UNST 313 - Darwin and the Victorian Age of Discovery

Charles Darwin’s The Origin of Species precipitated a scientific and philosophical revolution that continues to reverberate in contemporary society. This course is a vehicle for exploring the extent to which Darwin’s theory of natural selection - the single most important, unifying scientific idea ever proposed - reflected and transformed the scientific, social, political, economic, religious, as well as literary and artistic, contexts of Britain in the Victorian age of discovery (1830s-1900). An appreciation for Victorian society reveals how Darwin’s travels, career choices, scientific activities, domestic life, fragile health, and delayed publication of his evolutionary theory were shaped by the culture of the time. Examining the diverse and intense reactions to Darwin’s “dangerous idea” shows how his theory has been extended far beyond biology to a broad range of intellectual disciplines. Seminar discussions are based on multidisciplinary assignments, student presentations, and interactions with invited speakers. These are enhanced by field trips to classic localities of geologic interest and to a natural history museum.

Credits: 1.00
Corequisite: None
Prerequisites: None
Major/Minor Restrictions: None
Class Restriction: None
Area of Inquiry: None
Liberal Arts CORE: None

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