[Thatcherite]

There are clear indications of common descent originating from an intelligent design.

Patrick Henry's homepage has twice vanished in its entirety recently, it is unclear whether it was (a) hacking (b) site software error or (c) something incurred the displeasure of a mod, so some of us thought it a good idea to duplicate the wonderful information therein.

[Thatcherite]

duplicate should of course have been "replicate".

[BIGLOOK]

Just my two cents.

Darwin's theory, like Lamarck and Kammerer. was flawed. However it was keystone to Evolutionary Theory. Darwin's observations of the Galapagos flora and fauna found a lack of evolution, largely due to the lack of predation. The cormorant (I think it was a cormorant) with stunted wings survived and increased, evidence of 'survival of the weaker'.

But Darwin did start the ball rolling.

We are so fortunate to have abundant water, a protective Moon and a favorable orbit from the Sun. What 'charm' beguiled elements to combine in the primordial soup and sparked 'life'? Random selection?