1. Challenged Existing Norms
Charles Darwin
Challenged Existing Norms
Relevance Today
Presenting the idea that what humans are not unique as god's chosen, but part of nature.
Rejecting the idea that society would inevitably move towards peace and cooperation. Struggle and competition were the buzzwords of the day.
Many people tried to apply survival of the fittest to society, something known as Social Darwinism
His ideas were used to support colonialism, imperialism, eugenics, nationalism, and lack of welfare
Darwin theories are taught at schools today; e.g. theory of evolution
Theory of evolution is considered scientific fact by most scientists
Field of evolutionary biology is based on Darwin’s work
Altered mankind beliefs – provides humankind something to believe in, on where we came from or how we were created
Changed the definition of: paleontology, anthropology, and genetics