The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals (Barnes & Noble Library of Essential Reading)

By Charles Darwin and Brian Regal

In The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals Charles Darwin argued that emotions put forward by facial expressions were the products of natural selection. He compared modern facial expressions in various people and found the same basic movements regardless of the person's ethnic or cultural background. He also compared human and animal expression and found many startling similarities. He thought facial expression was not a learned behavior but somehow innate. This condition could only be explained by common descent, which was a rather radical idea for the time.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Barnes & Noble
• Release date: Sep 1, 2009
• ISBN: 9781411429710

Charles Darwin

Charles Darwin (1809–19 April 1882) is considered the most important English naturalist of all time. He established the theories of natural selection and evolution. His theory of evolution was published as On the Origin of Species in 1859, and by the 1870s is was widely accepted as fact.