Essay on ClassificationA major influence on the development of American scientific culture, Swiss-born Louis Agassiz (1807–73) was one of the great scientists of his day. A student of anatomist Georges Cuvier, Agassiz adapted his teacher's pioneering techniques of comparative anatomy to paleontology, and he rose to prominence as a distinguished systematist, paleontologist, and educator. Agassiz introduced science to ordinary citizens to an unprecedented degree; people around the world read his books, sent him specimens, and consulted his opinion. Agassiz was also a staunch opponent of the theory of evolution, and he was among the last of the reputable scientists who continued to reject the concept after the publication of The Origin of the Species. All of nature bore testimony to a divine plan, Agassiz believed, and he could not reconcile himself to a theory that did not invoke God's design. Ironically, his 1851 Essay on Classification provided Darwin and other evolutionists with evidence from the fossil record to support the theory of natural selection. A treasure of historically valuable insights that contributed to the development of evolutionary biology, this volume introduced the landmark contention that paleontology, embryology, ecology, and biogeography are inextricably linked in classifications that reveal the true relationships between organisms. Its emphasis on advanced and original work gave major impetus to the study of science directly from nature, and it remains a classic of American scientific literature. |
Contents
EDITORS INTRODUCTION | ix |
THE FUNDAMENTAL RELATIONS OF ANIMALS ONE TO ANOTHER AND TO THE WORLD IN WHICH THEY LIVE AS THE BASIS OF TH... | 3 |
SIMULTANEOUS EXISTENCE OF THE MOST DIVERSIFIED UNDER IDENTICAL CIRCULISTANCES | 13 |
REPETITION OF IDENTICAL TYPES UNDER THE MOST DIVERSIFIED CIRCUMSTANCES | 18 |
UNITY OF PLAN IN OTHERWISE HIGHLY DIVERSIFIED TYPES | 20 |
CORRESPONDENCE IN THE DETAILS OF STRUCTURE IN ANIMALS OTHERWISE ENTIRELY DISCONNECTED | 21 |
VARIOUS DEGREES AND DIFFERENT KINDS OF RELATIONSHIP AMONG ANIMALS | 24 |
SIMULTANEOUS EXISTENCE IN THE EARLIEST GEOLOGICAL PERIODS OF ALL THE GREAT TYPES OF ANIMALS | 26 |
PARALLELISM BETWEEN THE GEOLOGICAL SUCCESSION OF ANIMALS AND THE EMBRYONIC GROWTH OF THEIR LIVING REPRES... | 110 |
PROPHETIC TYPES AMONG ANIMALS | 115 |
PARALLELISM BETWEEN THE STRUCTURAL GRADATION OF ANIMALS AND THEIR EMBRYONIC GROWTH | 117 |
RELATIONS BETWEEN THE STRUCTURE THE EMBRYONIC GROWTH THE GEOLOGICAL SUCCESSION AND THE GEOGRAPHICAL DIS... | 119 |
MUTUAL DEPENDENCE OF THE ANIMAL AND VEGETABLE KINGDOMS | 122 |
PARASITIC ANIMALS AND PLANTS | 123 |
COMBINATIONS IN TIME AND SPACE OF VARIOUS KINDS OF RELATIONS AMONG ANIMALS | 127 |
RECAPITULATION | 132 |
THE GRADATION OF STRUCTURE AMONG ANIMALS | 29 |
RANGE OF THE GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF ANIMALS | 34 |
IDENTITY OF STRUCTURE OF WIDELY DISTRIBUTED TYPES | 40 |
COMMUNITY OF STRUCTURE AMONG ANIMALS LIVING IN THE SAME REGIONS | 46 |
SERIAL CONNECTION IN THE STRUCTURE OF ANIMALS WIDELY SCATTERD UPON THE SURFACE OF OUR GLOBE | 49 |
RELATION BETWEEN THE SIZE OF ANIMALS AND THEIR STRUCTURE | 54 |
RELATIONS BETWEEN THE SIZE OF ANIMALS AND THE MEDIUMS IN WHICH THEY LIVE | 56 |
PERMANENCY OF SPECIFIC PECULIARITIES IN ALL ORGANIZED BEINGS | 58 |
RELATIONS BETWEEN ANIMALS AND PLANTS AND THE SURROUNDING WORLD | 65 |
RELATIONS OF INDIVIDUALS TO ONE ANOTHER | 72 |
METAMORPHOSES OF ANIMALS | 76 |
DURATION OF LIFE | 89 |
ALTERNATE GENERATIONS | 91 |
SUCCESSION OF ANIMALS AND PLANTS IN GEOLOGICAL TIMES | 94 |
LOCALIZATION OF TYPES IN PAST AGES | 99 |
LIMITATION OF SPECIES TO PARTICULAR GEOLOGICAL PERIODS | 101 |
PARALLELISM BETWEEN THE GEOLOGICAL SUCCESSION OF ANIMALS AND PLANTS AND THEIR PRESENT RELATIVE STANDING | 104 |
LEADING GROUPS OF THE EXISTING SYSTEMS OF ANIMALS | 139 |
CLASSES OF ANIMALS | 148 |
ORDERS AMONG ANIMALS | 155 |
FAMILIES | 161 |
GENERA | 169 |
SPECIES | 171 |
OTHER NATURAL DIVISIONS AMONG ANIMALS | 179 |
SUCCESSIVE DEVELOPMENT OF CHARACTERS | 182 |
THE CATEGORIES OF ANALOGY | 187 |
CONCLUSIONS | 194 |
NOTICE OF THE PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS OF ZOOLOGY | 197 |
EARLY ATTEMPTS TO CLASSIFY ANIMALS | 208 |
PERIOD OF LINNÆUS | 210 |
PERIOD OF CUVIER AND ANATOMICAL SYSTEMS | 215 |
PHYSIOPHILOSOPHICAL SYSTEMS | 235 |
EMBRYOLOGICAL SYSTEMS | 245 |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
Acalephs Acephala affinities Agassiz Amphipoda analogies anatomy animal kingdom animals and plants Annelides Anthozoa appear aquatic Articulata ascertained Baer Birds Brachiopoda branches Bryozoa Carnivora Cephalopoda Cetacea changes character characteristic characterized classification combinations compared complication connection considered constitute Crinoids Crustacea Ctenophora Cuvier Decapods different plans distinct diversified divisions Echinoderms eggs Embryology Entomostraca Essay Evolutio exhibits thought existence extensive fact families Fishes fossil Gasteropoda genera genus geographical distribution geological geological periods globe gradation higher homologies Hydroids identical individuals influence Infusoria Insects instance intestine investigations kind Lamarck larvæ Linnæus living Mammalia mode Mollusca Mollusks Myriapoda natural groups Natural History naturalists Oken orders origin past ages peculiar period physical agents plan of structure Polyps present Radiata reference relations representatives Reptiles resemblance respecting Rotifera species subdivisions successive systems of organs tion toes true Tunicata types Vertebrata Vertebrates vols whole Worms zoologists Zoology