Was Darwin a 20th Century Philosopher?
Darwin passed away in the 1800s.
Charles Darwin, in full Charles Robert Darwin (born February 12, 1809, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England — died April 19, 1882, Downe, Kent), English naturalist whose scientific theory of evolution by natural selection became the foundation of modern evolutionary studies. An affable country gentleman, Darwin at first shocked religious Victorian society by suggesting that animals and humans shared a common ancestry. However, his nonreligious biology appealed to the rising class of professional scientists, and by the time of his death evolutionary imagery had spread through all of science, literature, and politics.
Apparently, Darwin was neither born in the 20th century, nor did he live to experience the turn of the century.
But it is understandable why Darwin still influenced 20th century philosophy, as well as people in many other walks of life.
Darwin wasn’t religious. He saw, without illusions or self-aggrandizement, humans as two-legged animals. However, his theory of “natural selection” evoke images of power, a concept which is especially appealing to weak minds. Intentionally or not, this theory entered the realm of politics.
How is this relevant to philosophy? Philosophy, as the name denotes, is the search of truth. Darwin introduced theories about life and mankind, which philosophers sought to explore further and deeper.
