Charles Darwin: A driving force for humanity toward agnosticism

Abstract

Charles Darwin’s insights into evolution of biological life are perhaps the most significant contributions in the realm of human existence. There have been many other startling scientific discoveries, and indeed many are yet to come, but arguably none have caused such intense, visceral reactions in mankind like Darwinian ideas. Nearly a century and a half after the unbiblical Origin of Species appeared, the fact of biological evolution as a step-wise, slow, blind, non-religious phenomenon continues to awe many, while riling the religious bigots. More significantly, Darwinian forays into evolution of life have laid the foundation for modern scientific investigations, and have profoundly guided and influenced all spheres of biological research. The role of ‘evidence’ to back up human ideas has become a mainstay in evolved thought. A direct result of this quest for ‘evidence’ is the devaluation of religious claims. Rejection of all religious neurosis is however insufficient now, and its possibly time to adopt ‘evidence-based existence’. The short essay here deals with some such issues.