Editing Human evolution (section)

=== Darwin ===
The possibility of linking humans with earlier apes by descent became clear only after 1859 with the publication of [[Charles Darwin]]'s ''[[On the Origin of Species]]'', in which he argued for the idea of the evolution of new species from earlier ones. Darwin's book did not address the question of human evolution, saying only that "Light will be thrown on the origin of man and his history."{{sfn|Darwin|1859|pp=[http://darwin-online.org.uk/content/frameset?itemID=F373&viewtype=text&pageseq=506 367–404]}}

The first debates about the nature of human evolution arose between [[Thomas Henry Huxley]] and [[Richard Owen]]. Huxley argued for human evolution from apes by illustrating many of the similarities and differences between humans and other apes, and did so particularly in his 1863 book ''[[Evidence as to Man's Place in Nature]]''. Many of Darwin's early supporters (such as [[Alfred Russel Wallace]] and [[Charles Lyell]]) did not initially agree that the origin of the mental capacities and the moral sensibilities of humans could be explained by [[natural selection]], though this later changed. Darwin applied the theory of evolution and [[sexual selection]] to humans in his 1871 book ''[[The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex]]''.{{sfn|Darwin|1981}}