The theory that living things evolved over time through natural selection, as proposed by Charles Darwin.
From Charles Darwin's surname plus the suffix '-ism.' Darwin's theory was published in 'On the Origin of Species' (1859), and the term was coined shortly after to describe his scientific framework.
Darwin didn't invent the idea of evolution—scientists had debated it for decades—but he provided the mechanism (natural selection) that made it scientifically testable and revolutionary!
Social Darwinism weaponized evolutionary theory to justify male superiority and restrict women's education, suffrage, and autonomy. 'Survival of the fittest' narratives portrayed women as biologically suited only for reproduction.
When discussing Darwinian evolution, use precise biological language. Avoid 'survival of the fittest' (coined by Spencer, not Darwin) in social contexts; it carries legacy of sex-based discrimination.
["natural selection","evolutionary adaptation"]
Women naturalists (Maria Sibylla Merian, Émilie du Châtelet) pioneered observation-based biology. Modern evolutionary biology corrects historical distortions about female agency in reproduction and adaptation.
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