Mandeville's Ship: Theistic Design and Philosophical History in Charles Darwin's Vision of Natural Selection

• Published in: Journal of the history of ideas Vol. 69; no. 3; pp. 441 - 465
• Main Author: Alter, Stephen G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hanover, PA University of Pennsylvania Press 01-07-2008
• Subjects: 19th century; Analysis; Biological adaptation; Biology; Criticism and interpretation; Darwin; Darwin, Charles; Darwin, Charles (1809-1882); Darwinism; Design; England; Enlightenment; Evaluation; Evolution; Fables; Historical studies (History of philosophy. History of ideas); History of ideas; History of medicine and histology; History of science; History, 19th Century; Literature, Modern - history; Mandeville, Bernard; Natural law; Natural selection; Natural theology; Naturalists; Philosophy; Philosophy - history; Racial differences; Sailing ships; Sailing vessels; Selection, Genetic; Ships; South America; Telescopes; Theology; Tree structures; Works; Century 19; South America; England; United Kingdom; Philosophy history; Intelligent design; Darwin (C.); Natural selection
• ISSN: 0022-5037; 1086-3222; 1086-3222
• DOI: 10.1353/jhi.0.0000

This essay examines the analogy of a savage observing a sailing ship found in the final chapter
of Darwin’s Origin of Species, an image that summed up his critique of British natural
theology’s “design” thesis. Its inspiration drawn from works by Mandeville and Hume, and
Darwin’s experience on the Beagle voyage, the ship illustration shows how Darwin conceived of
natural selection’s relationship to theistic design in terms of a historical consciousness developed
by Scottish Enlightenment thinkers. That outlook involved a dual emphasis on the rationality of
historical inquiry and the largely irrational character of the actual historical process. Symbolized
by the history of ship construction, this perspective aided Darwin in formulating his response to
British natural theology.