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READING
D. J. Kevles, 1987, "Becoming a great naturalist," New Yorker, 7 December.
The publication of several Darwin-related books served as the background for a short, informative biographical essay on Darwin by a distinguished American historian of science.
E. Mayr, 1972, "The nature of the Darwinian revolution," Science, 176: 981-989.
Prof. Mayr explains how Darwin's work resulted in the refutation and rejection of a variety of previously held 19th c. concepts and theories, including natural theology, creationism, essentialism, a static world-view, and of course the nature of species. Mayr thus shows the hugely important contribution of Darwin not only in the history of biology but also to the history of ideas.
Prof. Mayr explains how Darwin's work resulted in the refutation and rejection of a variety of previously held 19th c. concepts and theories, including natural theology, creationism, essentialism, a static world-view, and of course the nature of species. Mayr thus shows the hugely important contribution of Darwin not only in the history of biology but also to the history of ideas.
F. J. Sulloway, 1987, "Darwin and the Galápagos: three myths," Oceanus, 30: 79-85.
Sulloway refutes three commonly held views about Darwin's experiences during his five-week visit to the Galápagos Islands in 1835, toward the end of the Beagle voyage: Darwin's "eureka-like conversion...throwing off the shackles of creationist thinking," his early recognition of the importance of geographic isolation in species formation, and that everything of evolutionary importance in the islands was discovered by Darwin during his visit there. Of course, the Galápagos Islands were very significant in Darwin's intellectual development, but their significance was slow in coming to him, well after he returned to England.
Sulloway refutes three commonly held views about Darwin's experiences during his five-week visit to the Galápagos Islands in 1835, toward the end of the Beagle voyage: Darwin's "eureka-like conversion...throwing off the shackles of creationist thinking," his early recognition of the importance of geographic isolation in species formation, and that everything of evolutionary importance in the islands was discovered by Darwin during his visit there. Of course, the Galápagos Islands were very significant in Darwin's intellectual development, but their significance was slow in coming to him, well after he returned to England.
J. W. Valentine, 1978, "Evolution of multicellular plants & animals, Scientific American, September: 66-78.
A broad survey of the organisms -- multicellular animals and plants, marine and terrestrial, extinct and extant -- during the last ten-percent or so of earth history. It was only a little more than half-billion years ago that life evolved beyond a single-celled stage, thereby diversifying into myriad environments and pursuing innumerable ways of life.
A broad survey of the organisms -- multicellular animals and plants, marine and terrestrial, extinct and extant -- during the last ten-percent or so of earth history. It was only a little more than half-billion years ago that life evolved beyond a single-celled stage, thereby diversifying into myriad environments and pursuing innumerable ways of life.
P. V. Tobias, 1992, "Major events in the history of mankind" in Major Events in the History of Life, J.W. Schopf, editor, Jones & Bartlett, 141-175.
Tobias reviews the evolution of the hominid family with special emphasis on the rise of humans over the last five million years. He traces changes and distinctive features of anatomy as well as the environmental context within which these changes occurred. Although there have been a number of new discoveries in human evolution over the last few years, this paper serves as an excellent framework within which to follow ongoing progress in the study of our origins.
Tobias reviews the evolution of the hominid family with special emphasis on the rise of humans over the last five million years. He traces changes and distinctive features of anatomy as well as the environmental context within which these changes occurred. Although there have been a number of new discoveries in human evolution over the last few years, this paper serves as an excellent framework within which to follow ongoing progress in the study of our origins.
R. Frye, 1983, "So-called creation-science and mainstream Christian objections," American Philosophical Society Proceedings, 127: 61-70.
Frye writes both as a scholar and an ordained minister in clarifying that creation-science represents only a narrow and extreme viewpoint not supported by any of the mainstream Western religions, whether Catholicism, Judaism, or Protestantism. He explains clearly that evolution and religion are not intrinsically opposed to one another, for each speaks to different aspects of human knowledge and experience.
L. F. Laporte, 1990, "The world into which Darwin led Simpson," Jour. History of Biology, 23: 499-516.
I describe how George G. Simpson, one of the major neo-Darwinists of the 20th c., was influenced as a young man by the Origin of Species, and just what themes it was in Darwin's writings that made such a special life-long impression on him. So convinced was Simpson by Darwinism that he wrote a number of articles and books for the non-specialist, revealing at least as much about his own personal philosophy of life as he did of Darwinian theory.
I describe how George G. Simpson, one of the major neo-Darwinists of the 20th c., was influenced as a young man by the Origin of Species, and just what themes it was in Darwin's writings that made such a special life-long impression on him. So convinced was Simpson by Darwinism that he wrote a number of articles and books for the non-specialist, revealing at least as much about his own personal philosophy of life as he did of Darwinian theory.
A. Alland, 1985, "Introduction" in Human Nature: Darwin's View," Columbia Univ. Press, 3-26.
Alland makes the case that Darwin was a "social evolutionist" but not a "social darwinist" in that Darwin believed that primitive societies represent earlier stages of human social development but that natural selection played little role in thereafter determining the state of advanced societies. Alland also notes that Darwin's views on "human nature" were more accurate when based on his own experience and observation, but was led astray when he relied on the reports of others.
Alland makes the case that Darwin was a "social evolutionist" but not a "social darwinist" in that Darwin believed that primitive societies represent earlier stages of human social development but that natural selection played little role in thereafter determining the state of advanced societies. Alland also notes that Darwin's views on "human nature" were more accurate when based on his own experience and observation, but was led astray when he relied on the reports of others.
R. Williams, 1980, "Social Darwinism," in Problems of Materialism and Culture, Verso Editions, 86-102.
Williams takes the position that "the theories of evolution and natural selection in biology had a social component before there was any question of reapplying them to social and political theory." He emphasizes that "if we must have an analogy, these [latter] theories...are like one kind of scavenger: darting opportunists around the body of actual science. But then it is not the science that is dead. It is the social theory of that system that had promised order and progress and yet produced the twentieth century."
Williams takes the position that "the theories of evolution and natural selection in biology had a social component before there was any question of reapplying them to social and political theory." He emphasizes that "if we must have an analogy, these [latter] theories...are like one kind of scavenger: darting opportunists around the body of actual science. But then it is not the science that is dead. It is the social theory of that system that had promised order and progress and yet produced the twentieth century."
G. G. Simpson, 1966, "Naturalistic ethics and the social sciences," American Psychologist, 21: 27-36.
Simpson discusses the naturalistic fallacy, dating from the 18th c. British empiricist David Hume who pointed out that it is not logical to pass from "is" to "ought." That is, the description of nature, however precise and accurate, is not a prescription for ethical behavior or moral certitude. With this awareness in mind, Simpson then explores what if anything evolution in general, and human nature in particular, might suggest in seeking a "naturalistic ethical system."
Simpson discusses the naturalistic fallacy, dating from the 18th c. British empiricist David Hume who pointed out that it is not logical to pass from "is" to "ought." That is, the description of nature, however precise and accurate, is not a prescription for ethical behavior or moral certitude. With this awareness in mind, Simpson then explores what if anything evolution in general, and human nature in particular, might suggest in seeking a "naturalistic ethical system."
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