Book contents
- Frontmatter
- PREFACE
- Contents
- LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
- DATES OF THE PUBLICATION OF CHARLES DARWIN'S BOOKS AND OF THE PRINCIPAL EVENTS IN HIS LIFE
- I Introductory Letter to the Editor from SIR
- II Darwin's Predecessors
- III The Selection Theory
- IV Variation
- V Heredity and Variation in Modern Lights
- VI The Minute Structure of Cells in Relation to Heredity
- VII “The Descent of Man”
- VIII Charles Darwin as an Anthropologist
- IX Some Primitive Theories of the Origin of Man
- X The Influence of Darwin on the Study of Animal Embryology
- XI The Palaeontological Record. I. Animals
- XII The Palaeontological Record. II. Plants
- XIII The Influence of Environment on the Forms of Plants
- XIV Experimental Study of the Influence of Environment on Animals
- XV The Value of Colour in the Struggle for Life
- XVI Geographical Distribution of Plants
- XVII Geographical Distribution of Animals
- XVIII Darwin and Geology
- XIX Darwin's work on the Movements of Plants
- XX The Biology of Flowers
- XXI Mental Factors in Evolution
- XXII The Influence of the Conception of Evolution on Modern Philosophy
- XXIII Darwinism and Sociology
- XXIV The Influence of Darwin upon Religious Thought
- XXV The Influence of Darwinism on the Study of Religions
- XXVI Evolution and the Science of Language
- XXVII Darwinism and History
- XXVIII The Genesis of Double Stars
- XXIX The Evolution of Matter
- INDEX
XXIII - Darwinism and Sociology
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 07 September 2010
- Frontmatter
- PREFACE
- Contents
- LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
- DATES OF THE PUBLICATION OF CHARLES DARWIN'S BOOKS AND OF THE PRINCIPAL EVENTS IN HIS LIFE
- I Introductory Letter to the Editor from SIR
- II Darwin's Predecessors
- III The Selection Theory
- IV Variation
- V Heredity and Variation in Modern Lights
- VI The Minute Structure of Cells in Relation to Heredity
- VII “The Descent of Man”
- VIII Charles Darwin as an Anthropologist
- IX Some Primitive Theories of the Origin of Man
- X The Influence of Darwin on the Study of Animal Embryology
- XI The Palaeontological Record. I. Animals
- XII The Palaeontological Record. II. Plants
- XIII The Influence of Environment on the Forms of Plants
- XIV Experimental Study of the Influence of Environment on Animals
- XV The Value of Colour in the Struggle for Life
- XVI Geographical Distribution of Plants
- XVII Geographical Distribution of Animals
- XVIII Darwin and Geology
- XIX Darwin's work on the Movements of Plants
- XX The Biology of Flowers
- XXI Mental Factors in Evolution
- XXII The Influence of the Conception of Evolution on Modern Philosophy
- XXIII Darwinism and Sociology
- XXIV The Influence of Darwin upon Religious Thought
- XXV The Influence of Darwinism on the Study of Religions
- XXVI Evolution and the Science of Language
- XXVII Darwinism and History
- XXVIII The Genesis of Double Stars
- XXIX The Evolution of Matter
- INDEX
Summary
How has our conception of social phenomena, and of their history, been affected by Darwin's conception of Nature and the laws of its transformations? To what extent and in what particular respects have the discoveries and hypotheses of the author of The Origin of Species aided the efforts of those who have sought to construct a science of society?
To such a question it is certainly not easy to give any brief or precise answer. We find traces of Darwinism almost everywhere. Sociological systems differing widely from each other have laid claim to its authority ; while, on the other hand, its influence has often made itself felt only in combination with other influences. The Darwinian thread is worked into a hundred patterns along with other threads.
To deal with the problem, we must, it seems, first of all distinguish the more general conclusions in regard to the evolution of living beings, which are the outcome of Darwinism, from the particular explanations it offers of the ways and means by which that evolution is effected. That is to say, we must, as far as possible, estimate separately the influence of Darwin as an evolutionist and Darwin as a selectionist.
The nineteenth century, said Cournot, has witnessed a mighty effort to “réintégrer I'homme dans la nature.” From divers quarters there has been a methodical reaction against the persistent dualism of the Cartesian tradition, which was itself the unconscious heir of the Christian tradition.
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- Darwin and Modern ScienceEssays in Commemoration of the Centenary of the Birth of Charles Darwin and of the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Publication of The Origin of Species, pp. 465 - 476Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2009