The History of Darwin’s Theory of Evolution - 980 Words

Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution. (Dobzhanski, 1973) It was during his journey on board the Beagle that Darwin developed his theory of evolution. â€Å"On the Origin of Species† (Darwin, 1859) proposed two main principles: evolution really occurs and natural selection is its mechanism. This work published on 24th November 1859 traces a coherent portrait of life bringing together in an orderly manner an astonishing variety of apparently independent facts. It led biologists to concentrate on the diversity of organisms, their origins and their relation, their similarities and their differences, their geographical distribution and their adaptation to various environments. Darwin (1859) arrived at two main†¦show more content†¦The need for food fashions the animal model. All which seem to have been gradually produced during many generations by the perpetual endeavour of the creatures to supply the want of food and to have been delivered to their posterity with constant improvement of them for the purposes required (Darwin, 1794-1796: section 39, â€Å"Of generations†). Finally the need for safety intervenes specifically in the specific shaping of the legs which enables animals to be more adapted to flee. However, this large visionary misses the mechanism which would make it possible to explain these adaptations. Jean Baptiste Lamarck Jean Baptiste Lamarck presented his theory on the transformation of species for the first time in 1800 in his â€Å"Discours d’Ouverture de l’an VIII†. He proposed: The animals most imperfect, simply organized, those suspected in a world hardly endowed with animality, are perhaps those by which nature began when, with a lot of time and favourable circumstances, it has wrought all the other (Lamarck, 1801: 12). For Lamarck, it was habits and environmental factors which influenced the evolution of the morphology of animals. With new shapes, new abilities are gained, and over time nature arrives to where it is now. Charles Darwin In 1831, Charles Darwin participated in a five year expedition on board the Beagle. Despite very little experience, he was offered the position of naturalist. During his travels, he studied aShow MoreRelatedShould Evolution be Taught in Schools? Essay759 Words   |  4 PagesEvolution has been taught in all public schools for as long as many can recall. Though the process of evolution is not the only theory, schools have been teaching it as if it is the complete truth, ignoring other aspects and only focusing and targeting on Darwins theory of Evolution. However, there are still many other ideas that the students should be informed of as well because all are theories, all are hypothetic. Teaching of the evolution theory have yet to be proven reliable and confirmed byRead MoreEvolution And Evolution Of Evolution1333 Words   |  6 PagesWhat is Evolution? Evolution is the modification of characteristics of living organisms over generations (StrangeScience.net, 2015); it is the gradual process of development by which the present diversity of living organisms arose from the earliest forms of life, which is believed to have been ongoing for at least the past 3000 million years (Hine, 2004). Common ancestry are groups of living organisms that share the most recent common ancestor, by which scientific evidence proves that all life onRead MoreDarwin s Theory Of Evolution Essay918 Words   |  4 PagesDarwin wrote The Origin Of Species, there was controversy over his theory of evolution natural selection. Darwin’s theory was debated between Thomas Huxley and Samuel Wilberforce at the British Association for the Advancement of Science in 1860. Wilberforce was against the idea that all living things descended from a common ancestor. He was highly critical of Darwin’s research, often arguing in his review that many points in Darw in’s theory did not have enough support to be valid. â€Æ' Debate of DarwinRead MoreDarwin s Theory Of Evolution1115 Words   |  5 Pages There are many theories as to what scientist believe is the forth coming of evolution or what they deem to be the reasoning behind its development. However, Charles Darwin would change the theories of evolution and would go down in history as one of the greatest influential figures in human existence. Although some scientist disagree with Darwin’s Theory, Darwin is the only person who was able to provide sufficient evidence to prove his theory of evolution. The one question that remains, Can GodRead MoreCharles Darwin s Theory Of Evolution1173 Words   |  5 Pages It is time to start believing. Evolutionary theories were first proposed by Charles Darwin in the 19th century, and 150 years later, these ideas are still being studied and proven today. Charles Darwin set the basis for these discoveries. Natural Selection and survival of the fittest are two examples of evolution. Charles Darwin once exclaimed, â€Å"It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.† ThisRead MoreCharles Darwin s Theory Of Evolution1577 Words   |  7 PagesNo man has been as influential in the history of evolutionary science as Charles Darwin, a prominent British naturalist, geologist and botanist who came to solidify himself in these fields of studies in the nineteenth century. In 1831, Darwin embarked on a British government-sponsored voyage on the HMS Beagle to the coast of South America and several remote islands in the Pacific, where he closely observed the landforms and natural species that were native to these parts of the world, which he hadRead MoreDarwin s Theory Of Evolution1339 Words   |  6 PagesCountless scientists spent their lives working on a succinct theory of evolution, but none found as great of popularity and success as Charles Darwin. Using his concept of Natural Selection, Darwin managed to explain evolution in not just the organic world, but a lso in humans. The fact that Darwin’s theory transfers so easily to human society is no coincidence. After Darwin’s Beagle voyage, he returned to England during the Industrial Revolution. As a man of wealth, Darwin acted as a first-hand witnessRead MoreCharles Darwin s Theory Of Evolution904 Words   |  4 PagesEvolution is the process new species or populations of living things develop from preexisting forms through successive generations. Some people believe in evolution and some do not. Scientists have found many ways to determine the way that a species can evolve over time. Charles Darwin is just one of these scientists. He came up with a theory that explains how species’ evolve and change. He believed that species change by a process called â€Å"natural selection.† Charles Darwin’s theory of evolutionRead MoreStrengths And Weaknesses Of Evolution1495 Words   |  6 Pagesthe evidence he found to explain his theories of evolution. Darwin kn ew that the text he was writing was controversial and many people discussed the evidence Darwin had presented. This evolution is simply a theory; There are strengths and weaknesses that do not exist if it were a fact. Three of evolutions strengths are the evidence of fossils and the connection between living animals and animals of the past, the idea of natural selection, and Darwins theory of survival of the fittest and freedomRead MoreCharles Darwin s Theory Of Evolution918 Words   |  4 PagesCharles Darwin’s Theory of Evolution is the most successful theory of it’s kind. Darwin’s idea of Natural Selection has found success not just in the organic world, but also in human society. This is no coincidence. After Darwin’s Beagle voyage, he returned to England during the Industrial Revolution. As a man of wealth, Darwin acted as a first-hand witness to the societal changes occurring around him. The Industrial Revolution, along with the corresponding econo mic theories played a large role in