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Edward Blyth

From CreationWiki, the encyclopedia of creation science

Edward Blyth

Edward Blyth (1810 to 1873) was born in London and became a well-known zoologist and chemist which brought him wide consideration as one of the founders of Indian zoology and subsequently he became one of the leading zoologist of India. He first arrived in Calcutta, India around 1841 and became curator of the, Royal Asiatic Society of Bengal museum.

1 Blyth and Darwin
2 Other Publishings
3 References
4 External Links
5 See Also

Blyth and Darwin

In 1835, twenty-four years before Charles Darwin published his masterpiece, The Origin of Species Edward Blyth published his for, The Magazine of Natural History. According to his paper it was clear that Blyth held the view that animals could be modified over time and that, "the stronger must always prevail over the weaker," as he put it, mirroring the very fundamental tenet of Darwin.

Most are not familiar with natural selection and the history behind its development through the scientific method to conclude that it is indeed a unique constant natural phenomenon, believe that it is only the primary mechanism for Darwinian evolution. It is assumed by most that Charles Darwin himself was the first to put such an observation to paper and truly allow the development of it as a theory. Blyth's paper dealt with observed instances of small change within organisms effected by natural selection as well, albeit in slightly different terms. However evolution cannot be understood properly if going by the overwhelming database of observed examples of change, which is exceedingly minor in almost all cases. It cannot be scientifically sustained by extrapolating these small observed changes to the ultimate evolutionary presupposition that at one point enough accumulated to produce molecules-to-man massive change producing radically altered, cascading genetic and ultimately morphological change millions of years in the past by random, blind natural processes.

According to Blyth's work organisms and their change in nature is something which;

“

There has been, strangely enough, a difference of opinion among naturalists, as to whether these seasonal changes of colour were intended by Providence as an adaptation to change of temperature¹⁰, or as a means of preserving the various species from the observation of their foes, by adapting their hues to the colour of the surface; against which latter opinion it has been plausibly enough argued, that "nature provides for the preyer as well as for the prey." The fact is, they answer both purposes; and they are among those striking instances of design, which so clearly and forcibly attest the existence of an omniscient great First Cause. Experiment demonstrates the soundness of the first opinion; and sufficient proof can be adduced to show that the other is also sound. ^[1]

”

You can quickly tell that it wasn't Darwin's observational science that made evolution so appealing. There were still only small changes in organisms being scientifically observed by Darwin, and by Blyth who had already published such gleanings of nature years earlier. It was more so the opposing philosophical outlook on the origin of life that drew people in as society grew more and more secular. Darwin himself credited Blyth in the first chapter of The Origin of Species by writing;

“

Mr Blyth, whose opinion, from his large and varied stores of knowledge, I should value more than that of almost any one. ^[2]

”