Did Darwins Anti-slavery Views Affect Development of Evolution Theory?
The Discover Magazine’s “80 Beats” blog reported on Jan. 29th that “Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution may have been shaped by his abhorrence of slavery as much as by his keen observations of Galapagos finches, a new book argues. Darwin’s Sacred Cause, by Adrian Desmond and James Moore, notes that slavery propaganda of the time often claimed that different races belonged to different species, a notion that Darwin’s work obliterated. The book suggests that Darwin’s unique approach to evolution – relating all races and species by “common descent” – could have been fostered by his anti-slavery beliefs [BBC News]. Published to coincide with Darwins 200th birthday and the 150th anniversary of his publication of On the Origin of Species this year, the book is likely to stir up a new debate over Darwins motives. …” Source: http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2009/01/29/darwins-anti-slavery-views-may-have-guided-his-theory-of-evolution/ Can Depression Drugs Treat Locust Swarms? Reute
