Month: February 2018

Charles Darwin is famous for his insights in to natural selection and evolution, but he would also be famous for quotes that evolved  😉  .
Darwin’s quotes have taken on a life and evolution of their own… Darwin is frequently misquoted, especially about natural selection …
… let’s explore…

The entire quote by Darwin from “On the Origin of Species” –

“As many more individuals of each species are born than can possibly survive; and as, consequently, there is a frequently recurring struggle for existence, it follows that any being, if it vary however slightly in any manner profitable to itself, under the complex and sometimes varying conditions of life, will have a better chance of surviving, and thus be naturally selected. From the strong principle of inheritance, any selected variety will tend to propagate its new and modified form.”

Darwin also commented in “On the Origin of Species” –

“I have called this principle, by which each slight variation, if useful, is preserved, by the term natural selection, in order to mark its relation to man’s power of selection. But the expression often used by Mr. Herbert Spencer, of the Survival of the Fittest, is more accurate, and is sometimes equally convenient.”
…which is where we got the phrase “survival of the fittest”.

…and, at a convention in 1963, a professor at Louisiana State University, Leon Megginson, interpreted Darwin –

” According to Darwin’s Origin of Species, it is not the most intellectual of the species that survives; it is not the strongest that survives; but the species that survives is the one that is able best to adapt and adjust to the changing environment in which it finds itself.Applying this theoretical concept to us as individuals, we can state that the civilization that is able to survive is the one that is able to adapt to the changing physical, social, political, moral, and spiritual environment in which it finds itself.”

…which he followed up, in 1964, with streamlining to –

“It is not the most intellectual of the species that survives; it is not the strongest that survives; but the species that survives is the one that is able to adapt to and to adjust best to the changing environment in which it finds itself……so says Charles Darwin in his “Origin of Species.””

“As many more individuals of each species are born than can possibly survive; and as, consequently, there is a frequently recurring struggle for existence, it follows that any being, if it vary however slightly in any manner profitable to itself, under the complex and sometimes varying conditions of life, will have a better chance of surviving, and thus be naturally selected. From the strong principle of inheritance, any selected variety will tend to propagate its new and modified form.”

Darwin also commented in “On the Origin of Species” –

“I have called this principle, by which each slight variation, if useful, is preserved, by the term natural selection, in order to mark its relation to man’s power of selection. But the expression often used by Mr. Herbert Spencer, of the Survival of the Fittest, is more accurate, and is sometimes equally convenient.”
…which is where we got the phrase “survival of the fittest”.

Charles Darwin, a brief overview…

Feb. 12, 1809 – Born
Charles Robert Darwin was born in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England at his family home. He was the fifth of six children.
He was fascinated by the natural world and began collecting shells, minerals, and bird eggs when he was very young.

Sep. 1818
Charles Darwin attends the Anglican Shrewsbury Grammar School.

Oct. 1825 – University
Charles Darwin attends University of Edinburgh to (ostensibly  ) study medicine.  He found he wasn’t well-suited to medicine and…

Jan. 13, 1828 – University
Charles Darwin attends The University of Cambridge.

Dec. 27, 1831 to Oct. 2, 1836 – Voyage of the Beagle
Darwin had planned a trip to Tenerife, which was cancelled due his friend’s unexpected death. About this time, a friend passed his name along for the position on the Beagle voyage (much longer story here, maybe we’ll tell it some time).

Jan. 4, 1837
Charles Darwin’s first speech to the Geological Society of London.
With Lyell’s backing, Darwin presented his first paper to the Geological Society of London Jan. 4, 1837.

May 1842
Charles Darwin published “The Structure and Distribution of Coral Reefs”.
The Structure and Distribution of Coral Reefs, the first part of the geology of the voyage of the Beagle.

Nov. 30, 1853
Charles Darwin received the Royal Medal of the Royal Society, the highest honor the society could bestow on a scientist, for the 3 volumes of his geology work while on the Beagle and his barnacle research.

July 1, 1858
Charles Darwin on Evolution
Darwin’s book was well under way when he received a paper from Wallace describing natural selection. Realizing that they work both working on this topic, their papers were presented jointly at the Linnean Society.

Aug. 20, 1858
Charles Darwin Publishes ‘On the Tendency of Species to form Varieties’
This paper was originally published in the Journal of the Linnean Society of London, Zoology.

Nov. 24, 1859
Charles Darwin’s”On the Origin of Species” is published
It was unexpectedly popular.

Nov. 30, 1864
Charles Darwin awarded the Copley Medal by the Royal Soviety

Mar. 1871
Charles Darwin’s “The Descent of Man” published

Nov. 17, 1877
Charles Darwin received an Honorary Doctorate of Law from Cambridge University

Apr 19 1882
Charles Darwin died at Down House. He was buried (unexpected by him) at Westminster Abbey, a rare honor.