RE: Charles Darwin the Origin of Species voted most influential academic book in history
November 11, 2015 at 11:57 am
(This post was last modified: November 11, 2015 at 12:10 pm by Anomalocaris.)
In terms of separating science from the yoke of Christian cosmological bullshit, James Hutton's Theory of the Earth; or an Investigation of the Laws observable in the Composition, Dissolution, and Restoration of Land upon the Globe did just as much as Darwin's the origin of species, and hutton published it 50 years earlier. Only the anthropocentric conception of laymen' world made them take more notice of the Origins, but not theory of the earth.
I would say Newton's Principia was more fundamentally influential than either, but more overlooked by the layman because it's contents don't make for bullet points, artful illustrations, or punchy sound bites, while vague concept of what it is about conjures up memories of AP classes which made many feel inadaquate out of high school.
Principia laid the foundation of the intellectual environment that allowed Darwin and Hutton to not be hanged or exiled.
I would say Newton's Principia was more fundamentally influential than either, but more overlooked by the layman because it's contents don't make for bullet points, artful illustrations, or punchy sound bites, while vague concept of what it is about conjures up memories of AP classes which made many feel inadaquate out of high school.
Principia laid the foundation of the intellectual environment that allowed Darwin and Hutton to not be hanged or exiled.
