Example research essay topic: Evolution By Natural Origin Of Species - 2,608 words

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The Origin of Species Charles Robert Darwin, the grandson of the British scientist Erasmus Darwin, studied medicine at the Edinburgh University and prepared for the ministry at Cambridge. Following his abiding concentration in natural history, however, he became a naturalist and sailed in this capability on the H. M. S. Beagle from 1831 to 1838.

The Beagle's voyage took Darwin to various Southern Pacific islands and to the coasts of Australia and South America. When he Returned to England, Darwin became the secretary of the Geological Society and, in 1840, published a treatise, "Zoology of the Voyage of the Beagle. " At this time he met Sir Charles Lyell, who encouraged him to write about his inbreeding experiments and to expound on his theory of evolution by natural selection. Later, in 1844, Darwin received from a fellow biologist, Alfred Wallace, notes exactness a theory - parallel to, but autonomous of, his own - on natural selection. Darwin carried on his study and, in 1858, published an essay delineating his own evolutionary theory along with Wallace's findings. The following year, The Origin of Species appeared. The book's first publication sold out in one day, stirring an instant clamor of controversy.

It is still recognized as one of the most disputed yet significant works of biological study In spite of length and weighty content of Darwin's work, the text is extremely easy reading. Early on in Darwin's first five-year expedition on the Beagle, he observed that, despite the distances between the remote areas he visited, the varieties of flora and fauna he found were analogous in structure and function. This led him to extend his idea that species were not immutable, but were forced to adapt to their ever-changing environments. In his introduction to the first version of The Origin of Species, Darwin noted: "I was much struck with certain facts in the distribution of the inhabitants of South America, and in the geological relations of the present to the past inhabitants of that continent. These facts seemed to throw some light on the origin of the species - that mystery of mysteries, as it has been called by one of our greatest philosophers. " After over twenty years of additional research, Darwin published his findings. Survival of th first would b a good description of this book.

Th book Origin of Spain is row today for its pouring view on th color of plants and animals. Favorable variations would tnd to b prs rvd, and unfavorable ons to b destroyed. Th result of this would b th formation of nw spain. " Darwin gathered th mass of supporting video on domestic animals and plants, on variability, on sexual section, on disposal that set most scientists book it. No question this book is still today controversial. This is possibly my favorit quot in th book as it shows since has yt another major obstacle, whr did w com from. Though Darwin's nam was to bcom synonymous with th idas of volution and natural section, th idas h put forth in his 1859 book, On th Origin of Spain, wr both familiar and revolutionary.

Th transmutation of spain and mans of chang wr controversial issus long book Darwin. At th tim surrounding th publication of his book, th chief xprint of volution was Jan Baptist Lamarck. Th main objections to Lamarck's this of volution or, transformism, as it was known in Franc, wr his xplanation's as to th process by which ths improvements wr archive. H proposed this was accomplished by two primary mans: th principal of us and discs and th concept of will. Though Lamarck did hav a following, th French scientific community did not outlook th shortcomings of his this. In 1830, nearly 30 yar's book th controversies ovr Charls Darwin and Origin been in ngland, Franc xprint the own had date ovr th issus of transformism.

Charls Darwin introduced his own idas on th subject of volution in th 1859 bstsllr, On th Origin of Spain. Though Darwin's nam and work ar internal for background knowledge of both natural and social scinc's today, th valu of Origin as since was highly debatable in Darwin's tim and h know it. In fact, as sur as h was about his this, h doubt the scientific credibility. "Thr is reason to big that in th cours of tim th facts hav bn great than can b provide by clar video. " I do not know how to mphasiz this statement adequately. Darwin is admitting that th video dos not support his they and that, vn so, h still choose to big it anyway. Clearly, Darwin had north of an intellectual upbringing to understand that unless a they had bn induced from observable facts it could nvr b mor than a hypothesis, and, as such, could hav no serious claims for scientific respect. H rapid that volution could not b observed directly and could only b duck from indirect video.

Thus, it was perhaps of no surprise to Darwin when, though his work was published, th reaction from th scientific community was sign and of hotel. A grat majority of th British land socity, both in and outside of London took a cautious lin. Discussion of th this put forth in Origin was xprssly forbidden outside of th annual prints' address, whr it was th custom to hav th chair summary important vote of th yar in th find or, when popl did, virtually, print metrical works that address issus brought up in Darwin's book. Th main objection, of cours, had to do with th lack of scientific method and was implicit in th socity' reaction of "speculation which is som what ironic when on consider th widespread scientific acceptance of supernatural cause for qustion's of origins, as discuss air. Nvrthlss, thr was sign, both implicit and xp licit. Darwin was acknowledge in th 1861 by th Society's Lord Hour, who, in printing a summary of th important dvlopmnts of th yar paid Darwin for his at mind, th mor than 20 yar's dedicated to his subject and his many ingenious xprint.

H not th spch by quoting from a review of Origin written by Thomas Huxly for th Wstminstr Review, April 1860, in which Huxly acknowledge that, although Darwin's this did not yt satisfy all th requirments for scientific logic, thy wr superior to anything yt proposed both past and print As strict as som of th land socity would b in the treatment of speculative thought, sign was not th rul vrywhr. By far Darwin raid his bst reception from th nosological Society of London, whr discussions of Origin wr mor front and opn than in any of th othr socity. This could partly b xplaind by th natur of the find. Insects provide a much with rang of data for testing in short intervals, and ar far mor numerous than mammals or fossils. Th data Inscta provid is plentiful and accessible for theorizing, xprimntation, and verification.

Th nosological Society also had lss formal and strict standards for what was considered "appropriate" in scientific discussions. In fact, records kit in the Proceedings of th nosological Society real an informality and directness that contrast nice with th formal part thy discuss. Like all scientists, Darwin developed his theory upon those of his predecessors. However, scientific view was always and remains - somewhat divided as to what contribution the theory makes to the organic sciences. Throughout the book, Darwin openly admits to the possibility of error and the need for further investigation; he is careful to point out that the idea of evolution by natural selection is "one of long argument. " Chapter II: Variation Under Nature Differences within a species are indistinguishable at first, but gradually may develop into variety that can restrict one group', range or ability to get food or escape predators... Thus, "varieties tend to become converted into new and distinct species...

and throughout nature the forms of life which are now dominant tend to become still more dominant by leaving any modified and dominant descendants. " Chapter III: Struggle for Existence .".. When a plant or animal is placed in a new country amongst new competitors, the conditions of its life will generally be changed in an essential manner... If its average numbers are to increase... we should have to give it some advantage over a different set of competitors or enemies. " Each natural being is striving to multiply to be strong, healthy, and to survive - often at the expense of members of its own species or those of a competing species. Chapter IV: Natural Selection; or the Survival of the Fittest The "fitness" of a species is modified by several special processes.

For example, sexual choice may occur when males of a population must compete with other males to possess mates. Those possessing some advantage -better weapons, greater energy, or more beautiful song or plumage - are more apt to survive or attract a mate, likely to leave the most progeny. Over time, such gradual version, along with changing conditions and outside struggle, can cause "an infinite diversity in structure, constitution, and habits, advantageous to one set of offspring over another, or to one variety within a species over another. "This principle of preservation, or the survival of the fittest, I have called Natural Selection... " As buds give rise by growth to fresh buds, and these, if strong, branch out and overtop on all sides many a feebler branch, so by age group I believe it has been with the great Tree of Life, which fills with its dead n d broken branches the coating of the earth, and covers the surface of the planet with its ever-branching and beautiful ramifications. Chapter V: Laws of Variation Reproductive "chance" creates differences. When the conditions of a species alter, those individuals that survive to duplicate may have beneficial modifications - organs or limbs that either become more strong or more useful, or else, when not needed for endurance, weakened and diminished. This is not to say, however, that the development of organs serving little purpose does not occur; it most certainly does.

The human appendix may demonstrate just such a process phenomenon. But any variation within a species is, unavoidably, a long, slow process. Chapter VIII: Instinct Usual instincts are inherited within each species. Ants and bees build their nests and hives with no previous knowledge. Birds migrate and build homes according to their exclusive inner senses. But instincts too may change over time as "consequences of one general law leading to the advancement of all organic beings...

multiply, vary, let the strongest live and the weakest die. " The rest of the book deals with related topics: hybridism; living species compared to those of early geological periods; extinction; geographical sharing of organisms; relationships between species; and the sorting of organisms. Objections to the general theory of evolution are presented in both Darwin's conclusion and dictionary of terms. Darwin's annotations led him to believe that species did adapt to their changing surroundings. Furthermore, he was led to protect as a logical, observable - and even religious - corollary of this termination, a theory advancing the probability of ordinary descent for all living creatures. virtually, that inspirational pull did tak fact and support for Darwin bad strong in th scientific community as part wr submitted that drw from and corroborated his idas. By th lat 1860 's, though not yt considered demonstrate truth, it was blind thr was finally north factual data accumulated th Darwinian this could b considered valid working hypothesis.

Th major untold scientific question would b in read to natural section as th mechanism for chang, which would bcom th is among th general public as wll. It took several yar's for th ida of natural section to bcom accepted within th scientific community. It going popularity from 1864 to 1869, but wand again btwn 1870 - 1872. Th irony is, if not for putting forth natural section as th mechanism by which volution occurs, it is very like Darwin's volution ary they could vr hav bcom stablish as it has. Perhaps th most appealing quality of Darwin's work was that it account for phnom non in a party naturalistic many. It was th most scientific xplanation yt, completely removing th supernatural xplanation, and string him apart from th theorists book him, such as Lamarck and still a good many scientists round to accept it.

Clearly, th original research question, "how wr Darwin's this of volution and natural section abl to xt beyond th scientific community", was naiv in assuming that just because Darwin was a scientist, and a wll rspca on, that th idas h put forth would hav bn immediately murad by his prs. Nvrthlss it is an interesting lesson in chang; that a man whos very nam is synonymous with since now, did at on tim bar th scrutiny of his colleges who questions th scientific credibility of th idas h print. That said, th is of popularity among th general public is still quit an intriguing question, for, vn though thr was som date ovr his logic on th Origin of Spain, is still mor of a scientific work, so th phnom non of its popularity remains a matter of interest. Authors of the highest reputation seem to be fully satisfied with the view that each species has been separately created.

To my mind it accords better with what we know of the laws impressed on subject by the Creator, that the creation and extinction of the past and present inhabitants of the world should have been due to secondary causes, like those determining the birth and death of an person. When I view all beings not as particular creations, but as lineal descendants of some few beings which have lived long before the first bed of the Cambrian scheme was deposited, they seem to me to become ennobled. The Origin of Species characterizes Darwin's many years of individual and intellectual struggle. It is candidly argued and presented in a flowing, orderly way, then left for each reader to weigh the proof. As a text on natural history, its ideas are refreshingly understandable and insightful.

Darwin goal in this book is to prov that different various of spain will com about because of direct or indirect action of th spain with th surrounding nvironmnt and / or conditions and also from th us and discs of certain inherited functions. Which than lads to th Struggle for Lif and thus you hav Natural Section, which mans that spain that ar not th bst quipped to survey bcom x tinct. Though thr was hesitancy ovr natural section, Victorian ngland had sn its grow and vol in laps and bounds, and many did not miss th connection btwn th volution of an organism and th changing fac of British society as th Workshop of th World. With for or against Darwinian doctrine, on could s that it certainly had a plac in discussion of social room, as ngland and its on of th most passing qustion's of the tim - do w act to provid social wll bing and opportunity for all, or do w giv into natur and allow survival of th first to tak its cours? In this page, I this to touch on th idas of Darwinism around th book Origin of Spain, what I found in rating this book and writing about this book is how th volution ary they got start, how popl privy it and most of all how Darwin's they has change ovr tim.

Research essay sample on Evolution By Natural Origin Of Species