"Historian of evolution Edward J. Larson wrote in 2004 that in the 19th century, evolution was accepted remarkably quickly in Western scientific and educated circles. One major reason was the packaging that evolutionists employed. Had evolutionary beliefs been marketed as the materialistic philosophy they essentially were, Darwinism would have never made such headway in the West.
But because evolutionary beliefs were packaged as “science” rather
First, presenting evolutionary beliefs as science lent it immediate prestige and popular respect in both Europe and America.
Second, once this framing was in place, any criticism of evolutionary beliefs could be played off as an “attack on Science” —or worse, as pseudoscience or religion masquerading as science—thus affording it near iron-clad protection from scrutiny."
CEH
