Eastman, L. Anaximander, Earliest Precursor of Darwin (1936)

Eastman, L. Anaximander, Earliest Precursor of Darwin / L. Eastman // The Classical Journal. — 1936. — Vol. 31, no. 7. — P. 444–446.

Abstract:

"It is a commonplace to say that modern evolutionary thought finds its roots in the distant past, but we often overlook the specific anticipations of Darwin found in Anaximander. His theory that man originated from an aquatic ancestor, specifically a fish-like creature, is not merely a mythological curiosity. Rather, it represents a remarkable attempt to provide a rational explanation for the adaptation of life to the environment, prefiguring, in a rudimentary but significant manner, the evolutionary hypothesis of the development of species."

Keywords: 

Anaximander, evolutionary thought, history of biology, pre-Socratics, origin of man, classical studies.