Essay about Darwin’s Theory of Natural Selection and...

Anyone with even a moderate background in science has heard of Charles Darwin and his theory of evolution. Since the publishing of his book On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection in 1859, Darwin’s ideas have been debated by everyone from scientists to theologians to ordinary lay-people. Today, though there is still severe opposition, evolution is regarded as fact by most of the scientific community and Darwin’s book remains one of the most influential ever written. Its influence has even extended into realms other than biology and science. An entire method of looking at and interpreting society has come into being partly from the ideas of Darwin. This methodology is known as social darwinism.†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"Nature secures each...advance by a succession of trials, which are perpetually repeated, and cannot fail to be repeated, until success is achieved. All mankind in turn subject themselves more or less to the discipline described; they either may or may not advance under it; but, in the nature of things, only those who do advance under it eventually survive. For, necessarily, families and races whom this increasing difficulty of getting a living which excess of fertility entails, does not stimulate to improvements in production - that is, to greater mental activity - are on the high road to extinction; and must ultimately be supplanted by those whom the pressure does so stimulate.†[3] Here, the basis of Spencer’s social darwinism is seen. Those humans who are less intelligent or prosperous are weeded out by the evolution of society. Spencer elaborates on societal evolution in his book Social Statics. As society evolves, it is always striving for the ideal. â€Å"So long as society is let alone, its various structures will go on developing in due subordination to one another...Be sure, also, that whenever there arises a special necessity for the better performance of any one function, or for the establishment of some new function, Nature will respond.†[4] Since nature will take the responsibility for perfecting society, it follows that humans should not interfere with nature’s plan. In Spencer’s eyes, then,Show MoreRelatedDarwin’s Theory of Natural Selection and Social Darwinism Essay1179 Words   |  5 PagesCharles Darwin postulated a scientific theory, which stated that all living organisms evolved through a process of natural selection. According to Stephen Hawking, Charles Darwin claimed that the offspring of a particular species gradually evolved themselves genet ically to resist the changes in the environment (573). The theory contended that the organisms could adapt to the changes in the environment through the survival of the fittest. Though this theory is regarded as a breakthrough in the fieldRead MoreDarwin’s Theory of Natural Selection and Social Darwinism Essay examples569 Words   |  3 Pagesbelieving that over time, organisms must adapt to suit their environment. He explained his theories thoroughly in his book, On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection. Darwin decided it was possible for a species to change from one form and develop into another over time. This led him to the notion that all life forms were not fixed, but continuously changing or evolving. The other part of the theory was that living things weren’t the result of many separate creations, but of long, intertwiningRead MoreDarwin’s Theory of Natural Selection and Social Darwinism Essay811 Words   |  4 Pagespeople who have had the opportunity to study them in basic biology. However, Darwins theories of selection and survival of the fittest have been applied to moral, economic, political, and other cultural aspects of society. Dennett briefly touched on some of the political and social ramifications of Darwins theories in the final chapter of Darwins Dangerous Idea. Other philosophers and thinkers have also adapted Darwins evolutionary ideas, in order to apply them in a societal or cultural contextRead MoreCharles Darwin s Theory Of Evolution918 Words à ‚  |  4 PagesCharles Darwin’s Theory of Evolution is the most successful theory of it’s kind. Darwin’s idea of Natural Selection has found success not just in the organic world, but also in human society. This is no coincidence. After Darwin’s Beagle voyage, he returned to England during the Industrial Revolution. As a man of wealth, Darwin acted as a first-hand witness to the societal changes occurring around him. The Industrial Revolution, along with the corresponding economic theories played a large role inRead MoreCharles Robert Darwin and his Revolutionary Ideas1111 Words   |  5 Pages Charles Robert Darwin was born on February 12, 1809 in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England. Charles was one of six children and came from a long line of scientists. His grandfather, Dr. Erasmus Darwin, created the theory of evolution and his father, Dr. Robert Waring Darwin, was a well known medical doctor in his community. When Charles was 16, in 1825, his father sen t him to Edinburgh University to study medicine, in hopes that Charles would also become a medical doctor. However, three years into hisRead MoreDarwin s Theory Of Evolution1339 Words   |  6 PagesCountless scientists spent their lives working on a succinct theory of evolution, but none found as great of popularity and success as Charles Darwin. Using his concept of Natural Selection, Darwin managed to explain evolution in not just the organic world, but also in humans. The fact that Darwin’s theory transfers so easily to human society is no coincidence. After Darwin’s Beagle voyage, he returned to England during the Industrial Revolution. As a man of wealth, Darwin acted as a first-hand witnessRead MoreCharles Darwin s Theory Of Evolution1577 Words   |  7 Pagesfields of studies in the nineteenth century. In 1831, Darwin embarked on a British government-sponsored voyage on the HMS Beagle to the coast of South America and several remote islands in the Pacific, wh ere he closely observed the landforms and natural species that were native to these parts of the world, which he had never encountered before. Upon confronting these previously unidentified species, he made numerous observations, took copious notes in his journals and collected meticulous samplesRead MoreEssay on Social Darwinism1197 Words   |  5 Pages   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Darwin’s Theory of Natural Selection, a scientific theory that supported the belief of evolution, was manipulated and applied to different areas of life, and thus it became the shaping force in European thought in the last half of the nineteenth century. Darwin, through observation of organisms, determined that a system of natural selection controlled the evolution of species. He found that the organisms that were most fit and assimilated to the environment would survive. They would also reproduceRead MoreSocial Darwinism Is An Ideology Of Society1566 Words   |  7 PagesSocial Darwinism is an ideology of society that seeks to apply biological concepts of the laws of evolution by natural selection of evolutionary theory to sociology and politics, often with the assumption that conflict between groups in society leads to social progress as superior groups outcompete inferior ones. How we got to the point of coining the modern term of â€Å"Social Darwinis m† we would have to turn to the famous man himself, Charles Darwin. At first glance, Charles Darwin seems an unlikelyRead MoreSocial Darwinism And Its Effect On Society1069 Words   |  5 Pagescalled Social Darwinists. Social Darwinism is a competition between groups in society, usually resulting in the most fit, or most capable, coming out on top. Social Darwinists argue that the strong’s power and wealth should increase, whereas the weak’s should decrease. There are different views as to who these weak and strong groups are, but all Social Darwinists agree that the strong should be rewarded and the weak punished. The concept of Social Darwinism is based off of Charles Darwin’s theories