|
|
Evolutionary theory itself has evolved in man’s quest for understanding his origins. Many individuals have contributed to it, each modifying the work of his predecessors to address new data or resolve problems that arose from new information. This paper will briefly summarize some of the most defining contributions and trace the development of the theory of evolution from early to modern times. Views if origins will be categorized as early, pre-Darwinian, Darwinian, and post-Darwinian. Early Views of Origins The best-known early view of origins is that of the Hebrews. The Torah taught that an eternal, omnipotent, and all-wise God created the entire universe, including man, by calling it into existence. Creation began with apparent age, and complexity and design was woven into every detail. The species (Latin = kinds) were fixed by reproductive limitations which resulted when God commanded each to “bring forth after its own kind”. God created man in his own image and was his showpiece of workmanship. 1 Acknowledgement of this doctrine established man’s accountability to his maker. This view was subsequently embraced by Christianity, which had its origins in Judaism, but not until after the Greek Empire arose. The Greeks adopted a view of origins that included a multitude of anthropomorphic, deities. The gods of the Greeks though superior in power and knowledge to man, were themselves subject to the laws of nature and came from primordial matter. Gaia (Mother Earth) gave rise to all life, both men and gods. There were many views as to how this occurred, but most philosophers attributed it to various processes involving air and water. 2 Anaximander (ca.611-547 BC) is sometimes regarded to have developed the first written theory of evolution. He believed that the earth underwent a series of dramatic changes, each resulting in changed life forms. The early earth was covered by water, and the primary life form was fish. During one of its changes the continents appeared, and some fish became terrestrial. Humans, which to this point had lived as internal parasites inside these fish, broke free of their hosts and began their history of independence.
|
