University professor Peter J. Bowler will be in Lagoa on Thursday, April 13 to present a lecture (in English) about Charles Darwin. It will take place at the São José convent at 5.45pm.
Entitled ‘The Man and the Myths’, the illustrated presentation will “survey the life and work of Darwin, showing how several popular ideas about his activities need to be reassessed in the light of modern historical research”.
As the professor points out: “Darwin’s first scientific work was in geology, not natural history, although he had been exposed to evolutionary ideas from an early stage in his career.”
He adds: “He did not undergo a ‘eureka’ moment on the Galapagos islands, nor did he delay publication of his ideas for fear of criticism. Although aware of alternatives to his own theory of evolution by natural selection, he never wavered from his belief that selection was the most important factor – and he did not undergo a deathbed conversion to Christianity.”
Peter J. Bowler is Professor Emeritus of the History of Science at Queen’s University, Belfast. He is the author of numerous books on the development and impact of evolutionism, the most recent being ‘Darwin Deleted: Imagining a World without Darwin’ (2013).
The event is backed by Lagoa Arts and Letters.
