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Literature & Society Darwin’s Origin of species: context and impact 09 2014 Prof.dr. Ben Peperkamp [Moderne Letterkunde VU] London, 1859 London, 1859 - Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life - Published November 24th, 1859 - Reprints – see Darwin online - A work of science - The founding text of evolutionary biology London, 1859 & afterwards • High impact in and outside the academic domain • Canonical • http://www2.hn.psu.edu/faculty/jmanis/dar win/originspecies.pdf Question? • WHY this “fascination” for (evolutionary) science in the public space, this vivid reception of a single book, this “impact” on 19/20th century society and thinking? • Answers: Cultural History, History of Science… • Reception-studies Our Perspectives - [a] Popular Science - [b] Theology - [c] Scientific Practices [a] Popular Science • “It was neither in the 18th century nor in the present that popular science reached its heyday, but in the 19th century. • This is due not so much to the amount of popular literature produced and read in that century, but to the significance of popularization for the self-image of the period.” Popular Science & Prestige • “The natural sciences were considered to be the motive force of progress in all areas of social life; whoever wanted to be ‘up with the times’ had to be familiar with their success and method of thought.” • Bayertz, Kurt: In: Expository science: forms and functions of popularisation. Popular Science - Scientific books for a general public, introducing Geology & Paleontology, Cosmology… - Opening of Natural Musea – “Jurrasic Parc in the 19th Century”, offering new experiences - Vgl. Science in the Marketplace 19th century Mammoth on Display Zeuglodon – British Museum Fighting Sauriers, in a German book Comparison - 1 Comparison – 2 New (1): ‘Deep Time’ • The creation is much older than the scripture suggests; Usher: ‘Genesis’ 4004 BC. • Proof: Erosion, South of England Crisis (2): Variability • Nature is not ‘stable’, but changing • Proof: fossiles [Source] • W.F.A. ZIMMERMANN: Die Wunder der Urwelt: eine populäre Darstellung der Geschichte der Schöpfung und des Urzustandes unseres Weltkörpers so wie der verschiedenen Entwicklungsperioden seiner Oberfläche, seiner Vegetation und seiner Bewohner bis auf die Jetztzeit: nach den Resultaten der Forschung und Wissenschaft. 18. Auflage mit 279 in den Text eingedruckten Abbildungen und einem lithographirten Titelbild. Gustav Hempel: Berlin 1861. Popular interest: Utrecht, 1866 example - Oral presentations of a scientific poem, called The Creation, written by the Dutch vicar, J.J.L. ten Kate - Literature, Science & Theology combined – and “communicated” in a public [not academic] setting - Literary dissemination of knowledge! De Schepping of J.J.L. ten Kate (Utrecht: Kemink & Zoon 18661) Cover [with prehistoric forest] en portrait of the author Hugh Miller: Sermons of Stone Manuscript of The Creation Detail: Utrecht, I - III Utrecht: newspaper & location . 31 [januari 1865] - Den Haag 26 [januari 1865] […] Zutphen 31 [januari 1865] […] ’ s Hage, voor H.M. de Koningin 1 februari [1865] […] Utrecht The Hague: Queen Sophia [Diligentia, Den Haag] [b] Culture & Theology - Bible (Old & New Testament): very fundaments of thought… - Big problem: “Deep time” and the notion of variability both contradict the Scripture! - Cf. Genesis 1th Chapter [creation in six days, no changes made afterwards] Genesis & Scripture • Ngram 1: Genesis / English / 1800-2000 • http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/GenesisChapter-1/ Protest in Athenaeum, Stemmen • [Statement] WE, the undersigned Students of the Natural Sciences desire to express our sincere regret, that researches into scientific truth are perverted […] for casting doubt upon the Truth and Authenticity of the Holy Scriptures. We conceive that it is impossible for the Word of God, as written in the book of nature, and God’s Word written in Holy Scripture, to contradict one another, however much they may appear to differ. • Citaat 5b: In het tijdschrift ‘The Athenaeum’ is voor eenigen tijd eene verklaring openbaar gemaakt van ongeveer twee honderd natuurkundigen, waarin deze hunne innige droefheid te kennen geven over de aanvallen door sommigen op naam der natuurkennis tegen de geloofwaardigheid des Bijbels gerigt, waarvoor volgens hen geen grond aanwezig is. Background: Fysico-Theological Tradition • Vivid (Protestant/Anglican) intellectual tradition: Book of Nature as second Revelation of Gods plan • Crucial: correspondence between nature and text • Cf. Jorink: Het Boeck der Natuere. Nederlandse wetenschappers en de wonderen van Gods schepping 1575-1715. Leiden 2006 [Diss.]. • Natural Theology • See Wikipedia [c] Scientific Practices - Miller & Ten Kate (and many others): were seeking for correspondence between (the history of) nature and the Scriptures – traditional - The Bridgewater Treatises On the Power Wisdom and Goodness of God As Manifested in the Creation - Problem -> solution / incoherence -> coherence Scientific Practices Darwin: innovative He kept the contradictions in tact, moreover: proofing that (interpretations of) the Scriptures are wrong as far as the development of the species are concerned Summary • Darwin's theory of evolution is based on key facts and the inferences drawn from them (vgl. Wikipedia) • Every species is fertile enough that if all offspring survived to reproduce the population would grow (fact). • Despite periodic fluctuations, populations remain roughly the same size (fact). Summary • Resources such as food are limited and are relatively stable over time (fact). • A struggle for survival ensues (inference). • Individuals in a population vary significantly from one another (fact). • Much of this variation is inheritable (fact). Summary • Individuals less suited to the environment are less likely to survive and less likely to reproduce; individuals more suited to the environment are more likely to survive and more likely to reproduce and leave their inheritable traits to future generations, which produces the process of natural selection (inference). Summary • This slowly effected process results in populations changing to adapt to their environments, and ultimately, these variations accumulate over time to form new species (inference). Research, 1859 - manuscript Research, 1859 - print • The Origin of species illustration demonstrating how the degree of similarities between a number of varieties and species is explained by descent from common ancestors. Research, 2006 – Computerreconstruction • http://systemsbiology. biowebdb.org/artigos_ curso_inverno_2010/ Ciccarelli_2006_Scie nce_felipe.pdf Implications • • • • Materialistic & Mechanic Vision No divine Creator No correspondence Nature / Scriptures Loss of Authority • Yet no explicit statement about men The Descent of Men, 1872 • The final chapter of that book, Chapter XXI, contains Darwin’s famous (and infamous) statement: “We thus learn that man is descended from a hairy, tailed quadruped, probably arboreal in its habits, and an inhabitant of the Old World.” Darwin as a Ape, 1862 The Society • In this cartoon, circa 1871, the gorilla is saying: "That man wants to claim my pedigree. He says he is one of my descendants." Mr Bergh (the founder of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) replies: "Now, Mr Darwin, how could you insult him so?" Reception • Initial shock • Adaptation & transformation: social darwinism, economic darwinism • Nazism: violence Discussion • Literary qualities of Origin? • Language of fact and description • Argumentative