Didn't Charles Darwin get his degree in Theology?

Question

He wasn't a real Scientist if he only got his degree in Theology

Answer 1

You don't have to have a degree to be a scientist. Many important advances in science have come through people with little formal education. That doesn't make their discoveries any less valid. And if he did get a degree in theology, well, everyone makes mistakes.

Answer 2

In his time getting a degree in Theology was like getting a degree in Social Sciences/Natural Sciences now since they covered much much more than just Theology. If you have been to college, you'll know your major is very minimal compared to all the other General Education courses. The only 3 degrees that existed, at least where he lived, were Medical Doctor, Attorney and Theology.

Answer 3

Although Darwin formally had a Bachelor of Arts to qualify for the clergy, he studied entomolgy, and geology and had access to some of the greatest experts on the subjects at Cambridge. It was his skills as a naturalist that led his professors to recommend him for the voyage on the Beagle. The extent of knowledge on the subjects at the time was limited, and when it came to the diversity of life, eventually, Darwin literally wrote the book.
A scientist is any person who systematically observes and applies the scientific method to questions. Since Darwin's time, so much knowledge has been acquired that it is unlikely for as important a question as the origin of the species to be answered by someone with as little formal training.

Answer 4

Don't be ridiculous. That's like saying Moses wasn't a real priest because he didn't have a degree in Theology. Or Einstein couldn't have come up with his theory of relativity because he was a drop-out.

It's what you DO that makes the difference, Ace. Not whether some hypothetical board of experts gives you a piece of paper.

Answer 5

most of the early scientist who gave solid theories were'nt scientists if u consider professional degrees. Most of them did not have proper school certificates either, like Edison etc. Even the early aviators, just a 100 years ago, did not have any formal engineering/ technology/ aeronautical engg. degrees. All the early scientist were talented people, who made the science and engineering and technology degrees possible for us today, theough they had no degrees.

Answer 6

This is true but I do not despise a man because he has no title or degree, he was certainly a naturalist. He was wrong and silly in many things but he was an man who endeavored to observe nature.
Another interesting fact is that Charles' grandfather, Erasmus Darwin first thought of "transmutation", that is Charles' original word for theoretical evolution. It was not original to Darwin or a pure result of his observation and musings, but imagined first by his grandfather who influenced him.

Answer 7

The monk that invented the punnent square wasn't a scientist with a degree either, but we now use his methods to map genetics.

Answer 8

I believe he was *supposed* to eventually join the clergy, as he didn't want to become a doctor like his father. I think his actual degree program was an Arts based degree. It was not science based as far as I am aware.

Answer 9

This argument is invalid. Because one believes a certain fact or has certain principles, one's theory should not be neglected. Besides, later in his life, Darwin became an agnostic. This obviously proves you have no idea what you are talking about.

Answer 10

Now we aren't majoring in history are we?

Umm, this was the 1820s. This may surprise you, but there weren't any degrees in science in those days. Not even ones you could buy over the internet!