Reviews

Evolutionary Theory and Victorian Culture by Morton L. Schagrin, Michael Ruse, Martin Fichman

thecriticalreader's review

informative fast-paced

3.25

Evolutionary Theory & Victorian Culture combines cultural and intellectual history to recount evolutionary debates during the Victorian era. The book explores themes of religion, imperialism, racism, gender, ethics, and politics within the context of evolutionism. 

            Fichman uses primary sources written by scientists, philosophers, sociologists, and theologians to demonstrate that Victorian-era discussions surrounding evolution were varied and complex. According to Fichman, the conception of evolution as a singular scientific theory antithetical to religion is a gross oversimplification. Not only did important figures of the day disagree on how evolution as a process worked, they also disagreed on the implications of evolution. As the title suggests, Evolutionary Theory & Victorian Culture borrows some elements from cultural history. These elements include Fichman’s strong reliance on textual evidence and his assumption of certain Victorian mentalités.  However, the book is primarily an intellectual history because nearly all of Fichman’s arguments center around scholarly interpretations of evolutionism. A more precise categorization of this work is that it is a history of science with an emphasis on culture. 

            Evolutionary Theory & Victorian Culture has a straightforward organizational structure.  The book has eight chapters, each chapter containing approximately eight subsections. The chapters are thematically organized and do not follow a strict timeline. This structure serves Fichman’s purpose well, although the time jumps may be disorienting for those who prefer chronological histories. Each chapter covers a main theme and contains subsections with narrower focuses. For instance, chapter six focuses on ethical questions raised by evolutionism; subsections within the chapter investigate different schools of thought associated with evolutionism and ethics. In general, the subsections are well-organized and make the information easier to digest. However, sometimes these subsections can seem disjointed and disrupt the narrative flow. The strengths and weaknesses of the organizational structure reflect the book’s purpose of providing a general overview of the debates over evolutionism. 

            It is clear that Evolutionary Theory & Victorian Culture is meant to be a broad introduction to the history of evolutionism for those with little prior knowledge. Fichman begins with a contextual outline of the history of science, assuming that the reader is unacquainted with such material. Furthermore, Fichman writes in an accessible manner and frequently defines theories, principles, philosophies, and ideas related to his topic. Consequently, the book is accessible to readers without backgrounds in science or history. Since the book keeps each subsection concise (only one or two pages per subsection), it is a relatively quick and easy read. All of these features make Evolutionary Theory & Victorian Culturea good choice for those with a casual interest in the topic or for researchers looking for an introduction to evolution and Victorian culture. For someone hoping for in-depth coverage of certain people or ideas, this book would be helpful only as a starting point. 

Prospective readers should be aware of the limitations of Evolutionary Theory and Victorian Culture. For one, this book does not examine each topic in considerable detail. If looking for in-depth accounts of particular ideas, people, or issues, readers should consult Fichman’s bibliography for pertinent source material. Secondly, this book is not a “history from below.” Anyone who is interested in evolutionary theory’s interaction with popular culture or everyday life will be disappointed. Fichman mentions public perceptions of evolution a few times, but his book is almost exclusively centered around debates in elite, intellectual circles. His sources are similarly limited to published texts by scientists, philosophers, and social theorists. The most accurate description Evolutionary Theory and Victorian Culture is that it investigates the “scientific, religious, cultural, and ideological factors in Victorian evolutionary debates” (loc. 1103 in Kindle E-book) rather evolutionism’s impact on mainstream culture. Based on what the book does and does not cover, some readers will find Evolutionary Theory and Victorian Culture more helpful than others. Within the constraints of the work’s purpose, however, Fichman is effective in his scholarship.

As the book unfolds, Fichman defends his thesis that responses to evolutionism were diverse and contradictory by simply summarizing the responses themselves. Fichman heavily relies on secondary sources since his work is mostly a comprehensive overview of existing scholarship. When he does use primary sources, they mostly speak for themselves in showing the wide range of reactions to evolutionism. Letters between the co-founders of the natural selection theory, Darwin and Wallace, demonstrate their diverging opinions on evolution’s implications for religion, race, and imperialism. Similarly, by juxtaposing the writings of Francis Galton (the founder of eugenics) and Peter Kropotkin (a socialist revolutionary), Fichman effectively demonstrates the multifaceted nature of evolutionary debates. 

Throughout the majority of Evolutionary Theory and Victorian Culture, Fichman gives a balanced overview of various ideas and philosophies connected to evolution. For example, he covers evolutionary theories other than Darwin’s theory of natural selection. He also discusses the ways evolution was used to justify varying social, ethical, and religious beliefs. Although these debates were (and still are) divisive, Fichman is remarkably evenhanded and nonjudgmental in his account. However, there is a strong tonal shift in the final chapter, which discusses contemporary debates on evolution. Fichman uses this chapter to attack scientific Creationism from multiple sides, asserting that modern antievolutionists are incorrect, malicious, and destined to fail. He focuses on the scholarly, institutional, and legal tactics of Creationist groups within the later twentieth century and early twenty-first century to back up his claims. For some, this chapter may be a natural conclusion that renders the information in previous chapters meaningful and relevant. Others may find this section tonally at odds with earlier chapters. Regardless, readers should know that the book concludes with a modern assessment of evolutionary debates.

Evolutionary Theory and Culture by Martin Fichman is well-researched, clearly written, and accessible to a wide audience. The author uses history of science and cultural context to frame Victorian intellectual debates spurred by evolutionary theories. While it may be limited by its reliance on intellectual history and its broad scope, Evolutionary Theory and Culture is an excellent read for scholars and casual readers interested in history of evolutionism.