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Darwin And Darwin's Theory Of Evolution On Psychology And Society

1292 Words6 Pages

Psy20150 Essay.
Name: Clodagh Finnerty
Student Number: 13362386

‘It has been argued that two events led to the development of the modern discipline of Psychology: the foundation of Wilhelm Wundt’s Institute of Experimental Psychology, and the introduction of a new theory of evolution, described in Darwin’s Origin of Species. Critically assess the impact of these events on Psychology and society.’

It is undeniable that the foundation of Wilhelm Wundt’s Institute of Experimental Psychology and the introduction of Darwin’s new theory of evolution as descried in Origin of Species has had a huge impact on the development of the modern discipline of Psychology and on society today. In this essay I will examine Wilhelm Wundt’s Institute of Experimental Psychology and Darwin’s theory of evolution from Origin of Species. I will look at what they included and the effect they had on Psychology and society at the time they were published and their influence years after.
Firstly I will assess the impact of the new theory of evolution as described in Darwin’s Origin of Species. Before Charles Darwin published The Origin of Species, evolution was seen from a biblical perspective. That is, that God made the world in seven days and created all living creatures on the fifth day. Although Charles Darwin is known as the Father of Evolution, he is not the first person to come up with the idea. Before him, his grandfather touched on the theory of evolution in a scientific poem, Zoonomia.

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