Diversity Of Life: Evolution Before Darwin And Charles Darwin

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chain of being

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species could be arranged in a linear sequence, like links in a chain; dates back to aristotle; also known as the scala natura (ladder of nature)

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argument from design

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all of nature is designed in accord with a predterermined, benevolent, and supernatural plan

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john ray

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started the natural theology philosophical school

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william paley

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revived natural theology; viewed the creator as the master gardener, or cosmic watchmaker

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natural theology

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maintained that every living thing was perfectly adapted to its way of life; fit between form and function in organisms was designed by the creator

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carolus linnaeus

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believed species were fized and distinct types and therfore could not evolve or change; grouped similar plants together, based on their reproductive structures; his systema natura is still used by modern botanists

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system of hybridization

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new species must be hybrids of existing species; ignored adaptation of species to changing conditions

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george comte de buffon

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theorized that animals were formed from an internal mold; two modern ideas: biogeography (georgraphical distribution) was important in understanding natural history and the environment can influence the basic nature of animals

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theory of degeneration

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new species were simply a degenerate version of the created species; ancestral types were created, then wandered to different parts of the world - experienced new conditions, climates

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jeane baptiste de lamarck

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best known for his theory of the Inheritance of Acquired Characteristics; changes in the living body could be passed on to descendants; coined the term biology and invertebrate; thought evolution had to be both dredetermined and progressive

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theory of organic progression

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organisms changed along fixed and parallel paths

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robert chambers

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theory of system of linear development; claimed that man was descended from the lower animals; thought evolution was continuous and graduate

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system of linear development

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man was developed from the lower animals; thought evolution was continuous and gradual

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charles darwin

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eliminated chain of being, argument from design, and removed man from the center of creation as the Copernican revolution had removed the Earth from the center of the universe

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robert fitzroy

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captain of the Beagle; moody, intensely

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H.M.S. Beagle

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was to map the southern coast of south america, explore the interior, visit tropical islands, and native tribes along the way

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origin of species

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published by darwin in 1859; covered his theory of evolution by natural selection

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alfred russell wallace

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naturalist; race to publish theory of evolution by natural selection with charles darwin

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struggle of the fittest

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in every natural population, some varities must be better equipped to prevail in the struggle for existence

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natural selection

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evolution was a selective process

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Thomas Malthus

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published his Essay on the Principle of Population; wrote to counteract arguments that social progress could be achieved through a better understanding of nature; came up with the idea of the struggle for existence

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struggle for existence

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malthus proposed that population would increase geometrically, but resources could only increase arithmetically - would lead to a growing gap between too many people and too few resources