Thomas Malthus has had a significant influence towards Charles Darwin’s theory of Natural selection. Malthus’s observation that impacted Darwin was that nature plants, animals, and humans are able to produce far more offspring than can survive. Unless family size was regulated, population would grow less and less due to food famine.
What is preventing organisms from reproducing at their potential? The reason why organisms are being prevented from reproducing at their potential is due to the lack of environment space and amounts of food.
Resources are limited. Just like the example of the rabbits, Malthus stated that we are able to produce far more offspring than can survive. Meaning that we do have the chose to produce as much offspring as we want, but we don't because we would not be able to help support the offspring with lack of food.
Organisms with better access to resources will be more successful in their reproductive efforts. With a bigger environment and a bigger supply of food, organisms will be able to produce offspring at their potential.
In a way Darwin might not be able to develop his theory of natural selection without the influence of Thomas Malthus. Malthus’s theory on population is basically the basis of Darwin’s theory. Malthus’s theory is human population is going to decrease over time because there is not enough resources to keep a mas population. Therefore, the most fit will be able to survive and reproduce. Where as Darwin’s theory is scarcity of resources, territory, etc. leads to the most fit to survive from competition and thus the survivors will therefore create more babies and their genes will be passed to the next generation, thereby creating more species with those fit genes.
Darwin also wrote about Malthus in his autobiography (1876)
"In October 1838, that is, fifteen months after I had begun my systematic inquiry, I happened to read for amusement Malthus on Population, and being well prepared to appreciate the struggle for existence which everywhere goes on from long- continued observation of the habits of animals and plants, it at once struck me that under these circumstances favourable variations would tend to be preserved, and unfavourable ones to be destroyed. The results of this would be the formation of a new species. Here, then I had at last got a theory by which to work".
The attitude of the church did affect Darwin because back then the church had a significant power over people, when Darwin publicized his book. Many people felt like they’re religion was being questioned. Christian belief about species is that they were all created by God and started with two humans named Adam and Eve. Darwin’s theory completely disregarded the Christian belief and stated that species evolve within time. This later became a very controversial issue.
URL: http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/history/malthus.html
I see why you think Malthus' work would influence Darwin's theory of natural selection; although, you end your quote from his book at "Here, then I had at last got a theory by which to work," he does not say the theory of natural selection. Who is to say that this was not an influence that was an attribute to another one of Darwin's theories?
ReplyDeleteAs for the part about the church I think we are all on the same page that the church had a negative affect on Darwin publicly bringing his work to light in fear of the consequences.
Good job pulling that Darwin quote in. That is key to demonstrating Malthus' influence on Darwin's work.
ReplyDeleteIn the final section, you mention the influence on the church after he published, but what about before? Darwin delayed his publication more than 20 years in fear of repercussions from the church. You also talk about how the church objected to the idea of species changing, but in all honesty, fear of the church's reaction to that was really why Darwin delayed his publication. He recognized that the theory he was applying would naturally extend to include humans and he knew the church would never approve of that.
Other than that last point, good post.