“Even if this notion [evolution] were ever to gain complete acceptance by the scientific world, Jewish thought, unlike the reasoning of the high priest of that nation [presumably Charles Darwin], would nonetheless never summon us to revere a still extant representative of this primal form [an ape] as the supposed ancestor of us all. Rather, Judaism in that case would call upon its adherents to give even greater reverence than ever before to the one, sole G-d Who, in His boundless creative wisdom and eternal omnipotence, needed to bring into existence no more than one single, amorphous nucleus, and one single law of “adaptation and heredity” [Darwinian evolution] in order to bring forth, from what seemed chaos but was in fact a very definite order, the infinite variety of species we know today, each with its unique characteristics that sets it apart from all other creatures” (The Educational Value of Judaism, in Collected Writings, vol. VII, p. 264).
I cannot speak for RSRH. But as has been pointed out before, there is a reason it remains the theory of evolution, not the law of.
Much more importantly, I would suggest, is the fact that RSRH did not, and would not, shy from discussion thereof, and did, and would continue to, clarify that no position on the issue need undermine one’s faith.
It is unclear to me why a position must in fact be definitively decided upon. RSRH did not view the sciences as becoming a part of the י”ג עיקרים. This is דרך ארץ, not Torah. The scientific method itself is about doubt. Scientists–and their groupies–who fail to acknowlege this are stepping out of their lane. Those of the frum persuasion who do so (while decrying rabbonim who step out of their lanes) are induldging in the mindset which Rabbi Dr. Joshua Berman has brilliantly coined “daas mada.”
Evolution, dinosaurs, et al as the forbidden topic (and/or having utterly unqualified persons preaching thereon, and turning מה רבו מעשיך ה’ into a joke and a codeword for not knowing science) would seem to be the more practical problematic issue.
I think that this avoidance of “daas mada” is quite important. I also feel fairly confident saying that R Hirsch would question the importance of having any opinion on the theory of evolution. How does looking into possible theories on the origins of biological diversity aid in one’s avodas Hashem? Note that studying the diversity itself - as it is now - certainly can help with cultivating yiras haromemus. But he was (correctly) extremely skeptical about the worth of these kind of historical investigations.
Today there are so many quite solid - & chazal based - explanations for ways to deal with the science concering issues like dinasaurs & “billion yrs old universe” that I have zero problems with the way Bereishis describes the formation of the world resp. earth.
Mechanchim should be aware of this instead of telling children these question are not allowed and the science on it is contrary to the Tora.