More interesting, by far, is the story of Darwin's daughter, Emma. The role of her life, and death at a very young age, in the formation of the natural selection part of Darwin's theory is little discussed.
In school, little Emma wasn't worthy of discussion when I was young. Little wonder why ...
ping
ping
ping
In school, little Emma wasn't worthy of discussion when I was young. Little wonder why ...
Well, I discussed it in a reply to the same message, before I read this reply of yours. Except that the daughter was Annie. (Emma was Darwin's wife, who outlived him.) And this had not a thing to do with "the formation of the natural selection part of Darwin's theory" (or with any of Darwin's scientific views) since it occurred nearly 15 years after he hit upon the idea of natural selection.
What scholars have argued (correctly, IMHO) is that the death of Annie was an important factor in driving Darwin to a final abandonment of Christianity following a long period of gradually developing skepticism. IOW it may have been important in the development of Darwin's religious views, but had not a thing to do with his scientific views.
In school, little Emma wasn't worthy of discussion when I was young. Little wonder why ...
That doesn't make any sense. What possible role would the aspects of any particular person's life have in the formation of a scientific theory?
But your reasoning is flawed in another way. Natural Selection works in the raw state of nature. Human beings have the intelligence and ability to make tools and the ability to master the environment. Because humans are frail things that could not survive in nature alone as individuals, altruism and cooperation are traits that are selected for. Furthermore, because we do not have to dedicate our entire existance towards feeding and mating, we have the capacity to create a culture. We have the capacity to think abstractly and develop ethical systems.
So although human beings are animals that evolved biologically in nature, we stand apart from nature. We transcend nature. We are glad to care for the poor and the handicapped - because we have evolved the capacity and will to do so. The benefits of altruism and compassion outweigh whatever problems stem from retaining bad genes in the gene pool. Thank God. That is why people viscerally react in a negative manner to genocide and eugenics.
Darwin's daughter isn't brought up because to do so is irrelevant to the theory. To make such a complaint is foolish. It would be similar, in a discussion of Einstein's theories, to note that he had married a cousin.