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Topic: The origins of the evolution theory (Read 1036 times) |
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Fox
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The origins of the evolution theory
« on: 2005-10-28 12:27:12 » |
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Most people today would attribute evolution theory to Charles Darwin.
However, Alfred Wallace, produced a strikingly similiar theory independently of Darwin.
Wallace was, from what i have read, a very unassuming man who met misfortune in his works when much of his naturalist studies were lost in a ship fire.
This delayed his work but, in 1855, he still managed to develop a pre-Darwinian theory of evolution through natural selection.
Unfortunately, it attracted little public attention. It was only when he sent a further essay to Darwin in 1858 that Darwin realized that his work echoed his own, and so they offered joint papers to the Linnean society in 1858. Wallaces role became subordinate to Darwins, due to the latters greater effortsat publicizing his ideas.
An innately modest and different man, he coined the term 'survival of the fittest', although he himself did not survive long in the publics memory.
Fox
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Mentor
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Re:The origins of the evolution theory
« Reply #1 on: 2005-10-28 18:36:10 » |
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Wallace did in fact come up with a strikingly similar theory of evolution independently of Darwin and earlier too. It is unfortunate for him that he never received the recognition he deserved for it.
However, it is fortunate for us, because it gives us a window into the workings of science at a historically significant time in the history of science. What it shows us is that the time was 'ripe' for the discovery of evolution. Evolution is not Darwin's invention, but rather something he discovered in nature. Wallace found it too, independently from Darwin. Even if neither of these gentlemen existed, evolution would still have been found.
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