QuotesCosmos
chapter II: "Variation Under Nature", page 52
“

It will be seen that I look at the term species, as one arbitrarily given for the sake of convenience to a set of individuals closely resembling each other, and that it does not essentially differ from the term variety, which is given to less distinct and more fluctuating forms. The term variety, again, in comparison with mere individual differences, is also applied arbitrarily, and for mere convenience sake.

— Charles Darwin

What It Means

This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "It will be seen that I look at the term species, as one arbitrarily given for the sake of convenience to a set of individuals closely resembling each other, and that it does not essentially differ from the term variety, which is given to less distinct and more fluctuating forms. The term variety, again, in comparison with mere individual differences, is also applied arbitrarily, and for mere convenience sake." in the context of "chapter II: "Variation Under Nature", page 52" to mean that wisdom is timeless.

Source: Wikiquote: "Charles Darwin" (Quotes, On the Origin of Species (1859)) The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app

Tags

#Charles Darwin#term#arbitrarily#convenience#variety#given#sake#mere#individuals#essentially#fluctuating#differences
Charles Darwin

About Charles Darwin

Charles Robert Darwin (12 February 1809 – 19 April 1882) was an English naturalist, geologist and biologist, best known for his contributions to the science of evolution. He proposed that evolution could be explained in part through natural and sexual selection. Prompted by awareness that Alfred Russel Wallace was developing similar theories he published his own sooner than he had originally intended. This theory is now an integral component of biological science.