Charles Darwin was a godsend for cartoonists. This image, titled 'Man is But a Worm,' and published shortly before his death, shows the great naturalist seated on God's throne, overseeing the evolution of an English gentleman out of 'chaos.' In 1881, Darwin had published an influential book on the ecology of earthworms.
"On the favourable side of the balance, I think that I am superior to the common run of men in noticing things which easily escape attention, and in observing them carefully." - Charles Darwin (Autobiography, ca. 1876)
"In 1859 there began what ultimately may prove to be the greatest revolution in the history of thought. The Origin of Species, published in November of that year, effected an immediate and cataclysmic shift in outlook, casting into doubt ideas that had seemed basic to man's conception of the entire universe." - Michael Ghiselin (The Triumph of the Darwinian Method, 1969).
"The arrival of the Origin changed man's world. ... At once, it was seen to have implications far beyond biology. It struck at beliefs and behaviors from the most trivial to the most profound." - Michael Ruse (The Darwinian Revolution, 1979).
"No one doubts that Charles Darwin played a major role in the development of modern science and - thanks to the controversial nature of his theory - in the growth of modern attitudes and values. But more than any other great scientist, Darwin remains surrounded in controversy." - Peter Bowler (Charles Darwin: The Man and His Influence, 1990).
"Irony and ambiguity shrouded Darwin as no other eminent Victorian. ...a man of clockwork routine...who infused natural history with contingency and chance." - Adrian Desmond and James Moore (Darwin, 1991).
"Whenever Darwinism is the topic, the temperature
rises, because more is at stake than just the empirical facts about how
life on Earth evolved, or the correct logic of the theory that accounts
for those facts. One of the precious things that is at stake is a vision
of what it means to ask, and answer, the question 'Why?'" - Daniel
Dennett (Darwin's Dangerous Idea, 1995).
DARWIN AND DARWINISM
COURSE DESCRIPTION
A seminar course exploring the life and contributions of English naturalist
Charles R. Darwin (1809-1882). Topics will include the family and cultural
influences that shaped Darwin's development as a scientist; his educational
background; the Beagle voyage; circumstances surrounding the formulation
of his selection theory; the acceptance and implications of the theory;
and Darwin's other contributions to biology, geology, and natural history.
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
Seminar participants will become familiar with the major scientific,
social, and cultural influences on Darwin's life and career, and the
problems faced by historians who attempt to evaluate those influences.
Participants will gain experience using primary and secondary reference
materials to develop topics for original research papers.
A college-level course in evolutionary biology, or permission of the instructor.
Discussions will be based on readings from the following texts:
Darwin, Charles R. 1859. On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection. [Facsimile edition: Harvard University Press, 1964]
Ridley, Mark. 1996. The Darwin Reader. W. W. Norton.
Browne, Janet. 1995. Charles Darwin: Voyaging. Princeton University Press.
Browne, Janet. 2003. Charles Darwin: The Power of Place. Princeton University Press.
INSTRUCTOR
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Tulane University
Telephone: 862-8286. Email: darwin@tulane.edu