Darwin’s Theory of Natural Selection and Social Darwinism...

In 1859, a biologist named Charles Darwin postulated a scientific theory, which stated that all living organisms evolved through a process of natural selection. According to Stephen Hawking, Charles Darwin claimed that the offspring of a particular species gradually evolved themselves genetically to resist the changes in the environment (573). The theory contended that the organisms could adapt to the changes in the environment through the survival of the fittest. Though this theory is regarded as a breakthrough in the field of biological evolution, it is interesting to explore how this seemingly scientific theory has been suitably modified, and intellectually applied to both negative and positive aspects of life. In the†¦show more content†¦The idea of applying Darwin’s principle to promote caste and color discrimination within societies eventually came to be known as ‘Social Darwinism’. The high-ranked members of the society believed that, to maintain the prosperity of the society, the weak social groups should be oppressed to ensure their elimination in the future generations. According to Kramer’s film, The Monkey Trail, The unprivileged class deemed this sociological theory to be an obstacle to their progress, and complained that: †If nature decides the fittest amongst the human race, then, what right do the rich have to mistreat and oppress us?† In other words, the unprivileged class questioned the practice of ‘ethnic cleansing,’ if it is really a nature’s design. In response to the criticism of the ‘inferior’ class, supporters of Social Darwinism argued that just like organisms, societies have also evolved by natural selection, through which the fittest and the most brilliant members were the ones who were most successful in their societies. Using this idea as their line of reasoning, the upperclassmen contended that the most successful social classes were supposedly composed of people who were biologically superior. This inclined them towards killing and torturing the so-called ‘inferior’ race. Animesh, Ayon and Jacob argue, in their Internet article â€Å"Evolution and Elitism†, Social Darwinism was also used to supportShow MoreRelatedEssay about Darwin’s Theory of Natural Selection and Social Darwinism2627 Words   |  11 Pageswith even a moderate background in science has heard of Charles Darwin and his theory of evolution. Since the publishing of his book On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection in 1859, Darwin’s ideas have been debated by everyone from scientists to theologians to ordinary lay-people. Today, though there is still severe opposition, evolution is regarded as fact by most of the scientific community and Darwin’s book remains one of the most influential ever written. Its influenceRead MoreDarwin’s Theory of Natural Selection and Social Darwinism Essay examples569 Words   |  3 Pagesbelieving that over time, organisms must adapt to suit their environment. He explained his theories thoroughly in his book, On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection. Darwin decided it was possible for a species to change from one form and develop into another over time. This led him to the notion that all life forms were not fixed, but continuously changing or evolving. The other part of the theory was that living things weren’t the result of many separate creations, but of long, intertwiningRead MoreDarwin’s Theory of Natural Selection and Social Darwinism Essay811 Words   |  4 Pagespeople who have had the opportunity to study them in basic biology. However, Darwins theories of selection and survival of the fittest have been applied to moral, economic, political, and other cultural aspects of society. Dennett briefly touched on some of the political and social ramifications of Darwins theories in the final chapter of Darwins Dangerous Idea. Other philosophers and thinkers have also adapted Darwins evolutionary ideas, in order to apply them in a societal or cultural contextRead MoreCharles Darwin s Theory Of Evolution918 Words à ‚  |  4 PagesCharles Darwin’s Theory of Evolution is the most successful theory of it’s kind. Darwin’s idea of Natural Selection has found success not just in the organic world, but also in human society. This is no coincidence. After Darwin’s Beagle voyage, he returned to England during the Industrial Revolution. As a man of wealth, Darwin acted as a first-hand witness to the societal changes occurring around him. The Industrial Revolution, along with the corresponding economic theories played a large role inRead MoreCharles Robert Darwin and his Revolutionary Ideas1111 Words   |  5 Pages Charles Robert Darwin was born on February 12, 1809 in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England. Charles was one of six children and came from a long line of scientists. His grandfather, Dr. Erasmus Darwin, created the theory of evolution and his father, Dr. Robert Waring Darwin, was a well known medical doctor in his community. When Charles was 16, in 1825, his father sen t him to Edinburgh University to study medicine, in hopes that Charles would also become a medical doctor. However, three years into hisRead MoreDarwin s Theory Of Evolution1339 Words   |  6 PagesCountless scientists spent their lives working on a succinct theory of evolution, but none found as great of popularity and success as Charles Darwin. Using his concept of Natural Selection, Darwin managed to explain evolution in not just the organic world, but also in humans. The fact that Darwin’s theory transfers so easily to human society is no coincidence. After Darwin’s Beagle voyage, he returned to England during the Industrial Revolution. As a man of wealth, Darwin acted as a first-hand witnessRead MoreCharles Darwin s Theory Of Evolution1577 Words   |  7 Pagesfields of studies in the nineteenth century. In 1831, Darwin embarked on a British government-sponsored voyage on the HMS Beagle to the coast of South America and several remote islands in the Pacific, wh ere he closely observed the landforms and natural species that were native to these parts of the world, which he had never encountered before. Upon confronting these previously unidentified species, he made numerous observations, took copious notes in his journals and collected meticulous samplesRead MoreEssay on Social Darwinism1197 Words   |  5 Pages   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Darwin’s Theory of Natural Selection, a scientific theory that supported the belief of evolution, was manipulated and applied to different areas of life, and thus it became the shaping force in European thought in the last half of the nineteenth century. Darwin, through observation of organisms, determined that a system of natural selection controlled the evolution of species. He found that the organisms that were most fit and assimilated to the environment would survive. They would also reproduceRead MoreSocial Darwinism Is An Ideology Of Society1566 Words   |  7 PagesSocial Darwinism is an ideology of society that seeks to apply biological concepts of the laws of evolution by natural selection of evolutionary theory to sociology and politics, often with the assumption that conflict between groups in society leads to social progress as superior groups outcompete inferior ones. How we got to the point of coining the modern term of â€Å"Social Darwinis m† we would have to turn to the famous man himself, Charles Darwin. At first glance, Charles Darwin seems an unlikelyRead MoreSocial Darwinism And Its Effect On Society1069 Words   |  5 Pagescalled Social Darwinists. Social Darwinism is a competition between groups in society, usually resulting in the most fit, or most capable, coming out on top. Social Darwinists argue that the strong’s power and wealth should increase, whereas the weak’s should decrease. There are different views as to who these weak and strong groups are, but all Social Darwinists agree that the strong should be rewarded and the weak punished. The concept of Social Darwinism is based off of Charles Darwin’s theories Darwin’s Theory of Natural Selection and Social Darwinism... While he was on the voyage of the H.M.S. Beagle, a man named Charles Darwin viewed the relationship of plants and animals all over the world. He observed organisms on islands off the coast of South America and those on the mainland. His observations showed that these organisms were related, but not identical. This led Darwin into believing that over time, organisms must adapt to suit their environment. He explained his theories thoroughly in his book, On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection. Darwin decided it was possible for a species to change from one form and develop into another over time. This led him to the notion that all life forms were not fixed, but continuously changing or evolving. The other part of the†¦show more content†¦Basically, they took Darwins theory of natural selection, which was intended to apply only to selection through genetic variability, and applied it to selection between human groups differentiated by culture alone. The concept, referred to as social Darwinism, embraced all efforts to apply Darwinian biology and evolution to human society. Through the years, social Darwinism became widely popular and was used to justify predatory capitalism, social classes, racial prejudices, and imperialism. One of the many social Darwinists was a man named William Graham Sumner. In his lectures and writings, Sumner became one of the leading proponents of laissez-faire economics and social Darwinism, opposing all government efforts to regulate business or to combat social inequality. In his book, That it is Not Wicked to Be Rich, Sumner spoke of social classes in the United States. He argued that social existence was a competitive struggle among individuals possessing different natural capacities and traits. Overall, those with better traits succeeded, becoming wealthy and powerful, while those lacking in inner discipline or intelligence sank into poverty. He felt that people who were poor we born to be that way, and they could do nothing about. Because of this, Sumner was against government assistance of any kind. As you can see,Show MoreRelatedDarwin’s Theory of Natural Selection and Social Darwinism Essay1179 Words   |  5 PagesCharles Darwin postulated a scientific theory, which stated that all living organisms evolved through a process of natural selection. According to Stephen Hawking, Charles Darwin claimed that the offspring of a particular species gradually evolved themselves genetically to resist the changes in the environment (573). The theory contended that the organisms could adapt to the changes in the environment through the survival of the fittest. Though this theory is regarded as a breakthrough in the fieldRead MoreEssay about Darwin’s Theory of Natural Selection and Social Darwinism2627 Words   |  11 Pageswith even a moderate background in science has heard of Charles Darwin and his theory of evolution. Since the publishing of his book On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection in 1859, Darwin’s ideas have been debated by everyone from scientists to theologians to ordinary lay-people. Today, though there is still severe opposition, evolution is regarded as fact by most of the scientific community and Darwin’s book remains one of the most influential ever written. Its influenceRead MoreDarwin’s Theory of Natural Selection and Social Darwinism Essay811 Words   |  4 Pagespeople who have had the opportunity to study them in basic biology. However, Darwins theories of selection and survival of the fittest have been applied to moral, economic, political, and other cultural aspects of society. Dennett briefly touched on some of the political and social ramifications of Darwins theories in the final chapter of Darwins Dangerous Idea. Other philosophers and thinkers have also adapted Darwins evolutionary ideas, in order to apply them in a societal or cultural contextRead MoreCharles Darwin s Theory Of Evolution918 Words   |  4 PagesCharles Darwin’s Theory of Evolution is the most successful theory of it’s kind. Darwin’s idea of Natural Selection has found success not just in the organic world, but also in human society. This is no coincidence. After Darwin’s Beagle voyage, he returned to England d uring the Industrial Revolution. As a man of wealth, Darwin acted as a first-hand witness to the societal changes occurring around him. The Industrial Revolution, along with the corresponding economic theories played a large role inRead MoreCharles Robert Darwin and his Revolutionary Ideas1111 Words   |  5 Pages Charles Robert Darwin was born on February 12, 1809 in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England. Charles was one of six children and came from a long line of scientists. His grandfather, Dr. Erasmus Darwin, created the theory of evolution and his father, Dr. Robert Waring Darwin, was a well known medical doctor in his community. When Charles was 16, in 1825, his father sent him to Edinburgh University to study medicine, in hopes that Charles would also become a medical doctor. However, three years into hisRead MoreDarwin s Theory Of Evolution1339 Words   |  6 PagesCountless scientists spent their lives working on a succinct theory of evolution, but none found as great of popu larity and success as Charles Darwin. Using his concept of Natural Selection, Darwin managed to explain evolution in not just the organic world, but also in humans. The fact that Darwin’s theory transfers so easily to human society is no coincidence. After Darwin’s Beagle voyage, he returned to England during the Industrial Revolution. As a man of wealth, Darwin acted as a first-hand witnessRead MoreCharles Darwin s Theory Of Evolution1577 Words   |  7 Pagesfields of studies in the nineteenth century. In 1831, Darwin embarked on a British government-sponsored voyage on the HMS Beagle to the coast of South America and several remote islands in the Pacific, where he closely observed the landforms and natural species that were native to these parts of the world, which he had never encountered before. Upon confronting these previously unidentified species, he made numerous observations, took copious notes in his journals and collected meticulous samplesRead MoreEssay on Social Darwinism1197 Words   |  5 Pages   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Darwin’s Theory of Natural Selection, a scientific theory that supported the belief of evolution, was manipulated and applied to different areas of life, and thus it became the shaping force in European thought in the last half of the nineteenth century. Darwin, through observation of organisms, determined that a system of natural selection controlled the evolution of species. He found that the organisms that were most fit and assimilated to the environment would survive. They would also reproduceRead MoreSocial Darwinism Is An Ideology Of Society1566 Words   |  7 PagesSocial Darwinism is an ideology of society that seeks to apply biological concepts of the laws of evolution by natural selection of evolutionary theory to sociology and politics, often with the assumption that conflict between groups in society leads to social progress as superior groups outcompete inferior ones. How we got to the point of coining the modern term of â€Å"Social Darwinis m† we would have to turn to the famous man himself, Charles Darwin. At first glance, Charles Darwin seems an unlikelyRead MoreSocial Darwinism And Its Effect On Society1069 Words   |  5 Pagescalled Social Darwinists. Social Darwinism is a competition between groups in society, usually resulting in the most fit, or most capable, coming out on top. Social Darwinists argue that the strong’s power and wealth should increase, whereas the weak’s should decrease. There are different views as to who these weak and strong groups are, but all Social Darwinists agree that the strong should be rewarded and the weak punished. The concept of Social Darwinism is based off of Charles Darwin’s theories