God said; Let us make man in our
image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea,
and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and
over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
So God created man in his [own] image, in the image of God created
he him; male and female created he them.
And
God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and
replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea,
and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the
earth.
-Bible on creation
I think it’s very difficult to tell when humans have started
thinking about their origin as well as the existence of material world around
them. But, it was obvious to think themselves as a unique creature and entire
world is built to conquer by them. It gives more meaning to human life. Bible
tells story about human’s creation in such a way. Not only bible tells story of
creation, it was narrated in every religion in every culture. Religion tried to
give some answers about creation. Philosophers like Aristotle said that “nature
never work aimlessly, instead it try to make things more perfect. Like that
nature created life form from very simple form to complex and more perfect
beings like humans.” Aristotle’s philosophy literally influenced every religion
which develops later. Everybody believes that all life forms were created by
some supreme power and humans are more perfect version of that creation.
But, what if life came into being by accident and all species
existed are by chance only. Yes it sounds more unconventional but true. In 1859
‘the Origin of Species’ was published and after that world was never same
place. This book put big question on story about creation in religious books.
Darwin’s book with simple language and arguments shows that there is no one
running the show of life on earth. It also gave birth to various debates on
religion vs science after that. It was a major turning point in the history of
science.
I was fascinated by the idea of evolution so decided to read some
book on that. One day I picked a Marathi book named ‘Utkranti’ (Evolution) by
Sumati Joshi. This book tells about how theory of Evolution developed
throughout the course of history from ancient Greeks to Modern Human Genome
project. It was nice book. But I stuck on the Darwin’s character. Darwin’s work
revealed the evolution of life was obvious. I decided to know more about Darwin
and his work The Origin Species. Then one day I found a book ‘Charles Darwin
and the Origin of Species’ by Keith Francis. This book told that story of
‘the Origin of Species’ is not simple one.
Keith Francis book is one of the books in Greenwood Guide to the
Historic events, 1500-1900. This book is very descriptive and narrates story of
Darwin in six chapters which tell about the impact of Darwin, his life, about
his book and its background, reception of his theory, evolution in twentieth
century and way forward about theory of evolution. If one reads the Origin of
Species, he or she needs to understand the drama which had happened behind this
book. Here, book by Keith Francis book ‘Charles Darwin and the Origin of
Species’ fulfills that.
 |
| A book by Keith Francis Tells the story around Darwin's work |
Keith tells about life of Charles Darwin in second chapters. He
covered many small events in Charles life. Like his family, life at Edinburgh
and Cambridge Universities, his hobbies, his friends, life on HMS Beagle, Life
after voyage includes his marriage and writing on various topics, and death of
Darwin. Charles Darwin Born in very rich family in England. His dad Robert
Darwin was very successful doctor of Shrewsbury town. He lost his mother when
he was eight. His sisters became his surrogate mother. From the early childhood
Darwin became fond of activities like long solitary walks, collecting eggs,
shells and mineral, collecting varieties of insects and beetles. These
activities laid foundation for him to understand nature to become a Naturalist.
But, his father worried about his son activities, he thinks that Charles should
stop these activities and should pay attention to his studies or he will be
disgrace himself and name of family too.
Like his Brother, Erasmus Darwin, he was also sent to Edinburg
University to become a doctor. At that time medical science was not that much
developed. Even use of anesthetics during operation was yet to be discovered.
Crude methods of treatments, sight of human blood makes him sick. He fled
during stomach- churning operation on child. He decided that he will never
become a doctor. During his days at Edinburgh he continues his activities to
learn more about nature. He made many friends like John Edmonstone, freed black
slave who taught him how to stuff and mount birds. Charles another friend
Robert Jameson taught him course in geology and zoology. His friend Robert
Grant also inspired him because he abandoned his medical practice to study
marine life. He also joined ‘Plinian society’ a group of students who meet
regularly to discuss papers on natural history. These things were going to help
Charles during his voyage on HMS Beagle.
His father became angry after hearing that Charles literally
wasted his time on his natural stuff rather than studying medical. Then Charles
was sent to Cambridge for studying Art. There he met two person who change
course of his life John Steven Henslow, botanist and geologist. John Henslow
motivated him to learn geology. Henslow also suggested his name for the Voyage
of HMS Beagle as naturalist. Another person Adam Sedgwick taught him basics of
geology and he became enough knowledgeable to be the ship’s geologist.
When Charles was appointed as naturalist on the HMS Beagle he got
the lifetime opportunity to explore the world outside the England. Charles was
good at recording and documenting. He recorded each and every species he saw
during his voyage. He was also recorded geography of places he visited. This
record and documents help him later to formulate his theory. During voyage he
spent more time near South America coast. There on Galapagos Islands he saw
variety of geographical conditions and life form. His study of geology and
biology helps him to understand connection between geography and life forms.
 |
| HMS Beagle, Source:internet |
Charles
became a very famous man after publishing his papers on Beagle voyage. Now his
father was proud of him. After voyage Charles married to his cousin Emma
Wedgewood. He spent happy and quite married life. Charles spent most of the
time writing various papers as naturalist. He was honored by various awards. He
wrote book Origin of Species and Descent of Man. He usually avoids going in
public functions and dinner parties. Darwin died in 1882 at his house. Darwin had lived a full life, fun-loving student,
explorer, naturalist, husband, father, best-selling author, public figure, and
old man. From shy schoolboy to the most prominent scientist of the nineteenth
century, it had been a very ordinary and an extraordinary life.
His work on Origin of species started from 1854. He devoted his
most of time to write his observations from notes and records. He was not only
writing from his notes but also he was checking and comparing his records from
various places. He read An Essay on the Principle of Population by
Thomas Malthus and it gave Charles an idea. Malthus, an English economist,
suggested that competition for limited resources, particularly food, was a
major reason for disputes and wars. Applying Malthus idea to species, Charles
surmised that those animals and plants that were best adapted to their environment
would survive the competition for resources; the struggle for existence,
species that adapted poorly would die.
Charles had connection with people from various occupations like
naturalist, scientist, philosophers, breeders, and farmers. In Origin of
Species Charles mentioned their work as reference. He does not state any ideas
in isolation. Variation was one of such idea. In Christianity, fixity of
species had long history. Peoples believed that species never changed into
another species after god created them. Dog was the same dog which god have
created. So idea of variation and mutation was quite in trouble. But, Charles
mentioned his farmers and animal breeder friend’s experiences. Animal breeder for
getting desired characteristic they choose certain individuals with available
characteristic from animal group. There were many Pigeon breeders in England
who breeds various species of Pigeon like English Fantail, English potter and
English carrier.
In this way Charles put his arguments with very common and simple
examples. Charles hesitated to publish his work because he thinks his work is
challenging ideas of Christianity and he should not let involve himself in any
dispute. He also thought his observation and interpretation were different
because no other naturalists were close to his conclusion. One day he got a
paper from young Alfred Wallace his paper showing exact conclusion like
Charles. He realizes the gravity of his work. He thought Wallace will fight
with him over this theory, but Wallace accept Charles yearlong work and let him
publish theory on his name.
 |
| Darwin and Wallace, Source:internet |
In next chapter Keith tells the story of reception of Charles book
from 1859-1920. It tells how debates happened over it in public, scientist and
philosophers. Charles completed his work on his book and first publication came
in 1859. His book got mixed responses, some welcome his theory some opposed it.
His theory came in such time when Britain was going under various reforms. Like,
British abolished the slave trade, enacted major reforms of voting systems,
debates and development were happening on rights of women and on the definition
of democracy. So, people accepted and debated on his theory too. Charles never
participated in any debate on his theory. His friends Thomas Huxley, Joseph
Hooker, Charles Lyell, Richard Owen, Asa Grey, Louise Agassiz, Ernst Haeckel
and even Alfred Wallace defended his theory of evolution.
In next two chapters author particularly gave theory of evolution
in twentieth century. Author says, Charles Darwin’s book Origin of Species was
not complete solution on the problem of evolution but it helps to improve
vision about it. Darwin’s theory of evolution not only explained existing
phenomenon of life forms but also it gave predictions for unsolved problems; here
his theory was best amongst other theories. Many complications in theory of
evolution were solved in later time after understanding role of genes and DNA.
Darwin was not the only man who works on theory of evolution. Many
people work on it like French scientist Georges Cuvier, Georges Louise Buffon,
Jean- Baptist Lamarck, Etienne Geoffroy, and Saint Hilaire all were worked on
theory of evolution before him. But their theories somewhere assumes that all
forms of plant and animal life were created by God for specific purpose in
mind. But Darwin showed by his theory that natural selection is the process
that enable various forms of life to change from a particular form to different
one. Here Darwin was different in thinking from other naturalist. His view of
biology was mechanical. He did not involve an entity outside of nature to make
the machine of nature work instead he chose to explain extinction and
distribution of different species around the world by referring to the process
of natural selection.
One particular thing I like very much about this book is that list
of detail references and bibliography. These references are very useful for the
history readers. At the end of the book author also gave list and short
introduction of peoples who influences Darwin’s theory. Darwin wrote his theory
by giving some references of many scientists, philosophers and breeder’s work,
list of these persons also given at the end of book. It is very useful and
nicely narrated book that one should read.
Book: Charles Darwin and Origin of Species
Author: Keith Francis
Publishers: Greenwood Publishing, London
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