Sri Aurobindo saw Darwinism as a stepping stone to crass materialism and socialism

Charles Darwin showed interest in Indian biodiversity: Book Daily News & Analysis - Mumbai, India

While Vivekananda approached "Darwinism" with a constructive but critical outlook, Aurobindo was a trenchant critic of the scientist's theory of evolution ...

According to experts on Darwin, his Origin of species.. and its sequel The Descent of Man have many references to India that he gathered from various sources, including the Curator of Asiatic Society, Edward Blyth, a multi-faceted scholar.

While Vivekananda approached "Darwinism" with a constructive but critical outlook, Aurobindo was a trenchant critic of the scientist's theory of evolution, Pillai observes. Thiruvananthapruam, Dec 10 (PTI)

Darwin showed interest in Indian biodiversity: Book Deccan Herald - Bangalore, India

Vivekananda, however, said it was difficult for him to accept Darwin’s theory as the final word on evolution and said ancient Indian sages had discussed the subject in their works like the "Samkhya darshan" of Kapila, Pillai said in his book.

However, Aurobindo was persistent in his criticism of Darwinism, which he saw as a stepping stone to "crass materialism" and socialism, it said."

The aim of both Vivekananda and Aurobindo could have been to establish that the concept of evolution was nothing new to ancient Indian philosophers. But it is clear that both of them had studied Darwin deeply and thought about the far-reaching impact of his theory", Pillai noted.

Darwinism had its references not only in the works of the torch-bearers of Indian renaissance, but also in the 19th century literary works, Pillai points out.