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
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