As concepções evolutivas no Vestiges of the natural history of creation (1844) de Robert Chambers e a proposta de Lamarck: um estudo comparativo

Abstract

Published anonymously in 1844, the book Vestiges of the natural history of creation triggered one of the greatest public debates which took place in the 19th century. Its author Robert Chambers proposed the transformation of living beings and the origin of new species by natural causes. The first aim of this dissertation is to describe some evolutionary concepts presented in the book. The second one is to compare them to the final version of Lamarck s theory on the progression of animals. This dissertation contains an introduction and four chapters. Chapter 1 discusses the evolutionary precedents and the general context in which Chambers presented his views concerning the transmutation of species. It also describes his career and professional interests. Chapter 2 deals with Chambers main evolutionary ideas. Chapter 3 provides a comparison between Chambers' and Lamarck's views, showing their similarities and differences. Chapter 4 offers some final remarks on the subject. This study led to the conclusion that although several similarities between Chambers' and Lamarck's evolutionary ideas may be found in some respects, such as gradualism, progression, uniformitarism, natural laws and no interference of God in natural processes, there were also some relevant differences such as the way in which they attempted to provide a foundation for their theories. Whereas Chambers presented many arguments using the fossil records as well as some other ones related to rudimentary organs and embryology, Lamarck made scarce use of the fossil record for the foundation of his theory. Instead of this, he provided a huge mass of facts showing the existence of a progression of the great taxonomical groups of animals. The arrangement of those groups in a progressive scale, however, did not provide an empirical foundation for what had happened in time. On the other hand, Chambers presented laws different from Lamarck's. However, although he did not propose a law dealing with the increase of the complexity of the great groups or individuals as Lamarck did, this idea permeated all of Chambers' ideas on the transmutation of species