The Tragic Sense of Life : Ernst Haeckel and the Struggle Over Evolutionary Thought

Prior to the First World War, more people learned of evolutionary theory from the voluminous writings of Charles DarwinвЂTMs foremost champion in Germany, Ernst Haeckel (1834–1919), than from any other source, including the writings of Darwin himself. But, with detractors ranging from paleontologist Stephen Jay Gould to modern-day creationists and advocates of intelligent design, Haeckel is better known as a divisive figure than as a pioneering biologist. Robert J. RichardsвЂTMs intellectual biography rehabilitates Haeckel, providing the most accurate measure of his science and art yet written, as well as a moving account of HaeckelвЂTMs eventful life.  “This is a brilliant book. . . . It is intellectually brilliant, offering an account of Haeckel as driven by tragic failures in love that colored his view of life. And the book is brilliant scholarship, drawing on a wide range of sources to paint a quite different picture of HaeckelвЂTMs work than other scholars have achieved.”—__History and Philosophy of the Life Sciences__ В ''[An] excellent, well-illustrated and scholarly biography of Haeckel.''—Andrew Robinson, __Financial Times__ CONTENTS......Page 8 List of Illustrations......Page 12 Preface......Page 18 1. Introduction......Page 22 The Tragic Source of the Anti-Religious Character of Evolutionary Theory......Page 34 2. Formation of a Romantic Biologist......Page 40 Early Student Years......Page 41 University Years......Page 47 Habilitation and Engagement......Page 70 3. Research in Italy and Conversion to Darwinism......Page 76 Friendship with Allmers and Temptations of the Bohemian Life......Page 78 Radiolarians and the Darwinian Explanation......Page 84 Appendix: Haeckel's Challenger Investigations......Page 96 4. Triumph and Tragedy at Jena......Page 100 Habilitation and Teaching......Page 101 Friendship with Gegenbaur......Page 105 For Love of Anna......Page 111 The Defender of Darwin......Page 115 Tragedy in Jena......Page 125 5. Evolutionary Morphology in the Darwinian Mode......Page 134 Haeckel's Generelle Morphologie der Organismen......Page 139 Haeckel's Darwinism......Page 156 Reaction to Haeckel's Generelle Morphologie......Page 183 Conclusion......Page 186 Appendix: Haeckel's Letter to Darwin......Page 189 6. Travel to England and the Canary Islands: Experimental Justification of Evolution......Page 192 Visit to England and Meeting with Darwin......Page 193 Travel to the Canary Islands......Page 197 Research on Siphonophores......Page 201 Entwickelungsmechanik......Page 210 Conclusion: A Naturalist Voyaging......Page 234 7. The Popular Presentation of Evolution......Page 238 Haeckel's Natural History of Creation......Page 244 Conclusion: Evolutionary Theory and Racism......Page 290 8. The Rage of the Critics......Page 298 Critical Objections and Charges of Fraud......Page 299 Haeckel's Responses to His Critics......Page 317 The Epistemology of Photograph and Fact: Renewed Charges of Fraud......Page 324 The Munich Confrontation with Virchow: Science vs. Socialism......Page 333 Conclusion......Page 350 9. The Religious Response to Evolutionism: Ants, Embryos, and Jesuits......Page 364 Haeckel's Journey to the Tropics: The Footprint of Religion......Page 365 "Science Has Nothing to Do with Christ" -Darwin......Page 371 Erich Wasmann, a Jesuit Evolutionist......Page 377 The Keplerbund vs. the Monistenbund......Page 392 The Response of the Forty-six......Page 403 Conclusion......Page 404 At Long Last Love......Page 412 The World Puzzles......Page 419 The Consolations of Love......Page 424 Second Journey to the Tropics--Java and Sumatra......Page 426 Growth in Love and Despair......Page 434 Lear on the Heath......Page 440 The Great War......Page 446 11. Conclusion: The Tragic Sense of Ernst Haeckel......Page 460 Early Assessments of Haeckel Outside of Germany......Page 461 Haeckel in the English-Speaking World at Midcentury......Page 463 Haeckel Scholarship in Germany (1900-Present)......Page 465 The Contemporary Evaluation: Haeckel and the Nazis Again......Page 469 The Tragedy of Haeckel's Life and Science......Page 474 Appendix 1: A Brief History of Morphology......Page 476 Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832)......Page 477 Karl Friedrich Burdach (1776-1847)......Page 482 Lorenz Oken (1779-1851)......Page 485 Friedrich Tiedemann (1781-1861)......Page 487 Carl Gustav Carus (1789-1869)......Page 491 Heinrich Georg Bronn (1800-1862)......Page 495 Karl Ernst von Baer (1792-1876)......Page 499 Richard Owen (1804-1892)......Page 502 Charles Darwin (1809-1882)......Page 505 Introduction: Scientific History......Page 510 The Temporal and Causal Grammar of Narrative History......Page 513 The Moral Grammar of Narrative History......Page 518 The Case of Ernst Haeckel......Page 521 The Moral Indictment of Haeckel......Page 523 Nazi Race Hygienists and Their Use of Haeckelian Ideas......Page 525 The Judgment of Historical Responsibility......Page 526 The Reaction of Contemporary Historians......Page 527 Principles of Moral Judgment......Page 530 Conclusion......Page 533 Bibliography......Page 534 Index......Page 562 Prior To The First World War, More People Learned Of Evolutionary Theory From The Voluminous Writings Of Charles Darwin's Foremost Champion In Germany, Ernst Haeckel (1834-1919), Than Through Any Other Source, Including The Writings Of Darwin Himself. Haeckel's Books Vastly Outsold Darwin's In Their Own Time, And Today His Extraordinary Scientific Illustrations Adorn Books, Posters, And Coffee Mugs. Haeckel Gave Currency To The Idea Of The Missing Link Between Apes And Man, Formulated The Concept Of Ecology, And Promulgated The Biogenetic Law--the Idea That The Embryo Of An Advanced Species Recapitulates The Stages That The Species Went Through In Its Evolutionary Descent. But With Detractors Ranging From Paleontologist Stephen Joy Gould To Modern-day Creationists And Advocates Of Intelligent Design, Haeckel Is Better Known As A Divisive Figure Than As A Pioneering Biologist. Robert J. Richards's Intellectual Biography Rehabilitates Haeckel, Providing The Most Accurate Measure Of His Science And Art Yet Written, As Well As A Moving Account Of Haeckel's Eventful Life. The Tragic Sense Of Life Examines The Intellectual Context As Well As The Intimate Experiences And Profound Convictions That Allowed Darwin's Message To Become Almost A Religious Calling For Haeckel. Far From Shying Away From The Many Controversies That Marked Haeckel's Life And Career, Richards Engages Haeckel's Many Challengers And Dissenters, Whose Accusations Against Him Range From The Charge That He Falsified Some Of His Famous Drawings To The Supposedly Proto-nazi Quality Of His Biological Theories. Reappraising Haeckel's Accomplishments, Artistic Endeavors, Many Battles, Personal Relationships, And Searing Loves, Richards Convincingly Demonstrates The Enormous Impact Haeckel Had On Biology And Larger Scientific Affairs During The Last Half Of The Nineteenth And Early Part Of The Twentieth Century. The Definitive Account Of Darwin's Greatest Intellectual Heir, The Tragic Sense Of Life Is A Sweeping Reevaluation Of The Romantic Ideas And Calamitous Biography Of A Man Whose Vision Of Evolutionary Theory Is Still Influential Today.--jacket. Introduction -- Formation Of A Romantic Biologist -- Research In Italy And Conversion To Darwinism -- Triumph And Tragedy At Jena -- Evolutionary Morphology In The Darwinian Mode -- Travel To England And The Canary Islands : Experimental Justification Of Evolution -- The Popular Presentation Of Evolution -- The Rage Of The Critics -- The Religious Response To Evolutionism : Ants, Embryos, And Jesuits -- Love In A Time Of War -- Conclusion : The Tragic Sense Of Ernst Haeckel. Robert J. Richards. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 513-540) And Index.

Prior to the First World War, more people learned of evolutionary theory from the voluminous writings of Charles Darwin’s foremost champion in Germany, Ernst Haeckel (1834–1919), than from any other source, including the writings of Darwin himself. But, with detractors ranging from paleontologist Stephen Jay Gould to modern-day creationists and advocates of intelligent design, Haeckel is better known as a divisive figure than as a pioneering biologist. Robert J. Richards’s intellectual biography rehabilitates Haeckel, providing the most accurate measure of his science and art yet written, as well as a moving account of Haeckel’s eventful life.

Prior to the First World War, more people learned of evolutionary theory from the voluminous writings of Charles Darwin’s foremost champion in Germany, Ernst Haeckel (1834–1919), than from any other source, including the writings of Darwin himself. But, with detractors ranging from paleontologist Stephen Jay Gould to modern-day creationists and advocates of intelligent design, Haeckel is better known as a divisive figure than as a pioneering biologist. Robert J. Richards’s intellectual biography rehabilitates Haeckel, providing the most accurate measure of his science and art yet written, as well as a moving account of Haeckel’s eventful life. (20080811) Prior to World War I, more people learned of evolutionary theory from the works of Ernst Haeckel than through any other source. Haeckel gave currency to the idea of the 'missing link' between apes and man and formulated the concept of ecology. While his legacy has been controversial, this study stresses his importance