Evolutionary Philosophy Darwinism Charles Darwin l l British

Evolutionary Philosophy Darwinism

Charles Darwin l l British naturalist who proposed theory of evolution based upon natural and sexual selection He claimed evolution by common descent was the dominant scientific explanation of diversification in nature

Naturalism l l l Naturalism claims that no other reality besides nature and the sensory world exists Excludes all supernatural phenomena Humanity is part of nature

Growth and ideology l l The key questions of 19 th Century philosophy focused on history, development, and change over time The question became whethere was any central scheme to understand the process of growth and development

The Origin of Species l All animal and vegetable forms are descended from earlier forms by means of a process of evolution l Evolution is the process of natural selection

The Forms l l Plato’s theory of ideas argued that all life forms are immutable because they follow the patterns of the Forms Christian teaching sees immutability of life forms as a result of divine creative intent

Geological development l The presence of evidence of extinct species argued against immutable creation l Gradual changes over a long period of time can alter nature dramatically

Selection l l Selective breeding over time has altered the development of plant and animal species Natural selection in the struggle for survival ensures that only the strongest of the species will survive

Variation and survival l l The material of evolution of life on earth is the continual variation of individuals within the same species The mechanism of evolution is the ongoing struggle for the fittest of the species to survive in their environment

The Descent of Man l l The similarity of humans and animals indicate that humans must have evolved from the same ancestors as anthropoid apes Humans are the evolutionary product of random variations within the species

Adaptation l l Those species survive best which adapt over time to fit the environment Only those which have the requisite characteristics survive to pass on those traits

Human existence l Humans have lost their privileged place in the order of creation l Human intelligence, will, and spirit are simply the characteristics which allow the stronger individuals to survive

Legacy of Darwinism l l Naturalist view of human existence – biological laws govern human life Reevaluation of the supremacist view of the human species – humans are not qualitatively different from any other species Profound religious skepticism – the literalist interpretation of an all powerful God is rejected Anti-structuralism – the world is no longer seen as the product of a grand plan of a master intelligence

Legacy of Darwinism l l Eugenics – applies these concepts to human society, advocating certain superior persons breed or inferior ones not breed Social Darwinism – applies the concepts of survival of the fittest to nations seeking to survive in the world