who did darwin get his ideas from

8 People Who Influenced and Inspired Charles Darwin

Full Answer

See more

Why did Darwin fail to distinguish himself at university?

The fact that Darwin failed to distinguish himself at university was a distinct advantage, since it meant he was free to ‘think outside the box’ of received knowledge: To accept the old holes and then ignore them and start again is not as easy as being unaware of them and hence free to start anywhere.

What is the letter Darwin wrote to his son?

One of the exhibits at the National History Museum is a letter from Darwin to his son, in which he gives a succinct explanation of the ‘art’ of scientific discovery – and one that has nothing to do with unusual thinking processes:

What was Darwin's first hand observation?

First-hand observation was key to Darwin’s success. Unlike most scientists of his day, he travelled the globe, observing animals and plants in their natural habitat. This meant that he did not have the same ‘facts’ as everyone else – unless you believe there is no difference between reading about something in a book and experiencing it for yourself.

Why was Darwin's lack of formal education an advantage?

Darwin’s relative lack of formal education was an advantage because it meant he wasn’t trapped inside the box of assumptions based on past knowledge, and could look at the problem with a fresh eye.

Who laid out the problem of evolution?

Janet Davidson and Robert Sternberg lay out the problem of evolution like a giant jigsaw puzzle, over which scientists of the day pored, struggling to fit the pieces together into a meaningful pattern. Like all jigsaw puzzles, it started out as a bewildering mess – but once fully assembled, it was hard to see how it could have been put together in any other way. At least, that was the response of Thomas Huxley, Darwin’s friend and colleague, on being shown Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection:

What is De Bono's influence on creativity?

De Bono’s ideas on lateral thinking have been hugely influential on the field of creativity. These quotations from his work are from the 1960s, but similar ideas can be traced in many more recent accounts of Darwin’s creative process.

What were Darwin's ideas about genetics?

In Darwin's conception, random genetic mutations would give some offspring physical advantages over others. These fitter creatures would outlive their companions in struggles with environmental conditions and with one another, enabling them to reproduce in greater numbers, passing the genetic advantages on to the next generation. Darwin imagined that over many generations this would give rise to whole new species—thus explaining all the kinds of plant and animal life we see.

What books did Darwin write?

On the other side of the ledger, books critical of Darwin and his theory include the masterly exposition Evolution: A Theory in Crisis (1985) by biochemist and physician Michael Denton and Darwin on Trial (1991) by University of California law professor Phillip Johnson, to name a few.

How old was Charles Darwin when his mother died?

Darwin 's mother tragically died when he was 8 years old, and he followed the loose and freethinking ways of his father and deceased grandfather. He wrote in his autobiography, "I may here also confess that as a little boy I was much given to inventing deliberate falsehoods, and this was always done for the sake of causing excitement" (emphasis added throughout).

Why was Darwin a victim of natural selection?

Yet, ironically, some might say Darwin was a victim of his own theory of natural selection because of the genetic dangers of inbreeding. In 1839, he married Emma, his first cousin. Both families had intermarried through first cousins for some time, a dangerous trend for heredity.

Why did Charles Darwin reject Christianity?

Charles Darwin eventually rejected Christianity, in part because he could not accept the fate he understood it to decree for unbelievers such as his grandfather, father, older brother and even himself. He wrote in his autobiography: "Thus disbelief crept over me at a very slow rate, but was at last complete.

How many years did Darwin spend on a trip around the world?

Those five years on a trip around the world would radically change his life and beliefs. Four great experiences then shaped Darwin's future. The first was the trip itself—he discovered a wonderment and love for natural history and geology that would continue throughout his life.

What was Darwin's greatest achievement?

Darwin's achievement was proposing a mechanism for evolution to work—natural selection. Two of the most influential people in Darwin's early life and thoughts were his father, Robert, and, indirectly, his famous grandfather Erasmus. Although Erasmus died before Charles was born, Charles' father made sure Charles was familiar with his grandfather's ...

Who was the most influential person to Darwin?

Thomas Malthus was arguably the person who was most influential to Darwin. Even though Malthus was not a scientist, he was an economist and understood populations and how they grow. Darwin was fascinated by the idea that the human population was growing faster than food production could sustain.

How did Darwin think life on Earth changed?

Lyell believed the Earth developed through a series of slow changes that built up over time. Darwin thought this was the way that life on Earth also changed. He theorized that small adaptations accumulated over long periods of time to change a species and give it more favorable adaptations for natural selection to work on.

What did Malthus' ideas seem to support?

Malthus's ideas seemed to support all of the studying Darwin had done on the Galapagos finches and their beak adaptations. Only individuals that had favorable adaptations would survive long enough to pass down those traits to their offspring. This is the cornerstone of natural selection. 03.

How did Darwin use the Comte de Buffon?

The Comte de Buffon's writings were used as evidence for Darwin while he wrote about his findings and presented them to other scientists and the public.

What was Charles Darwin's theory of uniformitarianism?

His theory of uniformitarianism was a great influence on Charles Darwin. Lyell theorized that geologic processes that were around at the beginning of time were the same ones that were happening in the present as well and that they worked the same way.

Who was Lyell's friend?

Lyell was actually a good friend of Captain Robert FitzRoy who piloted the HMS Beagle when Darwin sailed to the Galapagos Islands and South America. FitzRoy introduced Darwin to Lyell's ideas and Darwin studied the geological theories as they sailed.

Who was the first person to invent calculus?

Georges Louis Leclerc Comte de Buffon was first and foremost a mathematician who helped invent calculus. While most of his works focused on statistics and probability, he did influence Charles Darwin with his thoughts on how life on Earth originated and changed over time.

Where did Darwin get his ideas from?

A visit to the Galapagos Islands in 1835 helped Darwin formulate his ideas on natural selection. He found several species of finch adapted to different environmental niches. The finches also differed in beak shape, food source, and how food was captured.

Who was Darwin inspired by?

Darwin was influenced by other early thinkers, including Lamarck, Lyell, and Malthus. He was also influenced by his knowledge of artificial selection. Wallace’s paper on evolution confirmed Darwin’s ideas. It also pushed him to publish his book, On the Origin of Species.

What inspired Charles Darwin to come up with his theory?

A botany professor suggested he join a voyage on the HMS Beagle —a trip that would provide him with much of his evidence for the theory of evolution by natural selection.

What did Darwin discover on the Galapagos Islands?

On the islands, Charles Darwin discovered several species of finches. Thanks to his close observations, he discovered that the different species of finches varied from island to island.

When did Darwin publish his theory?

Darwin first mooted the theory of evolution in the late 1830’s, but it was not until 1859 that it was finally published in his landmark work, the Origin Of Species.

What did Erasmus Darwin discover?

abstract: Erasmus Darwin is typically studied and celebrated for articulating the first systematic British theory of the transformation of biological species.

What is theory of evolution by Charles Darwin?

Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution states that evolution happens by natural selection. Individuals in a species show variation in physical characteristics. As a consequence those individuals most suited to their environment survive and, given enough time, the species will gradually evolve.

How long did it take Darwin to make his theory public?

Although Darwin formulated his theory as early as 1837, it was to be more than 20 years before he finally made it public.

What is the best biography of Darwin?

The best biography of Darwin is Adrian Desmond and James Moore's Darwin: The Life of a Tormented Evolutionist. Desmond and Moore have also just published Darwin's Sacred Cause: How a Hatred of Slavery Shaped Darwin's Views on Human Evolution.

Why did Charles Darwin move to Down House?

Darwin and his wife moved to Down House in Kent, and from this period onwards, he was in poor health, probably caused at least in part by his intellectual anxieties. But Darwin's family inheritance allowed him to devote his time to science and to accumulate a mass of evidence supporting his views.

What was Charles Darwin's impact on biology?

CHARLES DARWIN'S ideas revolutionized biology in the 19th century, but they also had a profound and lasting impact far outside narrow scientific circles , challenging religious dogmas and affecting almost every field of human knowledge. Yet Darwin himself was a reluctant revolutionary--a man who shunned the limelight, ...

What is Darwin's theory of evolution?

The crucial idea is that evolution is the result of natural selection--organisms that are better adapted to their environments are more likely to survive and reproduce, thus passing on their advantageous traits to the next generation.

How long did Darwin's voyage last?

The voyage lasted nearly five years and was the turning point in Darwin's life. The Beagle took him to South America, the Galapagos Islands, Tahiti, New Zealand, Australia and southern Africa, before returning to England in 1836.

Where did Charles Darwin grow up?

Darwin grew up in Shropshire in England , and later attended Edinburgh University to study medicine, but soon discovered he did not have the stomach for it. He transferred to Cambridge with ideas of becoming a country parson, but instead, the botanist John Stevens Henslow ignited his interest in science. Charles Darwin.

Better late than never! Charles Darwin cleared of stealing ideas for theory of evolution... 40 years after historians first accused him

Iconic naturalist Charles Darwin has finally been cleared of stealing ideas that helped shape his theory of evolution more than 40 years after historians first accused him.

Share this article

The controversy all began in 1972 after a researcher found another letter from Wallace to a friend sent on the March 1858 steamer from the island of Ternate in modern Indonesia.