Critical to the theory of evolution, Darwin needed to include an idea that was not generally accepted by scientists or society at that time. That idea was that
A) catastrophism occurred at a uniform rate.
B) the inheritance of acquired characteristics was true.
C) the Earth must be very old.
D) uniformitarianism was false.
E) diversity of life was constant through time.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection required vast amounts of time for the gradual changes in species to occur, implying that the Earth must be very old. This was a critical assumption for his theory, as the processes he proposed would not have been possible within the shorter time frame that was widely accepted by society and many scientists of his era.

Critical to the Theory of Evolution, Darwin Needed to Include