Independent creation and natural selection in Darwin: a rhetorical analysis of an early contribution to the third culture
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14422/pen.v81.i316.y2025.002Keywords:
Darwin, Natural selection, independent creation, scientific rhetoric, Third Culture, Literary DarwinismAbstract
This article examines the rhetorical strategies employed by Darwin in On the Origin of Species, focusing on how his critique of independent creation and his defence of natural selection shape a discourse that transcends the strictly scientific domain. Through the analysis of key passages —especially chapter endings— rhetorical devices such as adversative clauses, rhetorical questions, analogy, and distancing are explored. Far from being mere stylistic embellishments, these strategies structure a scientific narrative marked by internal coherence and persuasive force. The study is framed within the field of Literary Darwinism, conceived here as a contemporary expression of the Third Culture project, insofar as it explores how Darwin’s discourse builds bridges between science, language, and culture. It is argued that this rhetorical configuration represents an early contribution to that convergence of knowledge systems, while also challenging conventional disciplinary boundaries.
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