mid terms Flashcards
(47 cards)
Who were the Ancient Hebrews and what did their creation stories depict?
They were a group from c. 540-330 BCE whose creation stories depicted creationism.
Later translated by Martin Luther.
What did the Ancient Egyptians believe about the creation of the world?
Their gods created the world out of a lifeless sea of chaos around 2700 BCE.
This reflects their mythological understanding of creation.
What was the Norse/Vikings’ belief about the creation of the world?
They believed the world was created by Gods from a giant’s body around 500 BC.
This belief is rooted in Norse mythology.
What observation did Leonardo Da Vinci make about fossils?
Fossils are grouped together, not randomly scattered by a flood.
This observation was significant in understanding fossilization.
Who was John Ray and what was his contribution to biology?
He was an English naturalist who argued that adaptation proves divine design and was the first to use the word ‘species’.
He believed in fixed species and no extinction.
What did Nicolas Steno compare and what theory did he propose?
He compared tongue stones to shark teeth and proposed they came from dead water animals buried in soil. Law of original horizontality, superposition, lateral continuity. Principle of cross-cutting r/s.
He also suggested that rocks and minerals were originally fluid.
What is Carl Linnaeus known for?
He developed binomial nomenclature and a classification system for species. No extinction, no evo (like Ray).
He believed species were fixed, with no new species or extinctions.
What was Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon’s estimate of Earth’s age?
He estimated Earth’s age to be 75,000 years old. Life generated spontaneously, species change to fit environment, but not into other species.
Buffon argued for separate creation of species in different regions.
What significant theory did James Hutton develop?
He developed the Theory of the Earth, suggesting a cyclical process and an old Earth. Geological uncomformity, cyclical, earth age enevr ending. Theory of Uniformitarianism –> geological forces always the same
This laid the groundwork for modern geology.
Who was Erasmus Darwin?
Charles Darwin’s grandfather, a physician, poet, philosopher, and author.
The term Darwinism/Darwinian originates from him.
What is the main idea of William Paley’s ‘Natural Theology’?
His ideas about divine design were later opposed by Darwin.
Paley’s work emphasized the existence of a creator.
What did William Smith contribute to geology?
He discovered dating of rocks through fossils and created a stratigraphic map of England.
This was a milestone in the field of geology.
What theory did Jean-Baptiste Lamarck propose?
He proposed a theory of change over time, but not acquired inheritance. Lamarkism acquired inheritance. Whole theory –> change over time, complexifying force, adaptive force.
He distinguished between transformist and evolutionist views.
What did Charles Lyell advocate?
He advocated for slow, gradual change (Uniformitarianism) and opposed progressive development theories. Super against evol. Geological processes have always been slow. The present is the key to the past. There is no progress or direction, history of life is circular. Extinct things will come back. Extinct because it cannot adapt anymore.
His work significantly influenced Darwin.
Who was Mary Anning and what was her contribution?
She was a fossil hunter who discovered Ichthyosaur fossils. Amatuer.
Anning’s work contributed to paleontology.
What did Charles Darwin develop?
He developed the theory of evolution by natural selection.
Darwin’s ideas fundamentally changed biological sciences.
Fill in the blank: Louis Agassiz believed in the _______ theory and opposed evolution.
[ice age] swiss
What did Gregor Mendel experiment with?
He experimented with pea plants.
Mendel’s work on genetics was not linked to Darwin’s work until later.
Who independently conceived the theory of natural selection?
Alfred Russel Wallace.
Wallace’s work paralleled Darwin’s and contributed to the theory of evolution.
What did John Tyndall believe in regarding science and religion?
He was known for his Belfast Address and beliefs about science and religion.
Tyndall’s work explored the relationship between science and faith.
Who was Adam Sedgwick?
A geologist who believed in progressive development and accepted the Earth’s old age
Ridiculed the use of Noah’s flood to explain geology and criticized Vestiges.
What theory did Alfred Russel Wallace develop?
Theory of evolution by natural selection
Initially believed in sudden appearance of new varieties; later suggested supernatural intervention for human intelligence.
How did Alexander von Humboldt influence Darwin?
His travels revealed different altitudes host different lives and vegetations
