La reputación de Ernst Haeckel como teorizador de la evolución apenas puede caer más bajo a un siglo de su muerte. Sin embargo, el desprecio con el que invariablemente se le nombra en las últimas décadas es algo injusto, y resulta de una falta de perspectiva sobre el estado de la teoría evolucionista en el siglo diecinueve. Las contribuciones de Haeckel merecen más respeto del que actualmente reciben, y aunque quizá no sea uno de los gigantes de la ciencia ("sobre cuyos hombros estamos" al decir de Newton) hay que reconocer que hoy también vemos más lejos gracias a estar subidos a hombros de gente de talla normal, o incluso de enanos. En este artículo trato de poner en perspectiva algunas de las contribuciones de Haeckel al pensamiento evolucionista, observando que la superioridad complaciente con la que hoy lo rechazamos bien puede resultar de una ilusión retrospectiva mal aplicada.
En descargo de Haeckel (Haeckel-Raising)
https://ssrn.com/abstract=3382700
Ibercampus (1 May 2019)
9 Pages
Posted: 4 Jun 2019 - Date Written: 2009
English Abstract:
Ernst Haeckel's reputation as a theorist of evolution can scarcely be any lower in the centenary of his death. The contempt invariably poured on him in recent decades is, however, somewhat unfair, as it results from a lack of perspective on the state of evolutionary theory in the nineteenth century. Haeckel's contributions deserve more respect than they currently get and, while he may not be one of the giants of science ('on whose shoulders we stand', as Newton put it), one must acknowledge that we also see further by standing on the shoulders of people of ordinary size—or even midgets. In this paper I try to put into focus some of Haeckel's contributions to evolutionary thinking, noting that the current smugness in rejecting him may be the result of misplaced hindsight.
Ernst Haeckel's reputation as a theorist of evolution can scarcely be any lower in the centenary of his death. The contempt invariably poured on him in recent decades is, however, somewhat unfair, as it results from a lack of perspective on the state of evolutionary theory in the nineteenth century. Haeckel's contributions deserve more respect than they currently get and, while he may not be one of the giants of science ('on whose shoulders we stand', as Newton put it), one must acknowledge that we also see further by standing on the shoulders of people of ordinary size—or even midgets. In this paper I try to put into focus some of Haeckel's contributions to evolutionary thinking, noting that the current smugness in rejecting him may be the result of misplaced hindsight.
Keywords: Evolutionism, Evolution, Haeckel, Retrospection,
Suggested Citation:
Garcia Landa, Jose Angel, En descargo de Haeckel (Haeckel-Raising) (2009). Ibercampus (1 May 2019)
. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3382700
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