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The Triumph of the Darwinian Method
This volume surveys the complete range of the Darwin's accomplishments, offering a coherent and consistent treatment of the flow of ideas throughout Darwin's works. Ghiselin constructs a unified theoretical system that explains the major features of Darwin's investigations, evaluating the literature from a historical, scientific, and philosophical perspective.
304 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 1973
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
August 31, 2014
A. Summary: Ghiselin’s thesis is that Darwin’s success resulted from the nature of his method--a modern hypothetico-decudtive method (as opposed to Baconian induction). He developed a hypothesis and from it developed his theory of evolution. The majority of this book is devoted to reconstructing the sequence of Darwin’s thinking. Ghiselin separates Darwin’s research and publications into 6 areas: natural history; geology; zoology; strictly evolutionary; botanical; and psychological. These fields were interrelated for Darwin so that for example, his evolutionary biology grew out of his geology. The unity of Darwin’s thought is important to understand how one theory grew from another. (Mountain building gave rise to coral reef theory, artificial selection led to natural and sexual selection).
B. Problems with this book
1. “Hypothetico-deductive” system is not defined. He seems to assume that there is one scientific method which Darwin incorporates. A good companion piece would be Larry Laudin, Science and Hypothesis. It discusses the wide use of the hypothetico-deductive method in the 19th.
2. There is no discussion about where Darwin might have picked up this method. Ghiselin argues that Darwin invented it himself.
3. Is Darwin’s theory of evolution really hypothetico-deductive? There is no discussion of whether or not the Origin of Species started with the hypothetical assertion of laws and then deduced the theory of evolution by natural selection.
4. Can all of Darwin’s theories really be placed under the unity of one method? The idea of pangenesis did not derive in the same way as the theory of evolution.
5. While the book was based on showing how all of Darwin’s work was part of the H-D method at the end Ghiselin backpedals and says that the “H-D model seems a bit trivial as clues to what real scientists are trying to do.”
6. This is a celebratory history liking the greatness of Darwin to both Copernicus and Newton. But, no where are Darwin’s mistakes explored.
C. Outline
1. Geology: Charles Lyell’s Principles of Geology was Darwin’s geological instructor while on the Beagle. This voyage where he gained his most valuable training as a scientist. His field-work gave him the time to hypothesize.
2. Biogeology: Both Darwin and Wallace discovered evolution through biogeology. This is the geographical distribution of organisms.
3. Natural selection: This chapter is a discussion of the simplicity of natural selection. Organisms differ from one another. They produce more offspring than nature can keep alive. There is a struggle for existence. The strongest or most fit tend to survive.
4. Taxonomy: The theory of evolution had a tremendous impact on classification.
5. Barnacles: Why did he study them? He spent 8 years classifying them. Ghiselin argues that he studied barnacles not for classification but for comparative anatomy purposes. The study of barnacles was Darwin’s way to test his hypothesis of evolution.
6. Evolutionary psychology: Darwin wrote the Expressions of the Emotions in Man and Animals. This chapter explores its relationship to Darwin’s other work. One of the problems in this work is his anthropomorphic use of terms to describe animals.
7. Sexual selection: This chapter studies the sexual selection found in the Descent of Man. This theory is that the strongest males will leave the most offspring. This is a corollary of his theories of natural selection.
B. Problems with this book
1. “Hypothetico-deductive” system is not defined. He seems to assume that there is one scientific method which Darwin incorporates. A good companion piece would be Larry Laudin, Science and Hypothesis. It discusses the wide use of the hypothetico-deductive method in the 19th.
2. There is no discussion about where Darwin might have picked up this method. Ghiselin argues that Darwin invented it himself.
3. Is Darwin’s theory of evolution really hypothetico-deductive? There is no discussion of whether or not the Origin of Species started with the hypothetical assertion of laws and then deduced the theory of evolution by natural selection.
4. Can all of Darwin’s theories really be placed under the unity of one method? The idea of pangenesis did not derive in the same way as the theory of evolution.
5. While the book was based on showing how all of Darwin’s work was part of the H-D method at the end Ghiselin backpedals and says that the “H-D model seems a bit trivial as clues to what real scientists are trying to do.”
6. This is a celebratory history liking the greatness of Darwin to both Copernicus and Newton. But, no where are Darwin’s mistakes explored.
C. Outline
1. Geology: Charles Lyell’s Principles of Geology was Darwin’s geological instructor while on the Beagle. This voyage where he gained his most valuable training as a scientist. His field-work gave him the time to hypothesize.
2. Biogeology: Both Darwin and Wallace discovered evolution through biogeology. This is the geographical distribution of organisms.
3. Natural selection: This chapter is a discussion of the simplicity of natural selection. Organisms differ from one another. They produce more offspring than nature can keep alive. There is a struggle for existence. The strongest or most fit tend to survive.
4. Taxonomy: The theory of evolution had a tremendous impact on classification.
5. Barnacles: Why did he study them? He spent 8 years classifying them. Ghiselin argues that he studied barnacles not for classification but for comparative anatomy purposes. The study of barnacles was Darwin’s way to test his hypothesis of evolution.
6. Evolutionary psychology: Darwin wrote the Expressions of the Emotions in Man and Animals. This chapter explores its relationship to Darwin’s other work. One of the problems in this work is his anthropomorphic use of terms to describe animals.
7. Sexual selection: This chapter studies the sexual selection found in the Descent of Man. This theory is that the strongest males will leave the most offspring. This is a corollary of his theories of natural selection.
April 18, 2013
Do I want to go with naive? No certainly not. Rather clear exposition, absolutely points one might agree or disagree upon, but a nice, though loaded, rational reconstruction of Darwin's forays into the world of science and philosophy. Adventuresome to say the very least! Did you find this review helpful?
July 19, 2023
Michael T. Ghiselin (born May 13, 1939) is an American biologist and philosopher as well as historian of biology, formerly at the California Academy of Sciences.
He is known for his work concerning sea slugs, and for his criticism of the falsification of the history of Lamarckism in biology textbooks.
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This is an excellent book with some questionable points
Nature
He is known for his work concerning sea slugs, and for his criticism of the falsification of the history of Lamarckism in biology textbooks.
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This is an excellent book with some questionable points
Nature
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews