Metodo

International Studies in Phenomenology and Philosophy

Series | Book | Chapter

212899

Darwinian monism

the economy of nature

Michael T. Ghiselin

pp. 7-24

Abstract

Late in September of 1838 Charles Darwin read a book by Robert Malthus, and discovered natural selection. Darwin, then 29 years old, was the Secretary of the Geological Society of London. Malthus, who had died two years previously, had been the first professor of economics. The interdisciplinary relationship may serve to remind us of two very important points. First, Darwin transformed biology into an historical science, in the sense that geology is an historical science. Second, Darwin transformed biology into an economic science, by showing that the natural economy and the political economy are variations upon a common theme (Hirshleifer 1978).

Publication details

Published in:

Koslowski Peter (1999) Sociobiology and bioeconomics: the theory of evolution in biological and economic theory. Dordrecht, Springer.

Pages: 7-24

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-662-03825-3_2

Full citation:

Ghiselin Michael T. (1999) „Darwinian monism: the economy of nature“, In: P. Koslowski (ed.), Sociobiology and bioeconomics, Dordrecht, Springer, 7–24.