Darwins Theory of Evolution

Contrary to popular opinion, Darwin did not invent evolution, but rather
reconciled previously proposed theories, and provided a unifying mechanism for
evolution, natural selection. His theory on the Origin of Species had far reaching
implications on religion, modern biology, and the general public.
Before Darwin, the central theories for evolution revolved around the idea that
one altruistic deity created everything. This aligned with the beliefs of the Catholic
Church and famous scientists like Aristotle, and consequently experienced little
resistance. In the early 19th century, Chambers proposed a new theory, of
transmutation, and argued that one species arose from another over time. This was the
foundation, on which future theories were built, however, Lamarck was not satisfied
with transmutation, until he proposed his fluid mechanism for how this evolution
actually occurred. In addition to Lamarck, several researchers had obtained findings
through fossils and landscapes, which served as evidence for the transformation of the
Earth over time. These discoveries catalyzed a breakthrough in evolutionary biology,
when researchers found that certain species had become non-existent, yet their fossils
were available, and this seeming contradiction sparked the birth of evolution.
Darwin made the concept of evolution rigorous by proposing a mechanism,
which describes how evolution occurs, The Theory of Natural Selection. The
instrumental idea of his theory is that more complex creatures develop form less
complex creatures through descent with modification. This occurs as a consequence
of genetic mutations aggregated over generations, where only the fit mutations
survive. Coincidentally, however, Alfred Wallace, the unsung hero was also
responsible for discovering evolution at the same time as Darwin. This does not
discount Darwins ingenuity, or lack of originality, but rather attests to the concept of
parallel discoveries. Both Darwin and Wallace came to the same conclusion at the

same time, living 10,000 miles apart, but only one of them went on to become the
father of modern biology. This epitomizes the complexity in achieving success: luck,
location, timing and context all of which favored Darwin over Wallace. This hints at
another critical question: do we even need a Wallace or a Darwin? Was evolution just
another treasure like gravity, waiting to be found, and were they simply at the right
place at the right time?
One can ask numerous such questions, but it is still evident that Darwins theory
has significantly impacted modern society. Before the 19 th century, nature was
believed to be invariable, but Darwin proved that we are simply a byproduct of
change in response to our changing environments. This had ground breaking
implications in modern medicine, because it led to the concept of mutation for
survival. Darwin may not be the exclusive founder of evolution, but his ideas have
revolutionized modern biology and changed the way we view the world. Sometimes,
the product of ones work is more important than the artist himself. It is the art of
evolution that changed the world; Darwin was merely the man holding the brush.