Abstract
When Darwin wrote his famous treatise on evolutionary biology, Origin of Species, he was arguing from a platform built out of different values than those of his living tradition. Regardless, today in 2011 Darwin’s theory of natural selection has become scientific fact. To examine how Darwin was able to shape his scientific theory to better fit with his audience this thesis describes Darwin’s conception of how one is to live a rich and full life, and how that conception differed from his living tradition. From here, how Darwin, in his book Origin of Species, was able to use the stories of his living tradition to blur the lines of difference between his conception of a good-life and those of his more reluctant audiences. From the analysis, inferences are drawn regarding how Darwin used the stories of his living tradition to offer his audiences conclusions that could more comfortably fit within their value systems. These conclusions are discussed.