[GOPJ]

However, even Darwin himself struggled with the fact that the fossil record failed to support his conclusions. ". . . Why, if species have descended from other species by fine gradations, do we not everywhere see innumerable transitional forms? . . . Why do we not find them embedded in countless numbers in the crust of the earth?" (Origin of Species, 1958 Masterpieces of Science edition, pp. 136-137).

Darwin was a smart guy - if he was here today he would agree with those of us doubting what's being sold in his name... I see no contradiction.

[CarolinaGuitarman]

"Darwin was a smart guy -"

A lot smarter than the creationists who are trying to show Darwin was wrong. He would find the dishonest use of out of context quote mining as a very disturbing turn; the creationists of his day were generally a lot more intellectually honest.

[ToryHeartland]

Darwin was a smart guy - if he was here today he would agree with those of us doubting what's being sold in his name...

Before making your singular assertion, you might be advised to read at least the chapter (the whole book, if you can manage it), from which the article has quote-mined Darwin's Origins. The whole text is conveniently available on line; the passage ripped out of context in the article at the head of this thread and in your post is from Chapter 6: Difficulties of the Theory.

[Donald Rumsfeld Fan]

Darwin was a smart guy - if he was here today he would agree with those of us doubting what's being sold in his name... I see no contradiction.

I can understand scientist not wanting to "rock the boat". Take Gould for instance. He looked at the fossil record and saw that it didn't conform to Darwin's continuum theory. So he went public and was dismayed that the "fundamentalist" were using his quotes against Darwin.

Darwin is a god like figure in the pantheon of great scientists. So what do you do? Trash the god? Or punt? He punted. Understandable human reaction. Scientists know that Gould was right. But the name "Darwin" is a powerful franchise. And you don't dump the name for something ephemeral like "punctuated equilibrium" with out paying a price.

Better to keep the name and modify the theory while the publics not looking.