Exploration

Darwin attempted to answer the question as to not only why we are here but how did we come to “be”. Since the dawn of time human beings have wanted answers to these questions and religion has attempted to answer them. The difference between religion and the theories brought forth by Charles Darwin is that he took a more scientific approach to explaining our evolution. One of the most important ways that Darwin’s ideas impacted society is that they caused people to question them. By questioning them they not only challenged existing ideas brought forth by religion but also each other which led to his teachings becoming so controversial. From a scientific standpoint it also challenged the scientific community to prove these theories to be wrong, something that scientists continue to try and do even in modern times. These ideas and concepts led to new means of scientific explanation and exploration. During his time many of his theories were not accepted, in particular his Theory of Natural Selection but even so they led people to look at the relationship between man and animals and it were these theories that were responsible for research into these directions as man and animals were considered unrelated before. Many religions such as Christianity would down play the ideas set forth by Darwin in that they did not go along with their systems of beliefs which stated that human beings were created by a divine source which was God. The fact that Darwin puts out there that God did not create human beings had an impact because it challenged religion and this was one of the main controversial subjects of his set of ideas. There are a lot of people in the scientific community who believe Darwin’s theories and they continue to give people a different and new view on life itself and are the basis for all types of scientific research that would have never had occurred had he not developed these ideas and concepts. His ideas will continue to impact society well into the future because for some people it answers the question where human beings came from and for some they will continue to challenge them and try to prove his theories right or wrong.