BiographyTheory of Evolution

Darwin’s contributions to Science

English naturalist and biologist

12.2.1809, Shrewsbury

Theory of evolution

Education (Edinburgh, Cambridge)

John Henslow

HMS ‘’Beagle’’

Observing principles of Botany, Zoology, Geology

Pacific Islands, Galapagos Archipelago

Sir Charles Lyell’s “Principles of Geology”

Geological Society – 1838 – 1841

Marriage with his cousin

Suffered from Chagas disease (due to an insect bite)

Origin of species

Natural selection – essence of Darwinian theory

Alfred Russel Wallace – similarity of ideas

On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, 1859

The Descent of Man – evoked controversy (human race originates from oran-gutans, chimpanzees and gorillas )

Selection in Relation to Sex (sexual selection) , TheExpression of Emotions in Man andAnimals , Insectivorous Plants , The Effects of Crossand Self Fertilisation in the VegetableKingdom , Different Forms of Flowers in Plants of theSame Species , and The Formation of Vegetable Mouldthrough the Action of Worms .

One of the great intellectual revolutions ofhuman history

Most scientists believed that each organism andeach adaptation was the work of the creator

The great tree of life

Five weeks long visit to the Galápagos Islandsin the Eastern Pacific Ocean

Various species live in different kinds ofenvironments

Unique finches, the famous "Darwin's finches"

Darwin’s theory of evolution entails the following fundamental ideas:

1. Species (populations of interbreeding organisms) change over time and space

2. All organisms share common ancestors with other organisms 3. Evolutionary change is gradual and slow in Darwin’s view

What Darwin called the “struggle for existence” Process of Natural Selection Darwin’s process of natural selection has four components:1. Variation2. Inheritance3. High rate of population growth.4. Differential survival and reproduction

Darwin - controversial to many religiousinstitutions and their followers, his theoriesstayed almost unchanged from the 19-th centuryuntil now.

Gave many answers on questions aboutexistence of all living things, from a basic bacteriato human being.

The first one who introduced biologicalevolution trough biological selection.

Excluded God from human evolution

Claimed that humans most probably evolvedfrom primates

Charles Darwin’s theories - ills of capitalism?

Application to economy and society - givingbirth to social Darwinism.

Notorious social Darwinists include the two wealthiest men of their time, Andrew Carnegie and John Rockefeller.

Andrew Carnegie John Rockefeller

The problem of heredity

Blending and separation

Pea plants

Mechanism of heredity – nonblending (Mendel)

Mendel’s laws

Neo-darwinism : Natural selection+ Mendelian genetics

Evolutionary biology nonconstancy of species = the modern conception of

evolution

Philosophy of science Darwin introduced historicity into science

Darwin ate the animals he encountered ; Glutton Club

Darwin and the Water therapy Bizzare treatments

Ascension island

Darwin was neurotic