Natural Selection In Charles Darwin's The Race Of Man

“The Race of Man”, is a scientific explanation for the similarities among humans, which argues whether mankind is subdivided into species, or more closely resemble subspecies or races. Darwin uses his theory of evolution to explain why there is a multitude of similarities in the development and inventive minds of all races, yet any observed differences are negligible. Furthermore, most differences that are visible in man today “cannot be of much importance” (Darwin 217), however, if such differences were important, natural selection would have either “fixed and preserved or eliminated” (Darwin 217) any distinction. Darwin begins by explaining the cause of most resemblances throughout all race.

Charles Darwin describes the distinct descendants of man by comparing it to the descendants of domesticated animals. Darwin questions, “whether the various races have arisen from one or more species” (Darwin 213), he continues, “the domesticated races of the dog, for instance, have acquired their present amount of differences since some one species was first domesticated by man” (Darwin 213) while compared

Differences ranging from the “color, hair, shape of skull, proportions of the body, etc.” (Darwin 213), are too small to even have affected the role of natural selection, however, if they were or were not important, then over the years, these differences would have, “fixed and preserved or eliminated” (Darwin 217) due to natural selection. Nevertheless, there is no prominent variation, even among people who live in different climates. Therefore, these differences are negligible compared to the similarities. Moreover, Darwin believes, “none of the differences between the races of man are of any direct or special service to him” (Darwin 217). Taking this into consideration, man’s differences are not of any