Darwinism and American Society

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Schultz, K. M. (2014). HIST 3. Student Edition. What’s Inside, 1-164

As a scientific theory dealing with biology, Darwinism is seldom contested by serious scholars. Natural selection is long-held scientific component of Darwinist biological theory and it, too, is seldom challenged. This is not, however, to say that Darwinism does not continue to be popularly challenged, primarily among those who consider themselves creationists. There are two primary historical reasons why Darwinism continues to be contested in popular culture and society. First, the idea that Darwinism is a “theory” leaves definitional room for challenge in the minds of many, despite the fact that Darwinism’s place as a scientific theory about a process that has occurred in the past has a meaning distinct from the popular meaning of the word “theory.” Second, the use of Darwinist biological theory in conjunction with social theory during the 19th century was a sordid example of how science can be misused. Some view the historical phenomena of social Darwinism and eugenics as evidence of the problems with the Darwinist biological theory, despite the fact that Darwin, himself, maintained that his work only applied to the biological sciences.

To earn full credit for this submission, a distinction between biological Darwinism and other manifestations of Darwinist thought should be apparent in the essay. Also, the essay should be well-written and organized coherently. Please refer to the rubric for a full accounting of the grading rationale for this assignment. Just let me know if you have any questions about your grade.

Dr. McMurray