George John Romanes

Broschiertes Buch

The Life and Letters of George John Romanes

Beschreibung

George John Romanes (1848-94) was an influential evolutionary biologist whose work focused on the evolution of mental faculties. Although criticised for his anecdotal method, he is credited as being one of the pioneers of comparative psychology for his work on animal intelligence, and he also contributed to the development of the theory of natural selection. Romanes and Charles Darwin (1809-82) were close friends, and Darwin gave Romanes his notes on psychology for use in his studies. First published in 1896, this biography was written by his wife Ethel (1856-1927), also an author on religious topics. This reissue is of the second printing (also 1896): including correspondence between Darwin and Romanes, it is a rich source of information on both men and the development of their work. This book is also fascinating for its account of Romanes' mental conflict between his Christian faith and belief in evolution.

Autor

George John Romanes FRS was a Canadian-Scottish evolutionary biologist and physiologist who pioneered comparative psychology by proposing that humans and other animals share cognitive processes and mechanisms. He was the youngest of Charles Darwin's academic friends, and his ideas about evolution are historically significant. He is regarded to originate the phrase neo-Darwinism, which in the late 19th century was seen as a theory of evolution that concentrates on natural selection as the main evolutionary force. However, Samuel Butler used this term with a similar meaning in 1880. George Romanes was born in Kingston, Canada West, in 1848, as the youngest of three boys from a wealthy and highly developed family. His father, Rev. George Romanes (1805-1871), was a Scottish Presbyterian pastor. Two years after his birth, his parents relocated to Cornwall Terrace in London, United Kingdom, paving the way for Romanes' fruitful and long-lasting association with Charles Darwin. Romanes spent time growing up in Germany and Italy, where he became fluent in both languages. His early education was erratic, taking both in public schools and at home. He developed an early interest in poetry and music, at which he excelled.

Produktdetails

• Verlag: Cambridge University Press
• Seitenzahl: 412
• Erscheinungstermin: 23. September 2011
• Englisch
• Abmessung: 216mm x 140mm x 24mm
• Gewicht: 579g
• ISBN-13: 9781108037891
• ISBN-10: 1108037895
• Artikelnr.: 34447029