Charles Darwin s Impact On The Scientific Community

Charles Darwin is one the most influential scientists in our history. Without his speculation and theories on evolution, the way we look at evolution today may have been very misguided. Darwin created new ideas and theories that dramatically changed the way we see science today. His impact on the scientific community was both exciting yet controversial. Charles Darwin was born in Shrewsbury, England on February 12 in the year 1809. His parents were Susannah and Robert Darwin (BBC, 2015). While Darwin was growing up, he was encouraged by his father to stay in school and study in order to become a doctor. After two years of being enrolled in Edinburgh Medical School, Darwin decided that a medical career was not a part of his life interests (Zimmer, 2001). Disappointed, his father told him the only other thing he could do was become a priest. Darwin then began school in 1828 at Cambridge University, where he worked on serving the lord and becoming a priest. However, Darwin devoted more of his time to studying nature than reading his Bible (Zimmer, 2001). It was at Cambridge University that Darwin met someone who would be able to give him an opportunity that would change his life. John Henslow, Darwin’s future mentor, was a botany professor that Darwin grew fond of (BBC, 2015). Henslow recommended that Darwin travel the world on the Beagle, a ship that would forever change Darwin’s influence on science. Henslow recommended Darwin to the ship’s captain, and in December of 1831Show MoreRelatedDarwin s Theory Of Evolution Of Species1354 Words   |  6 PagesIn 1831, a newly graduated botanist named Charles Darwin was offered a position on a five year voyage mapping the coasts of South America. Darwin eagerly accepted this offer, seeing it as an opportunity to study specimens discovered on his journey. Upon returning to London, Darwin spent the next ten years meticulously cataloging and researching his findings. It was these studies that gave birth to a much deeper and more impactful discussion; the origins of species. Prior to Darwin’s studies the discussionRead MoreThe Death Comes By Charles Wyville Thomson, Commander Of The Ming Dynasty Of China Essay1692 Words   |  7 Pagescourageous men are Zheng He and Charles Wyville Thomson, commanders of very different ocean voyages, and both of these men led their respective crew members towards death with the hopes of conquering or exploring new lands. Zheng He, a worker for the emperor of the Ming Dynasty of China, commanded a giant fleet including 27,000 Chinese soldiers and â€Å"sailed as far as the Arabian peninsula and the eastern coast of Africa† in seven different voyages, starting in 1405 (Dreyer 1). Charles Wyville Thomson, a scientistRead MoreRelationship Between Science And Religion3252 Words   |  14 Pagesabout our physical universe, based on facts and empirical evidence that come to light via the scientific method – things that we can measure, verify, and prove beyond a reasonable doubt. On the other hand, the chief aim of religion is to control humanity by any means – this often means through fear, coercion, and preying upon their ignorance of the real world to subjugate and pacify them. Before the Scientific Revolution came along and transformed long-held worldviews, religion always firmly had theRead MoreThrowing Emotions On The Dogs1679 Words   |  7 Pagescomprehension. In other studies conducted, researchers question if pet owners familiarity to their companions influence their opinion on just how much animals are capable of feeling and understanding. While some discard the theory of animal emotion, Darwin provides evidence that discusses the physical attributes that creatures display when they are assumed to be undergoing a certain emotion or feeling. Frans de Waal starts his article off with, â€Å"Emotions used to be an uncontroversial part of any descriptionRead MoreEvolution vs. Intelligent Design Essay3619 Words   |  15 PagesCentury America The fact of evolution is the backbone of biology, and biology is thus in the peculiar position of being a science founded on an improved theory, is it then a science or faith? Charles Darwin The empirical detectability of intelligent causes renders intelligent design a fully scientific theory. William Dembski Introduction Questions on the origin of life and of the universe must have permeated human thought since the very beginning of the thought process itself. PhilosophersRead MoreThe Museum Of Natural History1242 Words   |  5 Pagesmarked 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 sticks out like a sore thumb, due to the fact that an exhibit based onRead MoreThe Invention Of Nature By Andrea Wulf1983 Words   |  8 Pagesclearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness† and is considered a prophet of pantheism. In addition, Muir found no cognitive dissonance between his family’s traditional Sc ottish Christianity and his view of the universe. While Muir s theological worldview contrasted with the views of Humboldt, it is because of Humboldt’s work on the field that lead Muir in his beliefs. Furthermore, Muir played on the work of Humboldt to help him experience the natural world in a new way. Where previouslyRead MoreThe Myth Of The Earth2163 Words   |  9 Pagesstill continue to search for the exact answer to how the Earth was created. With all the evidence presented, it is hard to refute from scientific theories. This becomes cumbersome to many religions because in their eyes God has always been the creator of the Earth. That is the case for Christianity, God has always been the creator of the Earth. Before the scientific discoveries were made, Christians had the idea of a young Earth. The belief was that Earth was created by God in six, 24-hour days andRead MoreThe Many Faces Of Social Darwinism1496 Words   |  6 PagesHollman 1 of 5 The second half of the 19th century was a time of great flux in the United States. The impact of the Civil War perturbed all spheres of American domestic life, leaving its citizens in a state of anxiety regarding their beliefs, government, and even their fellow man. These changes happened concurrently with advances in the sciences: on the eve of the Civil War, Charles Darwin published his influential On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation ofRead MoreState Lamark and Darwins Theory1727 Words   |  7 Pageselongated necks and front limbs to reach food in high trees through the straining of their necks. It was believed that that the neck and front limbs would progressively elongate each generation as giraffes stretched further. On the other hand, Darwin believed that genetic variation already existed with a population of organisms. Physical and chemical environmental changes or competition for resources acted as selecting agents for favourable genetic characteristics. The organisms with the genes