The necessity of evolution: law and logic in Darwin's explanation

Abstract

Modern accounts of evolutionary mechanism pay little attention to the pattern and logic of Darwin's explanation, but recognition of the logic of Darwin's explanation has significance for our understanding of evolution and for our appreciation of the extent to which Darwin's concept of evolutionary mechanism accords with modern evolutionary thought. Also, Darwin's explanation exemplifies the concept of a scientific ‘law’ and thus is of considerable value in helping learners to understand the nature of scientific explanation.