Biography

PERHAPS no one has influenced our knowledge of life on Earth as much as the
English naturalist Charles Darwin (1809-1882). His theory of evolution by natural
selection, now the unifying theory of the life sciences, explained where all of the
astonishingly diverse kinds of living things came from and how they became
exquisitely adapted to their particular environments. His theory reconciled a host
of diverse kinds of evidence such as the progressive fossil record, geographical
distribution of species, recapitulative appearances in embryology, homologous
structures, vestigial organs and nesting taxonomic relationships. No other
explanation before or since has made sense of these facts.
In further works Darwin demonstrated that the difference between humans and
other animals is one of degree not kind. In geology, zoology, taxonomy, botany,
palaeontology, philosophy, anthropology, psychology, literature and theology
Darwin's writings produced profound reactions, many of which are still ongoing.
Yet even without his evolutionary works, Darwin's accomplishments would be
difficult to match. His brilliantly original work in geology, botany, biogeography,
invertebrate zoology, psychology and scientific travel writing would still make him
one of the most original and influential workers in the history of science. Darwin's
writings are consequently of interest to an extremely large number and wide
variety of readers. This site contains the largest collection of his writings ever
published.
Mozart Biography

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 1756 5 December 1791) was one of
the most influential, popular and prolific composers of the classical period. He
composed over 600 works, including some of the most famous and loved pieces
of symphonic, chamber, operatic, and choral music.

Biography of Mozart

Mozart was born in Salzburg to a

musical family. From an early age, the young Mozart showed all the signs of a
prodigious musical talent. By the age of five he could read and write music, and
he would entertain people with his talents on the keyboard. By the age of six he
was writing his first compositions. Mozart was generally considered to be a rare
musical genius, though Mozart said that he was diligent in studying other great
composers such as Haydn and Bach.

During his childhood, he would frequently tour various palaces around Europe
playing for distinguished guests. Aged 17, he accepted a post as a court musician
in Salzburg; although this did not suit him very well, the next few years were a
time of prolific composition. In 1781, he moved permanently to Vienna where he
stayed for remainder of his life. In Vienna, he became well known and was often
in demand as a composer and performer.
Karl Marx Biography
Karl Marx (1818-1883) founder of Marxism an influential political science which
was highly critical of capitalism. The ideology of Marx and Communism shaped
the Twentieth Century.

The philosophers have only interpreted the world, in various ways. The point,
however, is to change it.

Karl Marx Theses on Feuerbach (1845), (and engraved on tomb)

Karl Marx was born 5 May 1818 in Trier in western German. His father was a
successful lawyer who had converted from Judaism to Christianity in order to help
his law career.

At the age of 17, Karl Marx enrolled in the University of Bonn to study Law. He
was not the most diligent student, enjoying drinking societies and meeting friends.
His father eventually had him transferred to the University of Berlin, which had a
stricter reputation. During his time at University, Marx increasingly became
attracted to radical ideas and philosophies. For a time he associated with a group
known as the Young Hegels Those students who rejected the ideas of Hegel.

Karl Marx married Jenny von Westphalen, the educated daughter of a Prussian
baron, on June 19, 1843. Shortly after this he moved to Paris to escape the
censorship of the Prussian government who were increasingly cracking down on
left wing agitators.

Paris in the 1840s was a hotbed of revolutionary activity. Here, Marx met many
revolutionaries such as Frederick Engels an English radical. These two were to
become life long friends and supporters; Engels would later become the chief
financial support for Marx.

Engels wrote an influential book The Condition of the Working Class in England in
1844. This helped Marx develop his idea of a proletarian revolution. This led to
Marxs first work Communism Economic and Philosophical Manuscripts of
1844. This philosophical work sought to show Communism as a moral force for
good to overcome the alienation of labour under capitalism.

Marx also became interested in the development of history and the changes
which inevitably passed through society. He termed this idea historical
materialism. Marx increasingly began to believe that a Proletarian (communist
revolution) was not just desirable, but, an inevitable consequence of historical
evolution.

This period led up to Marx and Engels most famous work A short pamphlet
titled The Communist Manifesto.