"The Catholic church has absolutely no view on 'Darwin's Theory of Evolution' or 'Darwinism' what is commonly believed by the magistarium is that one should not necessarily take the Bible in a literal sense ..."
-An excerpt from Robert Richard's
The Meaning of Evolution.
Charles Darwin, a British naturalist has revolutionized biological and genetic studies with his new idea of "Natural Selection." His theory on evolution, which held that a species had emerged from preexisting or "basic" forms. His liberal ideas in Natural History had aroused several disagreements among scientists and caused a division among them. In cognizance to DarwinÆs theory(ies) scientists today gives him the credit as being the first in all time to explain some of the disagreements between geologists. Some of these where how some rock layers were higher than others in some are but in other areas they were lower.
Early Years
Charles Darwin was born in Shrewsbury, England on February 12, 1809. He was the son of Robert Warren Darwin, a family doctor and of Susannah Wedgewood Darwin daughter of a porcelain manufacturer. His grandfather, infact, was the great English poet Erasmus Darwin. His early school training was at a small school house in Shrewsbury. After which his father put him into Edinburgh University in 1825 to 1827 for medical studies. Darwin showed no interest in being a physician after witnessing several major operations without anesthesia. He was then sent to be a pastor in the Church of England. He studied at Christ College at Cambridge University in 1828.
He lost his interest in Holy order by the and became interested in something never before, Natural History. In 1831 he graduated from Cambridge with a B.A. He met many connections who were his allies in a "war" against the scientific communityÆs belief of how evolution does occur.
Infact, one of his "connections" a professor and friend of his, Johns Stevens Henslow endorsed Darwin for an unpaid position as naturalist on a scientific five-year voyage on the H.M.S. Beagle. The ship took off on December 27, 1831, to explore and evaluate the western coast of South America and several islets of the coast of South America. Its Secondary mission was to set up Navigational posts along the coast line. Darwin was to learn of the biological and geological (of which he was not educated for!) Developments of the areas.
Research
Darwin, an uneducated (in geology, that is) supposed "geologist" made two critical discoveries of which later brought a contribution to his evolution theory. These were that volcanoes and earth quakes changed the rock layers and their order. This first discovery led to his second that is a key piece in marine biology, that coral reefs were made by the clumping together of skeletons of small animals and as more died and then clumped it made a large mass-the coral reef. His two geological and biological discoveries led to his primary conclusion that changes geologically and biological that things in nature will change over long periods of time. He published three books concerning his conclusions about these; Geological Observations on South America (1846), Coral Reefs (1842), and his most famous geological piece Volcanic Islands (1844).
It was 1856, DarwinÆs theories had been generally excepted among the scientific community. Except one, Natural Selection, this theory he had not yet, unleashed yet for it was far to complicated to be explained by tongue. He did tell his friends this, who in turn set him to meet with another individual Alfred Russel Wallace whom also had the same theory. Wallace had sent Darwin a letter outlining what he had thought about Natural Selection. The two went together after two years of research to LondonÆs Linean Society in 1858 to reveal what they thought. There was printed on November 24, 1859, it was under the title "The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favored Races in the Struggle for Life."
On the eastern seaboard South America, Darwin researched many topics of which made a strong importance to the scientific community. When the Beagle docked to the west coast and islands of the shore called the Galapagos he studied and researched like never before. This is also the scene for his most well known discovery - DarwinÆs Finches.
He noticed that every one of the ecosystems of the islands were exactly the same, the climate, geography, and the humidity; just alike. He noticed that there were a wide variety of avians (birds) on the islands. These birds, he noted, were similar in many aspects except their beaks. Some had long and slim beak -used for the small seeds, others had short, large, powerful beaks used for crushing the bigger seeds, he noticed also some with small, fine beaks -used for obtaining small insects. He later concluded, from fossil evidence, that all of these birds had a common ancestor who the "Evolved" into the different species we see today.
Conclusion
The impact of Charles Darwin will always be remembered. Under the influence of his spouse, and after keeping his new ideas to himself for years after arriving back in England, he finally recorded in a scientific journal what he found (explained above). His remarkable discoveries opened a new frontier in the scientific realm. He will always be remembered as a true pioneer in the theory of evolution.
Bibliography
Bowlby, John, Charles Darwin: A New Life; 1991.
Bowler, PJ., Charles Darwin: The Man and His Influence; 1990.
Keynes, R.D.,ed., Charles DarwinÆs Beagle Diary; 1988.
