structure; and when fartherthere are examples of degeneration, as in parasiticraces,-such facts interpose special difficultiesin the way of an all-embracing theoryof progress by natural selection. Besides, asdeviations occur of an unfavorable kind anlongdomesticated animals under the care of man,it becomes obvious that progress inq- be readilylost even in most favorable circumstances.The next outstanding difficulty is that ofmeethg the requirements of logical inference