As this link points out, ideas are a product of their times. 'Evolution' before the 19th century was not intellectually possible. But all ideas are produced from previous ideas. Aristotle had the idea of the 'Great Chain':
"This basic concept highly influenced the thinking of centuries of Western civilization. In fact, it still holds a powerful influence over our thinking today. The Great Chain idea places some significant restraints upon the ways we think about species......Without this adjustment in thought, it is probable that Darwin (and Wallace) would either never have conceived of evolutionary thought, or would have made no impression when they published their ideas."
- Actually, pre-Socrates Greek philosophers came up with the concept, and they are believed to have gotten the concept from the Sumerians. But these weren't presented so much as science as mythology.
The first "modern" version was from a scientist named Maupertuis wrote similar concepts in the 1750's (Don't remember the exact year) preceding Darwin by a century. Several others joined the bandwagon through the early 1800's.
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As this link points out, ideas are a product of their times. 'Evolution' before the 19th century was not intellectually possible. But all ideas are produced from previous ideas. Aristotle had the idea of the 'Great Chain':
"This basic concept highly influenced the thinking of centuries of Western civilization. In fact, it still holds a powerful influence over our thinking today. The Great Chain idea places some significant restraints upon the ways we think about species......Without this adjustment in thought, it is probable that Darwin (and Wallace) would either never have conceived of evolutionary thought, or would have made no impression when they published their ideas."
http://www.cod.edu/people/faculty/fancher/Aristotl...
- Actually, pre-Socrates Greek philosophers came up with the concept, and they are believed to have gotten the concept from the Sumerians. But these weren't presented so much as science as mythology.
The first "modern" version was from a scientist named Maupertuis wrote similar concepts in the 1750's (Don't remember the exact year) preceding Darwin by a century. Several others joined the bandwagon through the early 1800's.
Charles Darwin
Solomon.