Critiques of Darwin and Mendelian Inheritance

This chapter examines the criticisms of Darwin's theory of natural selection, particularly through the lens of 19th-century engineer Fleming Jenkin's flawed blending inheritance model. It discusses how Gregor Mendel's discoveries of particulate inheritance countered these critiques and reinforced the viability of variation in evolution. The chapter also highlights the evolution of neo-Darwinian synthesis, emphasizing the role of genetics in natural selection and the complex dynamics of evolutionary change.