The Meaning of Evolution: The Morphological Construction and Ideological Reconstruction of Darwin's Theory (Science and Its Conceptual Foundations series)

224 Pages·1992·8.53 MB·English

by  Robert J. Richards

THE MEANING OF
EVOLUTION
0
Charles Darwin, 1809-1882, wedding portrait done in 1841
THE MEANING OF
EVOLUTION
The Morphological Construction and
Ideological Reconstruction
of Darwin’s Theory
0
Robert J. Richards
Science and Its Conceptual Foundations
David L. Hull, Editor
The University of Chicago Press
Chicago and London
ROBERIJ.. RICHARDS is professor in the departments of History, Philosophy,
and Psychology at the University of Chicago.
The University of Chicago Press, Chicago 60637
The University of Chicago Press, Ltd.,L ondon
0 1992 by The University of Chicago
All rights reserved. Published 1992
Printed in the United States of America
01009998979695949392 54321
ISBN (cloth): 0-226-71202-8
ISBN (paper): 0-226-71203-6
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-PublicationD ata
Richards, RobertJ ., date.
The meaning of evolution : the morphological construction and
ideological reconstruction of Darwin's theory / Robert J. Richards.
p. cm. - (Science and its conceptual foundations)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
I. Evolution (Biology) I. Title 11. Series.
QH366.2.R52 1992
575-dc20 91-19017
CIP
@The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements
of the American National Standard for Information Sciences-Permanence
of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI 239.48-1984.
For Barbara

CONTENTS
List of Illustrations ix
Preface xiii
1 me Natural HBtoy of Ideas 1
2 Evolution us. EpigenesB in EmbyogenesB 5
3 me i%eoy of Euolutionay Recapitulation in the
Context of Transcendental Morphology 17
EARLY RECAPIWION THEORISTS1 8
NMURPHILOSOPHIE AND TRANSCENDENTAL
MORPHOLOGY 21
OKEN’TSR ANSCENDENMTOARLP HOLOGY 39
EVOLUTIONARREYW IWIONISM OF TIEDEMA”,
TREVIRANUANS,D MECKEL 42
VON Bun’s CRITIQCEO F RECAPITULATIONT HEOFW5 5
4 Emergence of Euolutionaly iSbeories of
Species Change 63
SERRESG, RANTG, REENA,N D LXLL ON
~CAPITIJLATIONA ND EVOLUTION 69
DARWINT’SH EORIEOSF SPECIESC HANGE8 0
N ~ R ASLEL ECTIOANS THE MECHANISMO F
PnoGmssIw EVOLUTION8 4
5 Darwin’s Embryological meoy of Progresiue
Euolution 91
viii CONTENTS
THEE MHRYOLOGICAMLO DEL AS FORMULATED
IN THE NOTEBOOKS 92
OWEN’RSE JECTIONO F RECAPITULATIONA ND
EVOLUTION 98
DARWINK’SN OWLEDGEO F VON BAER 106
HISTORICAEV. ALLJATIOONF DARWINP’RSI NCIPLE
OF RECXPITLWION 111
RECAPITCWION IN THE ESSAYSA ND THE IMPACT
OF AGASSIZ’SF ISHES1, 842-1844 115
OWENC,M VBERSA, ND MILNE-EDWARDS,
1844-1846 126
THEE MBRYOLOGOYF BARNACLEASN D THE CRITERIAO F
PROGRESSIVDEE VELOPME1N8T46, -1854 136
HUXLEYO’SB JECTIONTOS RECAPITULATIONA ND
DARWINE’SX PERIMENTS1 43
EMHRYOLOGICRAELC APITULATION IN THE ORZGIN
OF SPECIES 152
THE ROLE OF RECAPIRLXITON IN THE DESCENT
OFMAN 158
THEL OGIC OF DARWINT’HS EOFWOF EVOLL~TION1 65
6 The Meaning of Evolution and the Ideological
Uses of Hktor-y 167
Bibliography 181
Index 191