Evolution and Wonder: Understanding Charles Darwin

About the Image

This elevation map of a coral reef island is a hand-drawn water-color sketch by Charles Darwin, date unknown.

+ (photo: Cambridge University Library)

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(Reprinted with permission of Syndics of Cambridge University Library, DAR 125:150-151)

» listen (mp3, 2:39) to David Kohn provide a broader context to this passage and why Darwin wrote it

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Shame would never make person tremble, like fear.—
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Why does any great mental affection make body tremble. Why much laughter tears.— & shaking body.—
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Are those parts of body, as heart, & chest (sobbing) which are most under great sympathetic nerve. most subject to habit, as being less so will.—
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May not moral sense arise from our enlarged capacity ~~acting~~ yet being obscurely guided or strong instinctive sexual, parental & social instincts, giving rise "do unto others as yourself". "love thy neighbour as thyself". Analyse this out.— bearing

in mind many new relations from language.— the social instinct more than mere love.— fear for others acting in unison.— active assistance. &c &c. it comes to Miss Martineaus one principle of charity. May not idea of God arise from our confused idea of "ought." joined with necessary notion of "causation", in reference to this "ought", as well as the works of the whole world.— Read Mackintosh on Moral sense & emotions.—