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In 1859, Charles Darwin published his culminating work On the Origin of Species, which immediately received many critiques both scientific and religious, as well as political and sociological, among others.
With so many groundbreaking ideas of evolution that challenges belief in its time, the most controversial part of this book was the last sentence:
“There is grandeur in this view of life ... whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved."
This was a dangerous idea at the time since it did away with the idea of a creator’s involvement in natural history. Moreover, it demotes human's privileged position with the idea that we are the result of evolution and chance rather than fate and purpose.
Natural selection cares not for any comfort. Why should it? Things simply follow from laws acting all around us, and nature is indifferent to the suffering that follows its guiding principle, survival of the fittest. In this view, Darwin recognizes that truths about the real world, however distasteful, have to be faced.
"All that we can do, is to keep steadily in mind that each organic being has to struggle for life and to suffer great destruction. When we reflect on this, we may console ourselves with the full belief, that the war of nature is not incessant, that no fear is felt, that death is generally prompt, and that the vigorous, the healthy, and the happy survive and multiply."
With physical laws and natural selection at the driving seat, there is no reason for self-aggrandizing nor self-pity. There is no need to bother with finding meaning in life or questioning fate. We are just another part of the natural show, and not even not the best part of it.
But what a show this is.
There is grandeur in this view of life, but if you can't see them, it's on you.
By @existentialskeptic
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