Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Charles Darwin, A Scientist And Natural Observer Of The World

In 1871, a scientist and natural observer of the world published a book named The Descent of Man, despite it contradicting the widely held religious beliefs of the time. Charles Darwin, the naturalist famous for his contributions to evolutionary theory, applies his own theories of evolution to humans in his book, The Descent of Man, and explains that the common cognitive characteristics which define humans as unique have â€Å"...no fundamental difference between man and the higher mammals† (34). Darwin is able to push this point forward by hypothesising about the development of early man and how natural selection gave rise to certain mental capacities that are only a bit more evolved than other animals. The mental faculties he chooses to address in his publication are imitation, attention, memory, imagination, reasoning, and toolmaking. First, it is important to understand what natural selection and evolution are and how they would have strengthened mankind s brains. Accordin g to Darwin’s own theory of natural selection, organisms that are most fit for their environment are the ones that survive and pass on their traits to their offspring. The less fit genes, and their carriers, go extinct from the gene pool. Eventually, the gradual changes over a long period of time add up and the end result is a new species derived from another. Most observed animals evolve through the modification of their physical structure to suit their environments; however, humans have uniquely evolvedShow MoreRelatedEssay on Biography of Charles Darwin1365 Words   |  6 PagesCharles Darwin was a British scientist who laid the foundation of modern evolutionary theory with his concept of the development of all forms of life through the slow-working process of natural selection. His work was of major influence on the life and earth sciences and on modern thought in general. Darwin was born in 1809 in Shrewsbury, a small market town in Shropshire, England. His wealthy physician father was the son of Erasmus Darwin who had written Laws of Organic Life. His mother was theRead MoreDarwin s Philosophy That There Are Many Checks And Balances That Level Out The Population888 Words   |  4 PagesDarwin’s philosophy that there are many checks and balances that level out the population is one based entirely in reality. He is correct that a population cannot grow as fast as they are theoretically allowed, mainly due to the existence of natural predators and the physical limitations of the space that they are in. He also constructs an argument based on the introduction of invasive species and how man can have a major impact on the tendencies of species to reproduce and thrive. He brings hisRead MoreCreationism versus Evolutionary Theories Essay1216 Words   |  5 PagesI have always been fascinated by the two major theories in the world used to explain ho w the human race and other life forms came to be on planet Earth. These two theories are commonly known as the Creationism theory and the Evolution theory. I want to have a look at: who came up with these theories, why those theories exist, different beliefs on how old the earth is, basic timelines for each theory, central reason as to how humans came to exist and where the evidence used by each side to explainRead MoreThe Discoveries Of The Scientific Revolution1444 Words   |  6 PagesBefore the Scientific Revolution began to take shape around the year 1550, the world of science was exceedingly narrow and thought to be known. The scientific views of the pre-scientific revolution stem back even further than the popular Aristotelian era of science. Hippocrates contributed greatly to the field of science, especially in the field of medicine. It was during his years of medical studies that Hippocrates theorized the â€Å"Four Temperaments†. This theory hypothesized that there are fourRead MoreZoology Essay1264 Words   |  6 Pagesof animals based on specimens sent to him from all over the world. Although the word cell was introduced in the 17th century by the English scientist Robert Hooke, it was not until 1839 that two Germans, Matthias Schleiden and Theodor Schwann, proved that the cell is the common structural unit of living things. The cell concept provided impetus for progress in embryology, founded by the Russian scientist Karl von Baer, and for the development by a Frenchman, ClaudeRead MoreTheory of Knowledge - ‘the Ultimate Protection Against Research Error and Bias Is Supposed to Come from the Way Scientists Constantly Test and Retest Each Others Results’ – to What Extent Would You Agree with This Claim1552 Words   |  7 Pagesprotection against research error and bias is supposed to come from the way scientists constantly test and retest each others results’ – To What extent would you agree with this claim in the natural and human sciences. Human beings are inherently flawed creatures. Through faults in reason and sense perception we interpret the world not as it truly is. Both the Human and Natural Sciences are tools to understand the world and are a lens in which to comprehend ideas not readily available to us purelyRead MoreThe Museum Of Natural History1242 Words   |  5 PagesIn March of 2010, the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History marked its 100th anniversary with the opening of the Hall of Human Origins exhibit. The Hall of Human Origins is comprised of information that takes museum-goers back in time to witness human development over the course of thousands of years and its impact on the world. For many, this exhibit serves as an environment that fosters learning, increases knowledge, and sparks interest in anthropic history. Yet for others, this exhibit sticksRead MoreThe Role of Research and Statistics in the Field of Psychology1358 Words   |  6 Pagesonly truly be found through the above methods. The Scientific Method For as long as the human mind has had thought, human beings have, in one way or another, questioned, observed, and analyzed the world we live in and the way we proceed to live within it. These human beings, the thinkers, the observers, the analyzers have always been and still remain the scholars of their time period. The phrase â€Å"method of scholars† is an alternative title for the scientific method, for it is the absolute best setRead MoreEvolution : The Fossil Say No ! Essay2153 Words   |  9 PagesCreationism, it is theory that claims every element in the earth, including living species, are all created by the god as the Bible said, which denies the evolutional theory came up by Charles Darwin. Then, since Darwin’s evolutionary theory is testable and make solid predictions whereas creationism cannot be tested nor predict precisely, it has been considered as a pseudoscience. However, recently there is a Ph.D. Biochemist bring creationism theory back to the audie nce again, his name is DuaneRead More The Big Bang Theory Essay3469 Words   |  14 Pagestheory has developed a great deal since it was first conceptualized and continues to evolve today. Many different scientists have had a hand in this. Throughout time people have held different ideas of what the universe looks like, from the Aristotelian universe centered around the Earth to the Copernican universe with our Sun at the center. After Sir Isaac Newton invented physics, natural philosophers started to think that perhaps at one time there were no planets or stars but a cloud of matter. Then

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.