-
Pre-Darwin Evolution: Creationism and Lamarckism
Before natural selection evolution followed Creationism and Lamarckism. Creationism held that, "God created an infinite and continuous series of life forms, each one grading into the next, from simplest to most complex." (O'Neil, 2012). Lamarck argued organisms appeared spontaneously and evolved over time due to outside influences and acquired traits. Video: Biology Before Darwin - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4CKmYSMT_0 -
Charles Darwin's Birth
Charles Robert Darwin was born in Shrewsbury, England. Presently, the preeminent theory of this time in evolution is focused on a teleological explanation, that organisms follow a path of linear evolution. This argument has been the popular belief since Aristotle’s concept of Scala Naturae (Mayr, 2009). In effect, evolution is viewed as emergent, rather than spontaneous. -
HMS Beagle Voyage Begins - South America and Megafauna
One of the most influential parts of Darwin’s journey on the Beagle was not that of the Galapagos but, his study in South America. There, Darwin discovered fossils from exceptionally large, extinct mammals, megafauna. His discoveries included four different species of giant ground sloth, a Gomphothere and Toxodon (Pavid, 2018). The study of these animals along with living rhea greatly impacted his worldview and his understanding of the relationship between geology, extinction, and evolution. -
HMS Beagle Voyage Ends - Casual Theory of Life
Darwin theorizes the process of transformation of species from a common ancestor.He attempts to work out a “casual theory of life" to explain diversity(Sloan, 2019). As a result, Darwin introduces an “inertial” principle into his theory, in which dynamic force control populations (Sloan, 2019). Through empirical study, Darwin formulates that external changes such as limited resources and competition gradually produce a change within a species as well as individual functions within the species. -
Theory of Natural Selection
Darwin’s theory of natural selection can be established as a series of casual elements (Lennox, 2019).
1.Species have individuals that vary
2.Species increase at geometric rate
3.Increase is checked by natural phenomena
4.Variations will provide advantage over others
5.Variations survive and leave offspring
6.Offspring inherit variations
7.Favorable variations will pass more often
8.Over time this process changes the species
9.Over time variations will diverge into new species -
Origin of Species Published
Darwin introduces a new aspect to philosophy of science, the philosophy of biology and the historicity of science (Mayr, 2009). He attempts to explain evolution through a historical narrative. This study introduces the concept of evolutionary biology. In contrast to the other natural sciences, the scientist is constructing a narrative to explain a process that has already occurred. This theory answers the philosophical question of chance or necessity making teleological causes as unnecessary. -
Descent of Man Published
Darwin establishes his theory on the evolution of man. The importance of this ideal is that it puts humans on an equal plane with that of animals and other organisms. Pre-Darwin thought argued man was the peak of evolution. Darwin removed the role of immaculate creation, arguing man fell within the natural order of evolution, selection, and diversification. This argument spreads across philosophy, theology, and social and political theory. The empirical evidence for this was sexual selection. -
Expression of Emotions in Man and Animals Published
Darwin publishes Emotions, in which he argues that humans and animals show emotion by utilizing similar behaviors. He viewed emotion as an “evolutionary history” in which the expression of emotion could be traced through cultures as well as species (Jabr, 2010). Emotions are evolutionary and adaptive.The conclusions he draws in Emotions heavily influenced the field of psychology and provided theoretical questions of what emotion expresses, basic/innate emotions, and the universality of emotion. -
Charles Darwin's Death
Charles Darwin dies at age 73 and is buried at Westminster Abbey (Browne, 2002). The following video highlights the importance of Darwin's contribution to the philosophy of science which is to answer why we exist, that the existence of organisms does not stem from an intelligent, preconceived design, and that man falls into the same natural laws as other organisms in terms of evolution, diversity, and variation. Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5z4zuzu4IC0
