It’s time to stop using the term “Darwinism” argues evolutionary biologist Olivia Judson, who says that while Charles Darwin was a giant in the field of evolutionary biology, his contribution to our knowledge is by no means the be all and end all of the subject.
Darwin was an amazing man, and the principal founder of evolutionary biology. But his was the first major statement on the subject, not the last. Calling evolutionary biology “Darwinism,” and evolution by natural selection “Darwinian” evolution, is like calling aeronautical engineering “Wrightism,” and fixed-wing aircraft “Wrightian” planes, after those pioneers of fixed-wing flight, the Wright brothers. The best tribute we could give Darwin is to call him the founder - and leave it at that.
