Galton s Legacy The Battle Of Nature Versus Nurture Essay

Galton’s Legacy: The Battle of Nature versus Nurture Sir Francis Galton was, by in large part, a product of his environment. Through his family, Galton was well connected--he came from a wealthy, upper-class, lineage of academics. Having inherited a large sum of money, Galton was able to explore a variety of endeavours before making his mark on modern day psychology (Goodwin, 2012, p.151). Galton excelled in the fields of geography, exploration, meteorology, and science; it was not until Galton’s half-cousin Darwin wrote his 1859 book on evolution that inspired his interest in psychology (pp.151-152). Darwin was, unequivocally, Galton’s most notable relative and someone from whom he drew large inspiration. Darwin became influenced by economist Thomas Malthus, who recognized, â€Å"that life is a constant â€Å"struggle for existence† and only those best suited for survival will do so† (Goodwin, 2012, p. 135). Malthus’ aforementioned belief was one that Darwin observed during his expedition on the Beagle--Darwin’s ship. Darwin recognizes that the finches he had studied during his voyage to the Galapagos islands varied from each other depending on island location and available food sources; he also notes that these variations assist the finches in survival (i.e. different beak shape to forage a specific food, stronger beaks) (p. 136). The concept that grew from Darwin’s initial findings was the concept of natural selection. Natural selection is defined as the natural process inShow MoreRelatedHistorical Context Of Galton s Life Essay2286 Wor ds   |  10 PagesHistorical Context of Galton’s Life Picture England in the Victorian era, living as a wealthy member of the upper class of society. This is how and when Francis Galton lived when he formulated his theories and coined the term nature vs. nurture. The Victorian era was a time of peace and prosperity for England and one of the highest points of England’s power not only domestically but across the entire British Empire. This was a time of industrialization for the country and its widespread influence