The Genius of Charles Darwin

The title of this three-episode British teleseries clearly indicates its take on Darwin and his theory of evolution—as does the host of each hour-long program, biologist Richard Dawkins (author of The Greatest Show on Earth), whose commitment to Darwinism is unequivocal. In the first episode, Dawkins presents a biography of Darwin, outlining the development of the naturalist's insights and the ever-increasing evidence in his favor, particularly through DNA; he also takes students on a fossil hunt to see whether direct affirmation will move them from opposition to open-mindedness concerning the theory. In the second segment, Dawkins confronts the dangers of social Darwinism, which applies “survival of the fittest” to the social, political, and economic realms to justify capitalism, colonialism, eugenics, and even genocide. The third program addresses growing religious opposition to evolution, particularly as seen in creationism and intelligent design theory, and describes Darwin's own crisis of faith. A strongly argued presentation of Darwinism as fact and a sharp rejoinder to those who reject it, DVD extras here include three short films on the Galapagos Islands; full versions of six interviews Dawkins conducted with scientists, church figures, and evolution opponents; and a booklet with material on Darwin and other contributors to evolutionary theory. Highly recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (F. Swietek)