The Development of Darwin's Theory: Natural History, Natural Theology, and Natural Selection, 1838-1859Dov Ospovat's book, originally published in 1981, has become generally accepted as one of the most influential books about Darwin published in recent years. Ospovat examines the period of 1838-1859, two decades preceding the publication of On the Origin of Species, in detail and shows that Darwin's views changed quite radically from initially believing that animals and plants were perfectly adapted to their environments, and that evolution only occurred when the environment changed, to believing that living things were not perfectly adapted, were in constant competition with each other, and hence were continually evolving. By placing Darwin within the other biological developments of the day, he is able to show that he was not the scientific recluse of popular myth. He also shows that there was a theological basis for much of Darwin's original 1838-1844 theory, and his later principle of divergence was influenced by his belief in evolutionary progress. |
Contents
Darwin and the biology of the 1830s some parallels | 6 |
Darwin before Malthus | 39 |
Natural selection and perfect adaptation 18381844 | 60 |
Part II of Darwins work on species | 87 |
Natural history after Cuvier the branching conception of nature | 115 |
Darwin and the branching conception | 146 |
Classification and the principle of divergence | 170 |
The principle of divergence and the transformation of Darwins theory | 191 |
Natural selection and natural improvement | 210 |
The development of Darwins theory as a social process | 229 |
Notes | 236 |
278 | |
291 | |
Other editions - View all
The Development of Darwin's Theory: Natural History, Natural Theology, and ... Dov Ospovat No preview available - 1981 |
Common terms and phrases
affinity Agassiz analogy archetype argued argument Baer Baer's Baer's law believed biologists biology branching conception Carpenter change in conditions Chapter Charles Darwin Charles Lyell classification concluded contemporaries creation creator Cuvier Darwin's belief Darwin's theory David Kohn descent development of Darwin's discussion Edwards's embryo embryology embryonic resemblance Essay evolution evolutionary explain external change external conditions extinction fact final causes forms fossil function Geoffroy geological groups harmony Hooker Huxley Ibid idea important individuals Kohn Lamarck large genera Limoges Lyell MacLeay MacLeay's Malthus mammals Milne Edwards morphology natural history natural selection natural theology naturalists notes occur offspring organic change Origin of Species Owen's Palaeotherium paleontology parent perfect adaptation perfectly pre-Malthus principle of divergence problem produce progress read Malthus result Richard Owen similar Sketch of 1842 speculations suggested supposed teleological teleological explanation teleologists tendency theory of natural thought tion transmutation notebooks unity of type variation varieties vary vertebrate Whewell