Loenen, J. H. Was Anaximander an Evolutionist? (1954)

Loenen, J. H. Was Anaximander an Evolutionist? / J. H. Loenen // Mnemosyne. — Fourth Series. — 1954. — Vol. 7, Fasc. 3. — P. 215–232.

Abstract:

In this article, J. H. Loenen critically examines the philosophical fragments and doxographical reports concerning the pre-Socratic philosopher Anaximander to determine if his views can truly be characterized as "evolutionary." The author scrutinizes the widely held assumption that Anaximander's theories—specifically the generation of life in moisture and the descent of humans from fish-like creatures—are early anticipations of modern biological evolution. Loenen seeks to place Anaximander's ideas firmly within their original 6th-century BCE context, warning against the anachronistic projection of post-Darwinian concepts onto ancient Greek cosmogony and zoogony.

Keywords: 

Anaximander, evolution, pre-Socratic philosophy, history of science, ancient Greek philosophy, history of biology, cosmogony, J. H. Loenen.