The History of Creation, Vol. 2 (of 2): Or the Development of the Earth and its Inhabitants by the Action of Natural CausesHaeckel, Ernst
Science
The History of Creation, Vol. 2 (of 2): Or the Development of the Earth and its Inhabitants by the Action of Natural Causes
Haeckel, Ernst
Evolution; Heredity; Human beings -- Origin
(7.) _The natural system of organisms_, the natural grouping of all the
different forms of Animals, Plants, and Protista into numerous smaller
or larger groups, arranged beside and above one another; the kindred
connection of species, genera, families, orders, classes, tribes, etc.,
more especially, however, the _arboriform branching character of the
natural system_, which is the spontaneous result of a natural
arrangement and classification of all these graduated groups or
categories. The result attained in attempting to exhibit the
relationships of the mere forms of organisms by a tabular classification
is only explicable when regarded as the expression of their actual
_blood relationship_; _the tree shape of the natural system_ can only be
understood as the actual _pedigree of the organisms_.
(8.) _The chorology of organisms_, the science of the local distribution
of organic species, of their _geographical_ and _topographical
dispersion over the surface of the earth_, over the heights of
mountains and in the depths of the ocean, but especially the important
phenomenon that every species of organism proceeds from a so-called
“_centre of creation_” (more correctly a “_primæval home_” or “_centre
of distribution_”); that is, from a single locality, where it originated
but once, and whence it spread.
(9.) _The œcology of organisms_, the knowledge of the sum of the
_relations of organisms to the surrounding outer world_, to organic and
inorganic conditions of existence; the so-called “_economy of nature_,”
the correlations between all organisms living together in one and the
same locality, their adaptation to their surroundings, their
modification in the struggle for existence, especially the circumstances
of parasitism, etc. It is just these phenomena in “the economy of
nature” which the unscientific, on a superficial consideration, are wont
to regard as the wise arrangements of a Creator acting for a definite
purpose, but which on a more attentive examination show themselves to be
the necessary results of mechanical causes.
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