Darwin was born to a wealthy family with interests in medicine and natural science. Darwin was born to a wealthy family with interests in medicine and natural science.The pivotal experience of his life was his 5-year voyage on the Royal Navy survey ship, the H.M.S. Beagle, where he collected specimens.- He first left med school & got a “poor” (third-class) degree in religion.
- He was initially seeking confirmation of the Biblical account of creation, but his experiences changed his mind.
Darwin’s findings raised many questions: Darwin’s findings raised many questions:- Why had God created so many different species?
- Why had God allowed giant armadillos (found as fossils) to become extinct but not the smaller armadillos?
- Why had God allowed some species to become totally extinct?
- How would there have been room on the ark for the giant fossils?
- How could the earth have been created in 4004 BC when the age of the fossils was much older?
Tortoises from islands just 50-60 miles apart had clearly different shells. Tortoises from islands just 50-60 miles apart had clearly different shells.On one island, finches had strong thick beaks to crack nuts and seeds, while on another island they had smaller beaks and fed on insects.- On a third island they had beaks better suited for eating fruit, berries & flowers.
Darwin wondered how such differences had developed – perhaps species are not fixed but are able to adapt and change over generations.
Darwin’s eventual theory was influenced by writings of several theorists before him: Darwin’s eventual theory was influenced by writings of several theorists before him:- Darwin read Quetelet’s summary of Malthus’s view of population growth – Malthus predicted an increasingly severe struggle for existence due to lack of food.
- “It at once struck me that, under these circumstances, favorable variations would tend to be preserved and unfavorable ones destroyed” Darwin wrote.
- He called this idea “Natural selection” or “Survival of the Fittest.” (1859) He delayed publication for 20 yrs.
First Darwin published his journal “The Voyage of the Beagle” which was very popular. First Darwin published his journal “The Voyage of the Beagle” which was very popular.In 1858, he became aware of Wallace’s theory of natural selection, and agreed to present both his and Wallace’s theory jointly to the Linnean Society.- There was little reaction.
In 1859, he published his “Origin of the Species,” which sold out immediately.- His theory was hotly debated (see famous Oxford Wilberforce/Huxley debate on pg 308 of text).
Do we share behavioral, emotional and cognitive characteristics with other species? Do we share behavioral, emotional and cognitive characteristics with other species?- In “The Descent of Man,” Darwin argued that “there is no fundamental difference between man and the higher mammals in their mental faculties.” (1871)
Morgan’s canon: “In no case may we interpret an action as the outcome of the exercise of a higher psychical faculty if it can be interpreted as the outcome of the exercise of one which stands lower in the psychological scale.”
Darwin suggested no genetic mechanism for evolutionary change. Darwin suggested no genetic mechanism for evolutionary change.Lamarck proposed that acquired characteristics can be inherited by offspring, speeding up change.Gregor Mendel demonstrated inheritance of physical characteristics in plants and laid the foundation for modern genetics.- This was the mechanism for evolution.
“The Expression of the Emotions in Man & Animals.” “The Expression of the Emotions in Man & Animals.”- Darwin studied facial expressions, anticipating later research by Paul Ekman.
Darwin kept detailed records on the growth of his son, Erasmus, and published them in “A Biographical Sketch of an Infant” in Mind, 1877.Dar win’s theory raised questions about the adaptive value of consciousness and mind & survival
Galton was one of the last amateur scientists, with eclectic interests:- Meteorologist, experimented with stereoscopic photos, studied fingerprints, invented an early teletype.
Anthropologist and explorer (sought source of the Nile).- Galton was impressed by how well people he met had adapted to their harsh desert environment (Kalahari).
- He published “Art of Travel.”
Galton was interested in measuring things: Galton was interested in measuring things:
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