Becoming Charles Darwin: Travel Experiences, Personal Writings, and the Genesis of a Method
In 1831, Charles Darwin set sail on a journey that would forever shape his science. These five years of exploration are a testimony to the genesis of his scientific mind. His travels across the seas and continents were a source of wonder and inspiration, cultivating his intellect and laying the seed...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Presses Universitaires de la Méditerranée
2024-03-01
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| Series: | Cahiers Victoriens et Edouardiens |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journals.openedition.org/cve/14350 |
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| Summary: | In 1831, Charles Darwin set sail on a journey that would forever shape his science. These five years of exploration are a testimony to the genesis of his scientific mind. His travels across the seas and continents were a source of wonder and inspiration, cultivating his intellect and laying the seeds for his life quest. This study seeks to explore some of the transformative elements of his voyage, which propelled him from a young and curious explorer to a visionary naturalist and to highlight the power of travelling on his methodology and scientific destination. The core of this study lies in Darwin’s personal musings expressed in his memoirs, journals, field observations, and correspondences. These raw and first-hand accounts underscore the circumstances that ultimately charted his path to his revolutionary hypothesis. At first, this article explores his formative experience on board the HMS Beagle and how even small initiatives had a fruitful impact in shaping the distinct Darwinian perspective. Then the concern will shift to the interplay between his experience of freedom and the growth of an intimate methodology. The wild patterns, captivating scenes, and the ever-changing world awakened in him the audacity and legitimacy to envision a new science. Finally, this contribution considers how a journey that began with scientific aspiration sealed his youthful search for purpose and identity. His impressions of the overwhelming diversity yet commonness of all life forms moulded the manners he explained, questioned, and answered science. Overall, the paper aims to illustrate how Darwin’s personal experiences, as documented in his writings and reminiscences, contain the essence of his personal and enigmatic approach, shedding light on how his adventurous routes influenced his methodological trajectory. |
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| ISSN: | 0220-5610 2271-6149 |