One of the person's who influenced Darwin's Natural Selection theory was Alfred Russel Wallace. Just like Darwin, Wallace was working on his own theory about natural selection. Wallace sent his theory to Darwin in 1858, which came to Darwin as a surprise since it was very similar to his own, theory he had been developing since 1830. Both of their theories were published, although it was not well received at the time. Later own when their theory got recognized, it was Darwin the one to be more accredited for his theory. Nonetheless, Darwin and Wallace made a huge contribution to our understanding of the natural world. Wallace provided new information and evidence using warning colouration in animals as examples of natural selection, creating his own natural selection theory. Theory that was call The Wallace Effect. It occurs when natural selection favors reproductive isolation between two diverging populations, eventually creating two separate species x . Both Wallace and Darwin were committed to science, but their conceptions of science were dramatically different: for Wallace science was simply the search for truth in the natural world; for Darwin science must invoke only natural processes functioning via unbroken natural laws in non-teleological ways. Wallace’s view of science was unencumbered by philosophical assumptions whereas Darwin’s science was pigeonholed by the philosophical presumption known as methodological naturalism (or methodological materialism) x. 
With the knowledge and the different point of view that Darwin received from Wallace; he was able to follow and focus on his other processes, one that explained the evolution of particular characteristics such as the traits that were pass down during the evolution, but Wallace didn't seem to agree with this idea. Darwin didn't let this stop him, instead he focused one creating yet another important theory called sexual selection. Sexual selection focused on the evolution of many traits. One that related to one of the mechanism of natural selection, "In order for traits for natural selection to occur reproduction MUST occur!"
Many people might share the opinion that Darwin could of done his theory without the influence of the men who influenced him. But, more than influenced him, I think they inspired him to keep going and staying focus on his work. If he would of done it with no influence at all, his theory might not be the same since his ideas went back and forth often, having someone that shared similar ideas on natural selection helping to finish his master piece. With Wallace's help he finally formulated his now famous Natural Selection theory.
When On the Origin of Species came out, one of the first people to turn it down was the church. They didn't agree with evolution based on the fact that, it was not the way human existence was explained in the bible. Darwin's theory for them was not real because for them the human existence was a creation by God and not by the product of science. The church made Darwin's revolutionary idea be seem as blasphemy. Opinion that didn't really seem to change throughout the years. Now Christians are free to choose whether they believe in the theory of evolution or not.
Gaby, I am sending you an email regarding your first paragraph.
ReplyDeleteNote the the second "x" in your first paragraph links to a website that is listed under the "bad resources' page in the Blackboard course. This may have lead to some of the misconceptions I see in your post. Take some time to review that page so that you know what to look for in a good and bad source for this course.
Confused in your second paragraph with the statement that "Wallace didn't seem to agree with this idea" of the inheritance of traits, but this is a core concept of both Wallace's and Darwin's theory. Again, this may be rooted in an unreliable source.
I agree with your choice of bullet point, but isn't it fair to argue that ALL of the bullet points can be associated with both Wallace and Darwin since they both developed the same mechanism of evolution?
The section asking about whether or not Darwin would have developed his theory without Wallace really was intended to focus on your chosen scientist, not all scientists in general. Since Darwin had already been working on this theory for more than 20 years by the time Wallace began to correspond with him, it is difficult to argue that Wallace played a significant role in helping Darwin develop his theory. By this time, it was essentially done. But Wallace did make a major contribution by providing the impetus Darwin needed to finally publish his work. I do wonder if Darwin would have ever published without Wallace.
"When On the Origin of Species came out, one of the first people to turn it down was the church."
At that time, the church didn't play a direct role in scientific publications. They can certainly could express their opinion, but they were in no position to "turn it down".
But aside from that, the question doesn't ask how the theory was received after it was published. It asks how the church influenced Darwin's decision to publish in the first place. Darwin delayed for more than 20 years before publishing. Why? What were his concerns? And what role did the church play in his decision to delay publishing?