2009 - Darwin's Year

[Ian Carmichael]

Charles Darwin would be 200 next year. His book (Origin of Species), 150.
Any plans for your classroom? The background of excitement with science? (see Uglow's The Lunar Men.) The place of geological ideas in Darwin's thinking? (The Sedgwick museum in Cambridge, England is mounting an exhibition "Charles Darwin, Geologist" since that was his scientific beginning).
An opportunity for exploring wonderful life? Science? The care of Darwin himself to stay within his chosen bounds? The radical misuse and abuse of ideas of natural selection?
An interesting article on the floodgates to be opened is here, from the Guardian.
I get a natural start, given my (short) science and religion option at senior college. My challenge is not how to begin, but how to limit!

[Connie Weber]

Ian, evolution is one of the main things I teach in class. I go on an every-other-year cycle since I often have students for two years. Next year is the Life History year--and now it looks like I'll be thriving with resources. Thank you for pointing out that next year is Darwin's 200th birthday. (Wow--is he old!)
By the way, did you ever read Song of the Dodo by David Quammen? It's more about Wallace that about Darwin, but is so effectively instructive on the theory of evolution--on the theory's evolution as well. I learned more from that book than any other, maybe because I'm a naturalist to begin with. The subtitle: "Island Biography in an Age of Extinction."
Once I truly understood that idea of an "island" whether it's an island in the sea or an island of any kind that only has internal gene-sharing, then everything clicked for me completely. It's the way Quammen illustrates the concepts with both historical context (it's a GREAT biography of Wallace) and biological example, right in the here and now. Ooooo, so good. And it has remarkable implications for what sorts of "preserves" we should be thinking of, if we want to maintain the viability of some species, and diversity in general.
But back to your topic! I'll read the article more completely now. What jumps out at me is this line: ""A defence of evolution doesn't have to get entangled in atheism." I agree.

[Vincent Mespoulet]

you're right Ian, it's a very good opportunity to speak about Darwin in 2009... And i will help you in your challenge... About the political misuse of Darwin's theories, i will give you some case studies :) . Impossible to understand history of 20th century without studying Karl Marx and Charles Darwin ...
The Charles Darwin i prefer is the traveller, the geograph, the observer of the nature... Read the Beagle Diary... i will talk about that too :)

Fortunately for us in Europe, we have not to defend darwinism against creationism... No creationism here :)

[Ian Carmichael]

There may be a need to defend Darwin against darwinism!

[Ellen Pham]

Great topic, Ian! It is interesting to note that the article sited Marx and Freud, along with Darwin, as the three great intellectuals of the 19th century who shaped modernity. I was also interested in the case put forth by Desmond and Moore in their forthcoming book, Darwin's Sacred Cause:

They argue that Darwin was driven by a moral impulse - abolitionism. He set out to prove that all human beings, regardless of skin colour, were essentially the same, all descended within a few thousand generations from shared parentage. It was Darwin's refutation of the scientific racism of his day used to justify slavery.

Recently I had to defend even the interest in evolution against the charge that the study was tied up with eugenics. Appropriated and misused perhaps by some eugenicists, but certainly not integral to his theory! So it is good to see a refutation of that charge being published soon.

As for the tangle between evolution and religion, I always think back to my fourth grade teacher who was presenting Darwin's theory to us kids. She ended her lecture by saying, "And God created evolution." I can't remember if she stuck that in there herself or if it was in response to a kid's question, but it still makes me smile. No comment, just smiling : ).

Connie, I look forward to reading Song of the Dodo. I got a big gift certificate to Powell's Books for Xmas, I'm putting it on my list!

[Ian Carmichael]

It's interesting to note the caution of both Darwin and Wallace, and their awareness that ideas of natural selection could likelybe twisted to support a cultural jingoism (I've come across the discussion in Ian Barbour's When Science Meets Religion, I think.)
A fascinating question returns and returns - is what is, what must be? Just because x happens to be the outcome of the mix of selection pressure, is x therefore the best outcome. (Does anyone else hear the echoes of 'let the market decide'? in this. Except of course, when the market discovers it's not at the top the food chain and screams for rescue in the global environment!)
I look forward to the new Desmond and Moore book - they produced, recently an immense biography of Darwin. One of my projects in this break is to read Darwin in detail - I just collected (in my local newsagent!) the one-volume edition of Darwin's publications, with comments by James D. Watson.

[Skip Zilla]

Since 2009 will be a special year for marking Charles Darwin's life and work, I intend to rely on you, Ian, to continue providing great titles to read about him, his work, and any new studies of the cultural implications of the scientific theory of evolution. I, for one, see the need for a new way (or new ways) to celebrate god-consciousness which builds on the compassionate spiritual impulses of the older religious traditions and incorporates a new perspective of the natural origins and evolutionary development of life. We humans, it seems to me, are hard-wired neurologically to be intelligent beings whose cognitive abilities are basically "spiritual" in nature. (Don't ask me at the moment to defend that claim; please accept that I've been wondering about the thought for a long time and consider it a hidden clue to our sustaining (saving?) ourselves on our Planet at least until we're forced to find a home elsewhere in the solar system or beyond because of its unfortunate but natural end.)

[Ian Carmichael]

Man! I gather that Darwin is already the most written-about single scientist ever! However, I'll keep you in whatever loop I've got!

[Connie Weber]

The current issue of National Geographic has some very interesting notes on Darwin, written by David Quammon, one of my favorite science/nature writers:

"Darwin's First Clues"


Also from National Geographic: "Modern Darwins"

[Ian Carmichael]

The BBC have got some Darwin programmes coming, and a nice site with some extra links.

The UK Natural History Museum have a Darwin 200 portal, with some schools material.

[Connie Weber]

Yow!!! Gads... awesome. I love the way we're collecting resources here. Let's keep after it!
Are you reading the Terra book yet? I'll read it with you.
(BTW, Don't know if Outliers is worth your time--even though I pushed you to get it! I'm half way through it and ready for something else.)

[Ellen Pham]

I'll read Terra with you guys! Gotta catch up with the links...

[Skip Zilla]

Count me in, too. Terra's a serious read, but a readable one.