阿萨·格雷与进化论

Asa Gray and the Theory of Evolution

阿萨·格雷被称作是美国植物学之父,是19世纪美国少数几位具有国际声望的科学家之一,也是植物地理学的奠基者之一。他为描绘美国的植物地图和植物分类做出了巨大贡献;同时他也是达尔文的学术核心圈中的一员,后者向他请教有关美洲植物分布和植物分类的知识,并在1857年时就向他透露了自己的进化理论。《物种起源》发表后,格雷成为美国首要的进化论宣扬者,不过他并没有完全"皈依"进化论。作为一位虔诚的基督徒和一位诚实的科学家,格雷不得不在进化论、分类学与自然神学之间寻求平衡,糅合出一种有神进化论。格雷的例子代表了当时人对达尔文进化论的一种反应,它展示了"达尔文革命"历史叙事的不足,可以帮助我们更好地理解当时的历史情况。

Asa Gray is the most famous botanist in nineteenth century America, and one of the founders of phytogeography. He contributed a lot to American plant-mapping and plant taxonomy. He was also a member of Charles Darwin＇s inner circle; the latter consulted him on the information of worldwide plant distribution and plant taxonomy, and even revealed his outline of evolution theory to him early in 1857. After the publication of The Origin of Species, Gray became the primary advocate of Darwin＇s theory in America. However, he didn＇t convert into the theory. As a devout Christian, Gray had to seek balance among evolution theory, taxonomy and natural theology, forming his own ＂theistic evolution＂. His case shows the limited extent of the so called ＂Darwinian revolution＂, and thus helps us have a better understanding of it.