HIS-3464 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: The Columbian Exchange, Georges Cuvier, Denis Diderot
Document Summary
How do we account for change: time is a major factor. The new science: the columbian exchange, natural history. Classification: attempt to write down the name and attributes of every living thing in the world. Leads to the problem of extinction: now they have an idea that there are animals that no longer exist. Problem because religions believe that god could just kill off the humans. People are exploring and they are gathering animals and put them in museums that show the natural history. Founded taxonomy: a rational system of classification. System of nature (1735: created binomial nomenclature. Although challenged by linnaeus, it can still be found in darwinian evolution later on. Enlightenment and atheism: materialism: looking for answers in the material work. Denis diderot: tranformism: change is possible, species can change, forerunner to evolution, spontaneous generation : something can come from nothing.
