Question

What specific ideas from other thinkers led Darwin to his conclusion about evolution?

Answer 1

Darwin is influences by following thinker which led to him to the conclusion of evolution-

1) Lamarckism- Jean Baptiste Lamarck (1744-1829) is a French biologist. He propose the theory the that physical characteristics acquired by use or disuse during the life time of the parent can be pass to offspring. However his idea of inheritance of acquired characteristics has been dismissed . Lamarck was among one of the first to propose that species change over time. Darwin in this book On The Origin Of Species (1859) support the idea of use and disuse inheritance but rejecting rest of the Lamarck's theory .

2) Charles Lyell- Charles Lyell (1797-1875) was a Scottish geologist and the author of this book Principle of Geology . He introduced the theory of uniformitarianism, in which he argued that gradual geological processes occurring over millions of years , shaped the earth surface . Therefor earth should have been far more older than what people use to think at that time. Lyell theory shaped Darwin's look towards the geological aspect of land. Darwin's experiments conforms many of the Lyell's principle.

3) Thomas Malthus- Thomas Malthus (1766-1834) is a ecologist and give The principle of population . He believed that human population grow geometrically and the resources grow arithmetically , that is human population will grow faster than the resource it is using and eventually out grow the resource . This will develop a natural competition and finally check the over growing population by famine or poverty outbreaks . He believe that it is some sort of punishment from the God for lazy men. This help Darwin to come up with the idea of natural selection .