Stephen Jay Gould was born on September 10, 1941, in New York City. As a young boy at the age of five, Stephen went to the Museum of Natural History in New York City where he saw the Tyrannosaurus Rex along with other large dinosaur skeletons. He decided that he wanted to study the fossils and evolution; he began to read up on as much information as he possibly could. As Stephen grew older, he discovered that there was a specific field of study that would fit in with his interests. This field of study is called paleontology. Mr. Gould graduated from Antioch University in Ohio “in 1963 with a degree in geology and philosophy” (Theory, 2009). While at Antioch, Stephen interned on a sea expedition with Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. In Bermuda he collected tons of snail fossils and brought them back to Antioch to study them. Gould continued his studies at Columbia University where he received his doctorate degree in paleontology. Here, he continued his studies of snails but began to look at snails from the entire Caribbean region. Stephen “became the leading authority on the snail known as cerion” which consists of about 600 distinct species (Theory, 2009). It was here at Columbia University that Stephen Gould slowly made his name be known.
While in graduate school, Stephen Gould met fellow graduate student Niles Eldredge and they both began to study the many snail fossils. In a New York Times article Stephen Jay Gould, 60, is Dead; Enlivened Evolutionary Theory (2002), it is stated that “the two students could not find the gradual, continuous change in fossil forms that they were taught was the stuff of evolution. Instead they found sudden appearances of new fossil forms followed by long periods in which these organisms chang...
... middle of paper ...
... and beliefs and is considered the savior of scientific essay. Stephen may have created many enemies from his work, but if it was not for him, many fields may have never been reopened to exploration and the development of new theories and ideas.
Works Cited
The theory of punctuated equilibrium. Academy of Achievement. November 17, 2009 Retrieved from http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/gou0bio-1
Williams, A. P. (n.d.) Book review: The mismeasure of man by Stephen Jay Gould [Review of the book The mismeasure of man]. Think a Bit. Retrieved from http://reachandywilliams.weebly.com/gould-1996-mismeasure-of-man.html
Yoon, C. K. (2002, May 21). Stephen Jay Gould, 60, is dead; Enlivened evolutionary theory. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2002/05/21/us/stephen-jay-gould-60-is-dead-enlivened-evolutionary-theory.html?src=pm&pagewanted=1
MAS Ultra School Edition. Wednesday, February 6th, 2014. Internet Stefoff, Rebecca. The. “Charles Darwin: And the Evolution Revolution.”
Gould, Stephen Jay. The Mismeasure of Man. W.W. Norton & Company. New York, London. 1981.
"Charles Darwin: The Father of Evolution." Darwin1. University of Missouri, n.d. Web. 04 May 2014.
... The “Doubting Darwin”. Newsweek.com - "The New York Times" 07 Feb 2005. 44. eLibrary.
Loewenberg, Bert J. "The Reaction of American Scientists to Darwinism." American Historical Review. 38 (1933): 687-701.
William Carlos Williams was not the first writer to explore the theme of scientific discovery and practise in literature, but he was one of the first American writers to do so in a positive manner. Works of European gothic literature had cemented the archetype of the mad scientist with figures such as Dr Frankenstein and Dr Moreau; while the birth and subsequent success of Science Fiction in the U.S with the short stories of Edgar Allen Poe show us that the American people also had anxieties regarding the potential of science. It seems expected that Williams, a man who spent most of his professional life practising as a Doctor, would be instrumental in breaking this taboo. In this essay, I shall be examining the way in which Williams and those who followed him chose to depict the scientific world, and how the practices of that world influence the style and structure of their work.
Darwin's theory of Evolution have been known by the world for many centuries. Even so, not all scientists supp...
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.
Keith Henson a writer in evolutionary psychology once said that “Evolution acts slowly. Our psychological characteristics today are those that promoted reproductive success in the ancestral environment.” Evolution was first introduced by a naturalist by the name of Charles Darwin. Darwin had written an autobiography, at the age of 50, On the Origin of Species (1859) explaining how species evolve through time by natural selection; this theory became known as Darwinism. “Verlyn Klinkenborg, who writes editorials and vignettes on science and nature for the “New York Times”” (Muller 706) questions Darwin’s theory in one of his essays he wrote called Darwin at 200: The Ongoing Force of His Unconventional Idea. Both articles talk about the theory of Darwinism, but the authors’ use different writing techniques and were written in different time periods. Darwin himself writes to inform us on what the theory is, where as Klinkenborg goes on to explain why Darwinism is just a theory. Today, evolution is still a very controversial topic among many. It comes up in several topics that are discussed everyday such as in politics, religion and education.
- Gould, Stephen Jay. Rocks of Ages: Science and Religion in the Fullness of Life. New
Gould, Stephen Jay. "The Mismeasure of Man" W. W. Norton & Company; 1996. Web. 7 June 2015.
The Conservationist, the explorer, the author, and one of the first people in the United states to want to stand up to preserve nature, John Muir was a pinnacle in the conservation movement, and he had an enormous impact on peoples outlook on the environment long after his time on this Earth. John Muir was one of the worlds first environmental activists. His actions helped to preserve places like Sequoia National Park, Yosemite Valley, and countless other wilderness areas. John Muir co-founded one of the most influential, and successful conservation organizations in the United States, which is still very influential to this day (Encyclopedia of Biography, 2010). Muir has been immortalized in the United states and around the world by having places like John Muir Trail, Muir Woods National Monument, Muir Beach, John Muir College, Camp Muir, and Muir Glacier all named after him in his honor (Wenk 2007).
Charles Darwin conceived two great theories in his publication The Origin of Species, but many more so in his lifetime. His first great idea was not published in this novel but was developed while aboard the HMS Beagle: a theory on coral reef formations. This idea of Darwin’s was later found to be scientifically factual and only began to open his mind to many more discoveries while on this same voyage. This expedition was heavily frowned upon by his father, whom referred to the voyage as a ‘useless undertaking’; his being only 22 years of age, Darwin sought to change his father’s mind so that he could go on an adventure that would not only change the course of his life but the entirety of the future of biology. In Endless Forms Most Beautiful, Carroll states, “We are an evolved – and still evolving – species.” The progression of the study of biology would be
My chosen career field is Secondary Education with an emphasis in science. I first became interested in the science field at a young age, but it wasn’t until I had our current science teacher that I really found a passion for the subject. Being exposed to many different science classes throughout high school, I enjoyed expanding my knowledge in the field. I believe teaching in the science field will allow me to do the same for younger generations that my teacher did for me. Culture, art, science, philosophy, and technology are all advancing at a rapid pace and I want to equip young minds with knowledge of them to create a better future for themselves, and develop characteristics to make a difference in our world. Pursuing this career field will allow me to make an immeasurable impact in society.
There are many myths when talking about science. Myths are usually routined views or stories that help make sense of things. Misunderstandings of science are most likely due to educational programs. The article focuses on ten myths.