George John Romanes (1848-1894) - Revision history

GButtars at 19:27, 12 June 2014

2014-06-12T19:27:54Z

GButtars at 19:27, 12 June 2014

2014-06-12T19:27:32Z

GButtars at 19:15, 12 June 2014

2014-06-12T19:15:34Z

GButtars: Created page with " == Occupation, Sphere of Activity == George John Romanes (1848-1894), the eminent Darwinist scientist, was born in Canada, but brought up in London. His childhood was dogged..."

2014-06-12T19:10:16Z

Created page with " == Occupation, Sphere of Activity == George John Romanes (1848-1894), the eminent Darwinist scientist, was born in Canada, but brought up in London. His childhood was dogged..."

New page

== Occupation, Sphere of Activity ==

George John Romanes (1848-1894), the eminent Darwinist scientist, was born in Canada, but brought up in London. His childhood was dogged by ill health, hampering his education, and he showed no early sign of his later brilliance. He attended Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, graduating in the second class in 1870. [[Charles Robert Darwin (1809-1882]] - a personal friend of his - had substantial influence on the studies of Romanes. Despite early strong religious beliefs, Romanes was converted to Darwinism, and wrote a critical treatise on theism, under the pseudonym Physicus. At the end of his life, he wrote a second religious treatise, this time orthodox in belief, under the pseudonym of Metaphysicus.

Romanes' studies covered three related fields: physiology, psychology and evolution. He conducted a number of experiments on the jellyfish (medusa) in order to determine whether it has a nervous system. He also co-operated with [[James Cossar Ewart (1851-1933)]] and [[Sir Edward Albert Sharpey Schafer (1850-1935)]] on a number of his experiments. One of his controversial conclusions was that mutual infertility is the cause, rather than the effect, of separate evolution of species. His interest in psychology was actually primarily an interest in animal psychology, on which he wrote a number of works. His studies on this were considered, however, to be speculative and anthropomorphic, and were rapidly superseded by better works. They were, nonetheless, useful in starting debate on the subject.

Romanes' childhood ill health caught up with him in later life, and he moved to Oxford to escape the unhealthy atmosphere of London. He died there in 1894.

== Relationships ==

Romanes had a personal and professional friendship with [[Charles Robert Darwin (1809-1882]], and a working relationship with [[James Cossar Ewart (1851-1933)]] and Sir Edward Albert Sharpey Schafer (1850-1935)]].

== Notable publications ==

''Candid Examination of Theism'',(1878)

''Animal Intelligence'', (1881)

''Mental Evolution in Animals'', (1883)

''Mental Evolution in Man'', (1888)

''Darwin and After Darwin'', (1892)

== Honours, Qualifications and Appointments ==

1870: Batchelor of Arts (BA), Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge

1879: Elected Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS)

1882: Awarded Honorary Doctor of Law (LLD), University of Aberdeen

1886-1890: Appointed Professor at the University of Edinburgh

1888-1891: Appointed Fullerian Professor Physiology at the Royal Institution

1891: Awarded Master of Arts (MA), University of Oxford

== Sources ==

Gillispie, Charles C, ''Dictionary of scientific biography'', Vol. XI, (New York , Scribner's, 1975)

Lee, Sidney, ''Dictionary of National Biography'', vol XVIII, (London, Smith, Elder & Co, 1909)

''Concise Dictionary of National Biography'',Vol. III, (London (England), Oxford University Press, 1992)

[[Category:Connections|Romanes, George Joseph]]

@@ Line 32: / Line 32: @@
 : Awarded Honorary Doctor of Law (LLD), University of Aberdeen
--1890: Appointed Professor at the University of Edinburgh
+-1890: Lectured at the University of Edinburgh
 -1891: Appointed Fullerian Professor Physiology at the Royal Institution
@@ Line 46: / Line 46: @@
 ''Concise Dictionary of National Biography'',Vol. III, (London (England), Oxford University Press, 1992)
-[[Category:Academics|Romanes, George Joseph]]
+[[Category:Academics|Romanes, George John]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:15, 12 June 2014
Line 46:		Line 46:
	''Concise Dictionary of National Biography'',Vol. III, (London (England), Oxford University Press, 1992)		''Concise Dictionary of National Biography'',Vol. III, (London (England), Oxford University Press, 1992)

−	[[Category:~~Connections~~\|Romanes, George Joseph]]	+	[[Category:Academics\|Romanes, George Joseph]]

@@ Line 2: / Line 2: @@
 == Occupation, Sphere of Activity ==
-George John Romanes (1848-1894), the eminent Darwinist scientist, was born in Canada, but brought up in London. His childhood was dogged by ill health, hampering his education, and he showed no early sign of his later brilliance. He attended Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, graduating in the second class in 1870. [[Charles Robert Darwin (1809-1882]] - a personal friend of his - had substantial influence on the studies of Romanes. Despite early strong religious beliefs, Romanes was converted to Darwinism, and wrote a critical treatise on theism, under the pseudonym Physicus. At the end of his life, he wrote a second religious treatise, this time orthodox in belief, under the pseudonym of Metaphysicus.
+George John Romanes (1848-1894), the eminent Darwinist scientist, was born in Canada, but brought up in London. His childhood was dogged by ill health, hampering his education, and he showed no early sign of his later brilliance. He attended Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, graduating in the second class in 1870. [[Charles Robert Darwin (1809-1882)]] - a personal friend of his - had substantial influence on the studies of Romanes. Despite early strong religious beliefs, Romanes was converted to Darwinism, and wrote a critical treatise on theism, under the pseudonym Physicus. At the end of his life, he wrote a second religious treatise, this time orthodox in belief, under the pseudonym of Metaphysicus.
 Romanes' studies covered three related fields: physiology, psychology and evolution. He conducted a number of experiments on the jellyfish (medusa) in order to determine whether it has a nervous system. He also co-operated with [[James Cossar Ewart (1851-1933)]] and [[Sir Edward Albert Sharpey Schafer (1850-1935)]] on a number of his experiments. One of his controversial conclusions was that mutual infertility is the cause, rather than the effect, of separate evolution of species. His interest in psychology was actually primarily an interest in animal psychology, on which he wrote a number of works. His studies on this were considered, however, to be speculative and anthropomorphic, and were rapidly superseded by better works. They were, nonetheless, useful in starting debate on the subject.