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The Karpeles Manuscript Library Darwin Exhibit
May 01, 2011
An exhibit of the original manuscript of Charles Darwin's Origin of the Species.
Charles Darwin (1809-1882), one of the most influential figures in the history of science, was an English naturalist whose theory of evolution had an enormous influence on our understanding of geology, botany, and biology. His book On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection (1859) created a revolution in scientific and philosophical thought and has been credited with providing the unifying theory of the life sciences.
From May through August 2011, the Karpeles Museum will display a wide range of original material relating to the revolutionary changes in thinking initiated by Charles Darwin. The exhibition contains a selection from the original manuscript of On the Origin of Species in the author’s hand, as well as a letter by Alfred Russell Wallace, the co-discoverer with Darwin of the theory of evolution, commenting on their joint research. Also included are an 1882 letter from Darwin rejecting the concept of Creationism, the theory that the world and all forms of life were created by God out of nothing, as without any evidence “that seems in the least trustworthy,” and a note in which Darwin seeks to reconcile “the differences between ecclesiastics and scientific men” in the apparent conflict between religion and the theory of evolution.
One of the most important influences on Darwin was the work of Thomas Malthus (1744-1834), whose theory of population growth inspired Darwin in his research on the survival of the fittest. The museum will display an original letter written by Malthus and one in which Darwin comments on his reading of Malthus’s major work, An Essay on the Principles of Population (1798) and its effect on his thinking.
The exhibit also presents material on ancient Greek philosophy anticipating Darwin’s work on the theory of evolution and the natural selection of species by Empedocles (493-435 B.C.), Aristotle (384-322 B.C.), and others dating to 100 A.D., as well as by 18th and 19th century naturalists, philosophers, and theologians, placing Darwin and his ideas in a historical perspective.
The Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum is located at 94 Broadway, across from City Hall, in the City of Newburgh. The Karpeles Museums are a national chain with nine in the U.S., specializing in the preservation and display of original, historically significant documents and manuscripts.
Museum Hours: Thu.-Sat., 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday, 12 to 4 p.m.
Admission is always free.
Visit online: www.karpeles.com
.
The Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum is located at 94 Broadway, across from City Hall, in the City of Newburgh. The Karpeles Museums are a national chain with nine in the U.S., specializing in the preservation and display of original, historically significant documents and manuscripts. Museum Hours: Thu.-Sat., 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday, 12 to 4 p.m.
Admission is always free.
Visit us online: WWW.KARPELES.COM
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