일반생물학 수업을 위한 『종의 기원』 탄생에 대한 연구 －다학제적 역량 배양을 위한 생물학 수업 모색

Abstract

Integration between biology and other disciplines is one of the typical features of biology. Darwinian evolution can serve as a good subject in understanding this feature. Therefore, this study focused on influences from many fields on the birth of 『The Origin of Species』. 『The Origin of Species』 is well known to have suggested five theories in relation to changes in organisms.: Namely, evolution itself, gradualism, the theory of a common ancestor, the theory of species diversification, and natural selection. The Christian view of life, which was rooted in Plato and Aristotle, has insisted upon the “Creation Theory” of life, immutability, and teleology. Naturally, these were big obstacles for Darwin to overcome. Also, classical economics, which emphasizes the importance of individual competition, had an impact on Darwin, particularly the 『Principle of Population』 put forth by Malthus. The advances made in various scientific areas, from Newtonian mechanics to the ideas suggested by geologists such as Buffon and Lyell, also played a significant role in influencing Darwin’s ideas on evolution. Finally, Lamark’s theory on evolution, along with other contributions made by many biologists, seems to have played a beneficial part in the publication of 『The Origin of Species』. Indeed, all of these factors played a substantial role when in came to shaping Darwin’s five theories on evolution. Many general biology textbooks contain these topics, but some of them do so to a much lesser extant than they really should. Thus, it seems necessary for us to strengthen several related points within such textbooks. For in doing so, we can have a positive impact on the development of the multidisciplinary competency of students. Moreover, such an undertaking may be useful for the refinement of general biology as a discipline within liberal education.