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Name:
Ernst Haeckel
Ernst Heinrich Phillip August Haeckel
Dates:
Born: February 16, 1834 in Potsdam, Germany
Died: August 9, 1919 in Jena, Germany
Specialization:
Zoology
Medicine
Major Works:
The History of Creation (1868)
The Riddle of the Universe (1899)
Biography:
Enst Haeckel was orignally trained as a physician, but he abandoned his medical
practice after reading Charles Darwin's Origin of Species in 1859. Haeckel
returned to school, studying zoology and anatomy and eventually earning a position
as professor in Jena. Through his studies he developed what he called his "biogenic
law," made famous by his own phrase "ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny."
According to this principle, all creatures develop through the forms of their early evolution whil in the fetal stage. It has been shown that such a one-to-one correspondence does not actually exist, but it has also been shown that ontogeny (development of a fertilized ovum through to maturity) and phylogeny (development of a species over time) are closely related. Moreover, the phylogenetic tree which Haeckel was the first to create and which was designed to provide a reference for how closely various species were related was also very advanced for its time.
Although a strong supporter and defender of evolution (especially against attacks from religious leaders), Haeckel was not a Darwinian and did not accept natural selection as an explantion for how evolution proceeds. Instead, he favored a type of Lamarkism by whcih species acquire characteristics from their environment and pass them along to their children.
Much later Haeckel attempted to develop a comperhensive philosophical system based upon biological and evolutionary findings. This system was to encompass ethics, theology, psychology and politics - indeed, he is quoted as having said that "politics is applied biology." Unfortunately, some of that work was later appropriated by the Nazis who used it as justificcation for their racism and nationalism.
Also Known As: none
Alternate Spellings: none
Common Misspellings: none
Related Resources:
Evolution & Creationism...
Is evolution a science? Is creationism a science? What is science? Is there evidence for either? Religious fundamentalists often attack evolution, but rarely from a positions of really understanding what evolution is and how it works. This FAQ will not only teach you more about the nature of evolution and evolutionary theory, but it will also explain some of the more common complaints and where they go wrong.
