Early Scientists who aided Darwin in creating his theory of Evolution
Linnaeus (1707-1778)
 Developed binomial nomenclature
o 2-name naming system that labels all organisms by their genus and their species
o This is still the same naming system used today
 Also created a classification similar to the one used today where grouped similar species into
increasingly general categories.
o For example, similar species are grouped in the same genus, similar genera (plural of
genus) are grouped in the same family, and so on
 He did not believe the similarities he saw between organisms were due to evolution. Rather, he
thought they were due to the pattern of their creation by God.
o Even so, his work in recognizing that there were similarities amongst living organisms
provided aided Darwin in creating his theory of evolution.
Hutton (1726-1797)
 In 1795, he proposed that Earth’s geologic features could be explained by gradual mechanisms
still operating today (which contradicted Cuvier’s “catastrophism”)
 For example, he suggested that valleys were often formed by rivers wearing through rocks and
that rocks containing marine fossils were formed when sediments that had eroded from the
land were carried by rivers to the sea, where they buried dead organisms
 His work greatly influenced Lyell’s beliefs concerning geology.
o Darwin was then subsequently influenced by Lyell.
Lamarck (1744-1829)
 Already covered
 He proposed a theory of evolution that proposed that organisms changed over time (which was
an unpopular thought that the time), but the mechanism with which he thought this process
occurred is not supported by today’s evidence
 His idea that organisms change over time was greatly opposed by Cuvier and his theory of
catastrophism
Malthus
 Already covered
 His theory that the majority of human problems arose from the fact that we reproduce at a rate
that is too great to be supported by the environment.
o Darwin applied this theory to all living organisms.
Cuvier (1769-1832)
 Largely responsible for developing Paleontology
 Noted that the older the strata, the more dissimilar its fossils were to present day organisms
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Also observed that from one strata to the next, some new species appeared while others
disappeared
o Inferred that extinctions must have been a common occurrence in the history of life
He too opposed the idea of evolution
To explain his observations without evolution, he advocated catastrophism
o Principle that events in the past occurred suddenly and were caused by mechanisms
different from those operating in the present
o Each strata was supposed to represent a catastrophe, such as a flood, that had
destroyed many of the species living at that time
Even though he fought against evolution, his work in paleontology would later provide evidence
that Darwin would use to create his theory.
Lyell (1797-1875)
 He incorporated Hutton’s thinking that the Earth’s geologic features are formed by gradual
mechanisms that are still operating today into his principle of uniformitarianism
o States that mechanisms of change are constant over time
o Lyell proposed that the same geologic process are operating today as in the past, and at
the same rate
 Darwin experienced earthquakes that changed the landscape of the on the coast of Chile during
his voyage on the Beagle. He had been reading Lyell’s Principles of Geology while on this trip,
and these earthquakes confirmed his belief that the Earth’s landscape was formed by geologic
processes that have operated for ages. This belief contradicted the common thought at the time
that the Earth was only thousands of years old (as is described in the Old Testament).
Alfred Wallace
 Already covered
 Independently created a theory of evolution that was very similar to Darwin’s. He actually
published his ideas before Darwin, but pushed for Darwin to receive the majority of the credit
for the theory of evolution.