Darwin's theory

Eugen Warming was among the first natural historians in Denmark to embrace Darwin’s theory. He remained an evolutionist throughout his whole life, but after the year 1900, he became an advocate for Lamarckism and a strong critic of the theory of natural selection.

In 1863, four years after the publication of On the Origin of Species in England, Darwin’s theory of evolution was widely known among natural scientists in Denmark. Like most natural scientists in Denmark in the 1860s, zoologist Chr. Fr. Lütken was critical towards the theory.

As Darwin’s theory of evolution through natural selection gained footing in England and Germany, many Danish scientists became more positive towards the theory. The gardener J. A. Dybdahl and the botanist Eugen Warming were among the earliest followers of the theory of evolution. Around the year 1900, Warming started criticising Darwinism as a theory of natural selection, a theory he considered inadequate when trying to understand the dynamics of evolution.

Lütken, Chr. Fr. : "Darwins Theori om Arternes Oprindelse", Tidsskrift for populære Fremstillinger af Naturvidenskaben, ( Periodical of popular presentations of Natural Science) 2. rk., 5. vol., 1863, pp. 1-33, 131-162 og 217-243

Dybdahl, J.A.: "Darwinismen", Tidsskrift for Havevæsen, (Periodical on Gardening)5. vol., No. 17 og 18, December, 1870, s. 264-268, 282-288

Dybdahl, J.A.: "Darwinismen", Tidsskrift for Havevæsen, (Periodical on Gardening) 5. vol., No. 19, 21, 22 og 24, January-March, 1871, pp. 282-288, 300-303, 328-334, 347-351, 373-378

Warming, Eugen : "Udviklingslæren i Nutiden", Dansk Tidsskrift, (Danish Periodical)1904, pp. 785-801 (also published at as special edition of the December issue 1904, J. Cohens Bogtrykkerier)

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