Would Evolution still have been invented if Darwin hadn't lived?

Question

Would the theory ever have been made?

Answer 1

No.
And if it hadn't been for Galileo the Sun would still be going round the Earth.
Don't you wish these scientist people would just leave stuff alone.

Answer 2

Yes. In the preface to "On the Origin of Species", Darwin gave a large number of other people who had argued or asserted that species evolve, including his own grandfather.

Darwin's unique contribution is the positing of a mechanism by which evolution can occur, natural selection.

The reason he published when he did was because someone else "had" come up with the idea of natural selection, Alfred Russell Wallace. Oddly enough Wallace contacted Darwin, and older, more prominent naturalist with his formulation of natural selection, asking him if the idea was any good! Darwin always acknowledged Russell's independent discovery of natural selection.

There was yet a third person who had also formulated natural selection. In 1831, Patrick Matthew published "On Naval Timber and Arboriculture" in which he articulated the idea. The book was so obscure, that neither Darwin nor Wallace knew about it. After "On the Origin of Species", Matthew wrote Darwin, claiming priority. For his part, Darwin acknowledged that priority.

The main things are that: 1. Evolution as an idea was an old one before Darwin. 2. Darwin was one of three men, working separately to formulate the idea of natural selection in the first half of the 19th century, Therefore: 3. The short answer to your question is "yes", but: 4. Darwin presented the idea in a particularly lucid, detailed and convincing manner which helped it gain acceptance much faster than it might have otherwise, and one can conclude that the history of evolutionary biology might have been quite different had not Darwin lived.

wl

Answer 3

It isn't the case that Darwin was the sole discoverer of evolution. What made Darwin especially famous was that he proposed the mechanism by which the evolutionary process occurred.

Some of the other posters have provided excellent examples of other people that skirted the ideas of evolutionary theory. Even at the same time as Darwin, Alfred Russel Wallace had drawn the same conclusions as Darwin by observing butterflies, his paper was included in most editions of Darwin's work.

The other reason Darwin is typically credited is because he was the first to come up with substantial and numerous examples of evolution occuring namely
- In domesticated animals - Pigeons, dogs, etc
- Wild Animals - Most famously Finches.

So in short it would have been 'invented' (discovered, etc.) regardless as it was already known by Darwin's time, it was just a matter of deciphering the agency of evolution.

Answer 4

Evolution was not invented, and yes we would still have that theory even if Darwin hadn't made it public, there was another man at the same time as Darwin who had the same evidence and theory.

Answer 5

Alfred Wallace had also arrived at a very similar conclusion as Darwin's "natural selection." Darwin, being a gentleman and NOT a thief, published a joint article with him. Darwin then later published his own works which were much more naturalistic and thought out than Wallace's.

Answer 6

Darwin didn't invent evolution he discovered the mechanism by which it works - Natural Selection. None of this was invented - it was observed, not the same thing.

Answer 7

yes there were other peeps workin on similar theories at same time, darwin just published his stuff first. and its not invented!!! it's what happens! religion is invented. clothes are invented. government is invented.... all these things are man made! evolution happens weather we accept it or not!

Answer 8

here's a list of people who thought up evolution BEFORE Darwin -

Jean-Baptiste Lamarck (1744-1829)
Thomas Malthus (1766-1834)
Georges Cuvier (1769-1832)
William Smith (1769-1839)
Étienne Geoffroy St. Hilaire (1772-1844)
Adam Sedgwick (1785-1873)
Patrick Matthew (1790-1874)
Mary Anning (1799-1847)
Sir Richard Owen (1804-1892)
Louis Agassiz (1807-1873)

and you can read more about them here -

http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/history/evothought.html

and for those who don't think evolutionary theory IS a theory...omg! no wonder the religious nutters find it sooo easy to bash atheists when their epistemology so completely SUKS!!!! ALLL science is theoretical, all knowledge is a map of, rather than the actual land, we study. jeez!

=P

Answer 9

Someone would have worked it out by now. With an understanding of the chemistry of DNA that records life, evolution is obvious and is even built into the machinery of life. It is hard to believe that someone wouldn't have figured it out by now.

Answer 10

Most definately, most inventions and theories are all about 'Patent Laws'. They just happen to be the first person to either copyright or publish publically. They are rarely original, at all, just the first to get a proper patent.