Charles Darwin

In this course

Darwin grounds the course's thinking about evolution and adaptation as fundamental patterns that extend beyond biology into systems, machines, and intelligence itself. His theory of natural selection through environmental pressure provides a conceptual model that the readings apply to understand how complex behaviors and forms emerge from simple rules—whether in organic life, artificial systems, or the cosmos at large. The course treats Darwin not as a historical figure but as the originator of a logic of differentiation and descent that becomes portable across domains from cybernetics to AI.

Background

Charles Robert Darwin was an English naturalist, geologist, and biologist, widely known for his contributions to evolutionary biology. His proposition that all species of life have descended from a common ancestor is now generally accepted and considered a fundamental scientific concept. In a joint presentation with Alfred Russel Wallace, he introduced his scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process he called natural selection, in which the struggle for existence has a similar effect to the artificial selection involved in selective breeding. Darwin has been described as one of the most influential figures in human history and was honoured by burial in Westminster Abbey.

Mentioned in 4 readings