Following 1859, The Origin of Species had at last entered public consciousness. While the theories presented by Darwin were simultaneously being celebrated, condemned or challenged, it triggered a new form of self-awareness. Because Darwin initially avoided addressing the ultimate question of human evolution until The Descent of Man published in 1871, it would lead others to pursue the matter with diverse explanations. Known as the father of German Darwinism, Ernst Haeckel’s Natürliche Schöpfungsgeschichte (The History of Creation) was first published in German in 1868 and translated into English in 1876. Haeckel would confront what Darwin had eluded in the Origin with distinct social and political predispositions and influences.
To fully understand the development of German Darwinism, the 19th century German ethos must be closely examined. Crucially, “Darwinismus” (Weindling, 1989, p. 311) matured simultaneously with the unification of Germany in 1871. The transformation of Germany into a politically ‘unified’ nation would have a deep influence on the course, reception and ultimate misappropriation of Darwinian theories, indicating that “there were social reasons ... why the more radical implications of Darwin were attractive” (Bowler, 2009, p. 187). For example, the intensifying political power struggle between the Catholic Church and right-wing landowners against the rapidly rising Socialist movement caused the enormous popularisation of Darwinism. As support increased, Darwinism was used to reaffirm fundamental principles of the socialist left. Haeckel’s own writings contained “primarily liberal ideals and aspirations” (Paul, 2009, p. 237).
Indeed, Darwin’s theory of evolution through natural selection was widely contest...
... middle of paper ...
...fusal to confront the complex and often ambiguous nature of human history.
Works Cited
Bowler, Peter J. Evolution: The History of an Idea. University of California Press, 2009
Bowler, Peter J. Biology and Social Thought 1850-1914. University of California Press, 1993
Larson, B. The Dark Side of Nature: Science, Society, and the Fantastic, Pennsylvania State University Press, 2005
Paul, Daine B. ‘Darwin, social Darwinism and eugenics’ in Cambridge Companion to Darwin edited by Jonathon Hodge and Gregory Radick, Cambridge University Press, 2009
Reichert, J. Disciplining the Erotic-Grotesque in Edogawa Ranpo's Demon of the Lonely Isle in The Culture of Japanese Fascism edited by Alan Tansman, Duke University Press, 2009
Weindling, P. ‘Ernst Haeckel and Darwinism’ in History, Humanity and Evolution edited by James R. Moore, Cambridge University Press, 1989
One Long Argument: Charles Darwin and the Genesis or Modern Evolutionary Thought. Ernst Mayr. Harvard University Press, 1993.
Loewenberg, Bert J. "The Reaction of American Scientists to Darwinism." American Historical Review. 38 (1933): 687-701.
Michael Ruse, The Darwinian Revolution, pub. 1979 by The University of Chicago Press, Chicago 60637
In order to comprehend the present state of these two forces, it is necessary to analyze more completely the meanings of Social Darwinism and Social Welfare. Every since Charles Darwin published the Origin of the Species in 1859, social scientists have attempted to explain human behavior as a product of natural selection. In the 19th century, Social Darwinism held that history was about the "survival of the fittest" and "superior" social groups were evolutionary more fit to rule the world. Social Darwinism was at the heart of many pernicious theories of the past century, including scientific racism and eugenics (Goldfield, et al, 1998, p. 721).
Bowler, Peter J. Evolution: The History of an Idea. London: University of California Press, 1989.
Zhao, Buyun. "Charles Darwin & Evolution." Charles Darwin & Evolution. Christ's College, 2009. Web. 04 May 2014.
Dennett, Daniel C. Darwin's Dangerous Idea: Evolution and the Meanings of Life. New York: Touchstone, 1996.
Lennox, James. "Darwinism." Stanford University. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Fall 2010 Edition). , 13 Aug. 2004. Web. 12 May 2014.
Social Darwinism is a late 19th century term used to describe the application of British naturalist Charles Darwin’s theory of natural selection to social and political conditions. Late 19th century sociologist Herbert Spencer tried to capture the essence of social Darwinism with his phrase “survival of the fittest”. This essentially meant that the strong would rise to the top while the weak simply died out. Social Darwinists eschew social responsibility and compassion, instead believing that some people are more fit to survive than others. Many social Darwinists advocated that the government should maintain a laissez-faire, or hands off, approach when it came to regulating economic competition and alleviating social inequalities. Social Darwinism was used to justify the consolidation of the majority of wealth by a minority of Americans. The term allowed people to rationalize capitalism, imperialism, racism, and even eugenics. The wealthy believed in social Darwinism because it allowed them to justify their oppressive business tactics and low wages for their labor force. Politicians believed in it because it allowed them to justify imperialism, or expansion of the nation. Affluent Anglo-Saxons believed in social Darwinism, believing themselves to be the superior race, and used it to justify ...
Monastersky, Richard. (2004). Society Disowns Paper Attacking Darwinism. The Chronicle of Higher Education, Vol. 51, Iss. 5, A.16.
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.
Darwin, Charles. From The Origin of Species. New York: P.F. Collier and Son Corporation, 1937. 71-86; 497-506.
Desmond, A. & Moore, J. Darwin: The Life of a Tormented Evolutionist. W.W. Norton & Company. New York. 1994
Klin, Candyce. “Darwinism as A Cultural Issue” Cedar Crest College, 2 June 2001. Web. 17
Gould, Stephen Jay. "Evolution as Fact and Theory." The Norton Mix. Editor Katie Hannah. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2010. 110-119.