History of Evolution

[J_B_]

Is anyone familiar with the history of evolution? Not the scientific field of study, but the history of the people behind it - both those for and against.

 

[Ponderous Curmudgeon]

Is anyone familiar with the history of evolution? Not the scientific field of study, but the history of the people behind it - both those for and against.

Interesting question, but I suspect all you will find is a list of ideas that have moved a scientific theory forward, with little discussion beyond the superficial. I suspect it will also overlap greatly with religious denial of science.

 

[AV1611VET]

Is anyone familiar with the history of evolution? Not the scientific field of study, but the history of the people behind it - both those for and against.

King Solomon, although a king, had a scientific mindset and authored many books.

Ecclesiastes 12:12 And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

His endeavors led him to make this statement ...

Ecclesiastes 8:16 When I applied mine heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done upon the earth: ( for also there is that neither day nor night seeth sleep with his eyes: )
Ec 8:17 Then I beheld all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because though a man labour to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea further; though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it.

... which is so true today.

In the area of zoology, he studied animals ...

1 Kings 10:22 For the king had at sea a navy of Tharshish with the navy of Hiram: once in three years came the navy of Tharshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.

... and concluded ...

Ecclesiastes 7:29 Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.

Notice he calls [prescience] evolution an "invention," not a "discovery."

Notice too that Solomon studied peacocks, whereas Darwin studied finches.

 

[Warden_of_the_Storm]

King Solomon, although a king, had a scientific mindset and authored many books.

Ecclesiastes 12:12 And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

His endeavors led him to make this statement ...

Ecclesiastes 8:16 When I applied mine heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done upon the earth: ( for also there is that neither day nor night seeth sleep with his eyes: )
Ec 8:17 Then I beheld all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because though a man labour to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea further; though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it.

... which is so true today.

In the area of zoology, he studied animals ...

1 Kings 10:22 For the king had at sea a navy of Tharshish with the navy of Hiram: once in three years came the navy of Tharshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.

... and concluded ...

Ecclesiastes 7:29 Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.

Notice he calls [prescience] evolution an "invention," not a "discovery."

Notice too that Solomon studied peacocks, whereas Darwin studied finches.

That's not the history of evolution. That's you using post hoc logic.

 

[Frank Robert]

Is anyone familiar with the history of evolution? Not the scientific field of study, but the history of the people behind it - both those for and against.

Here is an overview from Wikipedia. I haven't read it yet but it looks interesting.
History of evolutionary thought

 

[Ponderous Curmudgeon]

King Solomon, although a king, had a scientific mindset and authored many books.

Ecclesiastes 12:12 And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

His endeavors led him to make this statement ...

Ecclesiastes 8:16 When I applied mine heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done upon the earth: ( for also there is that neither day nor night seeth sleep with his eyes: )
Ec 8:17 Then I beheld all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because though a man labour to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea further; though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it.

... which is so true today.

In the area of zoology, he studied animals ...

1 Kings 10:22 For the king had at sea a navy of Tharshish with the navy of Hiram: once in three years came the navy of Tharshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.

... and concluded ...

Ecclesiastes 7:29 Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.

Notice he calls [prescience] evolution an "invention," not a "discovery."

Notice too that Solomon studied peacocks, whereas Darwin studied finches.

Like I said, interesting question, but don't expect much from the religious side.

 

[AV1611VET]

That's not the history of evolution.

It wasn't meant to be. Read the second sentence of the OP.

 

[AV1611VET]

Like I said, interesting question, but don't expect much from the religious side.

It's a LOT more than you've given so far.

 

[Ponderous Curmudgeon]

It's a LOT more than you've given so far.

Did I say otherwise? How much of it have you actually contributed?

 

[AV1611VET]

How much of it have you actually contributed?

Well he did ask for a history of the people behind it.

So I guess I could go find everything the Bible says about Solomon and post it.

But I'll pass.

If I did though, would that satisfy you?

 

[J_B_]

Interesting question, but I suspect all you will find is a list of ideas that have moved a scientific theory forward, with little discussion beyond the superficial. I suspect it will also overlap greatly with religious denial of science.

That would be part of the history. History is not the things you agree with, but the things that happened.

 

[CatsRule2020]

Is anyone familiar with the history of evolution? Not the scientific field of study, but the history of the people behind it - both those for and against.

Evolutionary Theory in Ancient Greece & Rome
Goes back a long time!

 

[Subduction Zone]

It wasn't meant to be. Read the second sentence of the OP.

It still fails since Solomon, as least as told in the Bible, appears to be largely fictional.

 

[Warden_of_the_Storm]

It wasn't meant to be. Read the second sentence of the OP.

Where you contradict yourself by saying that King Solomon was a scholar, then posting a part of scripture where the Bible says "Don't spend time writing books."

 

[AV1611VET]

It still fails since Solomon, as least as told in the Bible, appears to be largely fictional.

Is that your opinion, or did you get that from academic sources?

 

[AV1611VET]

Where you contradict yourself by saying that King Solomon was a scholar, then posting a part of scripture where the Bible says "Don't spend time writing books."

I don't see that in here.

Ecclesiastes 12:12 And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

The more you read and study, the more there is to read.

I like what John said about Jesus.

John 21:25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.

 

[Warden_of_the_Storm]

I don't see that in here.

Ecclesiastes 12:12 And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

The more you read and study, the more there is to read.

I like what John said about Jesus.

John 21:25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.

No, I fully see it as a warning against spending time writing and reading.

But again, all it is from you is just post hoc logic. You have shown nothing that says that Solomon knew about evolution.

 

[J_B_]

Never mind.

 

[Subduction Zone]

Is that your opinion, or did you get that from academic sources?

From people that studied the Bible.

 

[Ophiolite]

Is anyone familiar with the history of evolution? Not the scientific field of study, but the history of the people behind it - both those for and against.

Ignoring the off-topic grumbling that infested your thread, my answer is yes, but I'm not sure what precise answer you are looking for.
I've read extensively on Darwin, his own works and several autobiographies. I've looked at earlier notions of evolution, including those of his grandfather Erasmus, or workers such as Lamark. I'm hazy on the impact of Weismann's thinking in the second half of the 19th century. I've studied Mendel's work on genetics and familiarised myself with the rediscovery of its principles at the opening of the 20th century by de Vries, Correns and von Tschermark. I'm light on the population genetics of Haldane, Sewell-Wright and Fisher, but not on their importance to evolutionary theory. I'm on more solid ground when we come to the work of Mayr, Dhobzanzky and Simpson, and their construction of the Modern Synthesis. When we come to punctuated equilibrium, niche construction, hox genes and the like, I'm passably well read.

On the "against" side I've read books by Jonathon Wells, Phillip Johnson, Michael Denton, William Dembski and others supporting ID. My exposure to other YEC arguments has come mainly through online articles, Answers in Genesis, and similar sources.

If there's something in there makes you feel I could answer what is on your mind, please ask.