Question

Who is regarded as the “Darwin of the 20th century”?
A. John Ray
B. Lamarck
C. Ernst Mayr
D. Darwin

Answer 1

Hint:-Profoundly known as the ‘Father of Evolution’, Charles Darwin was the first scientist who meticulously explored the origin of species and formulated the theory of evolution. Alfred Wallace also conceived the idea of evolution simultaneously which is what engendered Darwin to go public about his discoveries in the year 1859.

Complete Answer:-Evolution, in a broad sense, is defined as a cumulative change in the traits of organisms over several generations. Darwin’s theory revolved around the ideas of natural selection, the survival of the fittest and ancestral lineage of species which brought about phenomenal conceptualizations in the worldview of science.

By the twentieth century, however, scientists found certain important details to be lacking in Darwin’s rendition of the origin of species – such as the basic mechanism and definition of “species”. This was explored and clarified by Ernst Mayr who defined species as “a group of reproductively isolated organisms”.

Although all the scientists mentioned in the options are scientists related to evolution and origin of species, John Ray is associated with identifying “species as a taxonomical subunit”, Lamarck is known for the “theory of inheritance of acquired characteristics” and Darwin cannot be the twentieth century Darwin as he was from a previous epoch.

Thus, the correct answer is option (C), Ernst Mayr.


Note:- An easy and uncomplicated way of identifying the correct answer would be to associate the given scientists to their respective eras and placing them in the timeline of the various theories of evolution. Both John Ray and Lamarck precede the period of Darwin, which leaves only Ernst Mayr to be from the twentieth century.