Darwin's Greatest Mistake?

I wonder if Darwin's greatest mistake was in selecting a title for his monograph?By using the word Descent, even though technically correct, did Darwin increase the resistance and create much of the controversy that still plagues us today? Is the connotation of Descent, of diminishing or becoming less, of going downward, so great that it was an almost impossible hurdle to overcome? Had he title the work, The Ascent of Man, would there have been less opposition from religious circles?

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Aslan is not a Tame Lion

The underlying issue with Creationists, IMHO, is not as much about Creation vs Evolution, as being hung up on the idea of the superiority and Dominion of Humans. They couch their arguments in terms of being anti-evolution, but under it all, I believe their real point is that they do not want to be just another APE.They are insecure and threatened, and go to rediculous lengths, making all kinds of illogical assumptions, just to avoid being only Just Another Primate.Although they claim to take the Bible literally, they easily and enthusiatically accept, even assert, that from the beginning it is only Figurative.Day doesn't mean Day, it is an indefinite period.Let there be LIGHT doesn't mean Light was created, just that the clouds parted to let light through. And on and on.They are not looking at the meaning of words, but rather the emotional content that the words carry. For them, Descent is a diminishing.You, I and Darwin know that Evolution is not a Progression from lesser to greater or from worse to better, and even if he had used the term Ascent instead of Descent, we would not make the mistake of seeing it as Progress but rather of Progression.The people that today are Creationists, would most likely make the error of seeing Evolution, as you suggest, as Progress. But instead of opposing Evolution, would they be more likely to instead support Evolution?Their reasoning would still be flawed. But would they still be in opposition?

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Aslan is not a Tame Lion

I agree. And as I said, that is to be expected. They are, IMHO, speaking from emotion rather than reason. I don't think that will ever change. It is simply their approach to language and they cannot seperate the emotional content from the information.But, if the Title had said Ascent rather that Descent, do you think they would still oppose Evolution?

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Aslan is not a Tame Lion

you expound... and on and on.BradThe only opinion I have expressed, and it was part of a question, is that many Creationists seem to deal far more with the emotive value of words than their content.I am not stating what I believe beyond that simple issue.If my belief that Creationists are dealing from emotion rather than information is incorrect, then fine. Please feel free to dispute that.I am just asking others if they believe that Darwin's choice of Title might be part of the reason folk oppose the concept of Evolution.

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Aslan is not a Tame Lion

Very good point Ned. And unfortunately, you may well be right.

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Aslan is not a Tame Lion