Darwin was greatly influenced by whom?
Correct answer: A. Essay on Population by Malthus
- A. Essay on Population by Malthus
- B. Lamarck's theory
- C. L-Miller's evidence for origin of life
- D. Mendel's paper on inheritance
Explanation
Charles Darwin was greatly influenced by Thomas Robert Malthus's 'An Essay on the Principle of Population.' Malthus's insights into how populations grow more rapidly than the resources available to sustain them highlighted a competitive struggle for existence. This concept was crucial for Darwin's development of the theory of natural selection. In contrast, Lamarck's ideas were ultimately set aside by Darwin, L-Miller's work was conducted much later, and Mendel's genetic principles were not known to Darwin during his development of natural selection.
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About Evolution
Evolution describes heritable change in populations over generations through variation, natural selection and adaptation. Lamarckism explains inheritance of acquired characteristics, while Darwinism explains selection of favourable inherited variations; these historical explanations must not be confused with the modern genetic account of evolutionary change.
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