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The Politics of Evolution, Morphology, Medicine, and Reform in Radical London
DESMOND, THE POLITICS OF EVOLUTION. MORPHOLOGY, MEDICINE, AND REFORM IN RADICAL LONDON. CHICAGO, IL, 1989, x 504 p. figuras.Encuadernacion original. Nuevo.
503 pages, Hardcover
First published April 15, 1992
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About the author
Adrian J. Desmond
18 books15 followersAdrian John Desmond (born 1947) is an English writer on the history of science.
He studied physiology at University College, London, and went on to study history of science and vertebrate palaeontology at University College London before researching the history of vertebrate palaeontology at Harvard University, under Stephen Jay Gould. He was awarded a PhD in the area of the Victorian-period context of Darwinian evolution.
Desmond is an Honorary Research Fellow in the Biology Department at University College London.
He studied physiology at University College, London, and went on to study history of science and vertebrate palaeontology at University College London before researching the history of vertebrate palaeontology at Harvard University, under Stephen Jay Gould. He was awarded a PhD in the area of the Victorian-period context of Darwinian evolution.
Desmond is an Honorary Research Fellow in the Biology Department at University College London.
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August 31, 2014
A. Key concepts
1. Why did Darwin not publish for 20 years?
2. British society in the 1830s: conservatives v. ‘Low lifes’
3. Infusion of French trained Scotsman (Robert Grant)
4. Radical ideas of French (Lamarckian and Geffroy) anatomy: Why were these radical? Lamarck was associated with radical left politics. His theories centered on the self-improving organism. Organisms were directed by their own desire, not God, lineage, or the state. This was adopted by Marxist states like the USSR as empowering the proletariat to overthrow capitalist domination. This is why the radical, Lamarckian evolution was considered so dangerous
5. Transformation of the moderate whigs (morphology trimming)
6. Darwin failed to publish because he was socially in the gentleman camp and intellectually in the radical camp
7. Desmond’s sources (5 neglected medical journals)
8. Contrast with Ruse is that Ruse ignores the social and political ‘strand.’ Desmond wants to emphasize the political meanings of ‘revolution’ as one of the reasons Darwin did not publish.
B. Key points
1. Chronology: 1830s-1850s
2. Historical school: Externalist (political context), sociology of knowledge (examination of the social factors affecting knowledge--in this case science)
3. Structure: Radical London prior to Darwin. The afterward puts Darwin in the picture.
4. Theme: Why Darwin did not publish for 20 years.
5. Where does it take place: Britain (France to Scotland to Britain)
6. Who is author arguing for and against: Against Ruse.
7. What sources are used: Medical journals
C. Desmond asks the question why did Darwin not publish for 20 years? This book examines the debates about nature in London during the 1830s. It argues that these debates among naturalists became connected with the political struggles of the medical community and the nation at large. It was because of these debates that Darwin did not publish Origin for 20 years after his voyage.
D. Two competing sides of British society in the 1830s
1. Conservatives: Malthusian, Oxbridge, Anglican, non-evolutionary, gentlemen, whig--moderate-liberal
2. “Low-lifes” who sought reform: the medical schools of Edinburgh and London, disestablishmentarianism (separate Anglican church and state), Geoffrey and Lamarckian science, radicals, anti-Malthusian.
E. Into this mix came a group of Scotsmen led by Robert Grant who advocated French philosophical anatomy. This French thought favored Geoffroy’s and Lamarck’s democratic ‘transformism’ over Cuvier’s aristocratic argument for design. What was so radical about this French anatomy? It was anticlerical because of its material law as the basis for life. Lamarckian theory was adopted by the working class who used it as a powerful argument in favor of self-development. As time went on more moderate whigs adopted this philosophy and trimmed its more radical morphology. Richard Owen remained in the elite camp, publishing against the Lamarckian influences. Nevertheless, by the 1850s the medical community has become more conservative.
F. Thus, the reason Darwin failed to publish was that socially he belonged to the ‘gentlemen’ class while his arguments over design would have been adopted by the ‘radicals.’ Britain was very much concerned about the possibility of a social revolution at this time. Darwin took very seriously the possibility of a ‘Darwinian revolution’ and so he waited to publish until after the threat of social revolution was over. Desmond attacks the use of the term Darwinian revolution.
G. Darwin is not emphasized in this book as is evident by the afterward entitled ‘putting Darwin in the picture.’ Instead the focus is on the medical schools and the sources used are 5 medical journals (Lancet) which have previously been ignored.
1. Why did Darwin not publish for 20 years?
2. British society in the 1830s: conservatives v. ‘Low lifes’
3. Infusion of French trained Scotsman (Robert Grant)
4. Radical ideas of French (Lamarckian and Geffroy) anatomy: Why were these radical? Lamarck was associated with radical left politics. His theories centered on the self-improving organism. Organisms were directed by their own desire, not God, lineage, or the state. This was adopted by Marxist states like the USSR as empowering the proletariat to overthrow capitalist domination. This is why the radical, Lamarckian evolution was considered so dangerous
5. Transformation of the moderate whigs (morphology trimming)
6. Darwin failed to publish because he was socially in the gentleman camp and intellectually in the radical camp
7. Desmond’s sources (5 neglected medical journals)
8. Contrast with Ruse is that Ruse ignores the social and political ‘strand.’ Desmond wants to emphasize the political meanings of ‘revolution’ as one of the reasons Darwin did not publish.
B. Key points
1. Chronology: 1830s-1850s
2. Historical school: Externalist (political context), sociology of knowledge (examination of the social factors affecting knowledge--in this case science)
3. Structure: Radical London prior to Darwin. The afterward puts Darwin in the picture.
4. Theme: Why Darwin did not publish for 20 years.
5. Where does it take place: Britain (France to Scotland to Britain)
6. Who is author arguing for and against: Against Ruse.
7. What sources are used: Medical journals
C. Desmond asks the question why did Darwin not publish for 20 years? This book examines the debates about nature in London during the 1830s. It argues that these debates among naturalists became connected with the political struggles of the medical community and the nation at large. It was because of these debates that Darwin did not publish Origin for 20 years after his voyage.
D. Two competing sides of British society in the 1830s
1. Conservatives: Malthusian, Oxbridge, Anglican, non-evolutionary, gentlemen, whig--moderate-liberal
2. “Low-lifes” who sought reform: the medical schools of Edinburgh and London, disestablishmentarianism (separate Anglican church and state), Geoffrey and Lamarckian science, radicals, anti-Malthusian.
E. Into this mix came a group of Scotsmen led by Robert Grant who advocated French philosophical anatomy. This French thought favored Geoffroy’s and Lamarck’s democratic ‘transformism’ over Cuvier’s aristocratic argument for design. What was so radical about this French anatomy? It was anticlerical because of its material law as the basis for life. Lamarckian theory was adopted by the working class who used it as a powerful argument in favor of self-development. As time went on more moderate whigs adopted this philosophy and trimmed its more radical morphology. Richard Owen remained in the elite camp, publishing against the Lamarckian influences. Nevertheless, by the 1850s the medical community has become more conservative.
F. Thus, the reason Darwin failed to publish was that socially he belonged to the ‘gentlemen’ class while his arguments over design would have been adopted by the ‘radicals.’ Britain was very much concerned about the possibility of a social revolution at this time. Darwin took very seriously the possibility of a ‘Darwinian revolution’ and so he waited to publish until after the threat of social revolution was over. Desmond attacks the use of the term Darwinian revolution.
G. Darwin is not emphasized in this book as is evident by the afterward entitled ‘putting Darwin in the picture.’ Instead the focus is on the medical schools and the sources used are 5 medical journals (Lancet) which have previously been ignored.
Displaying 1 of 1 review