Evolutionary Theory and Victorian Culture (Control of Nature)

This absorbing study of the Victorian controversies over the cultural meaning of evolution broadens our perspective by emphasizing the contributions of these and other prominent individuals. Martin Fichman traces the emergence of science as a definitive political and cultural force in this critical period, showing that evolutionary biology was at the epicenter of these profound sociocultural transformations. His astute analysis of the often vehement Victorian debates on the political, religious, racial, and ethical implications of evolutionary thought reveals how science came to be inseparable from the broader culture. He also relates nineteenth-century controversies to cultural debates in the twentieth century, in particular the notorious Scopes trial (1925) and the ongoing debate about "scientific creationism."