Mr. Darwin's Technology & Process

Just had Saturday morning coffee with Robert. Among other subject we discussed this blog and my affinity to all things Darwinian. Technology came up and I want to jot a few points that I have alluded to in earlier posts.

From the beginning I wanted to make the “Visiting Mr. Darwin” mini-project a “dual technology” effort. My Moleskine notebook represents Mr. Darwin’s technology, while this blog represents today’s technology (my technology). I’ve often wondered how things would have been different had the Internet and blogging been available in Victorian England. Would Mr. Darwin have used the Internet, blogging, IM, cell phones? I wonder if Mr. Darwin’s life-long accomplishments would have been aided or hindered by these “wondrous” technological capabilities? I have come to believe that “time” is an important component in any endeavor. Mr. Darwin’s circumstances gave him the time to pursue his interests. Critical time to think, ponder, question, formulate, observe and correlate. Does today’s technology have the affect of shortening the time available? And is that a good thing?

I think I’ll take some time to think about that. . .

Above: my "work environment" - where I live and work for 40-50+ hours per week.

Below: Mr. Darwin's "work enviornment" (his study) at Downe House. Given a choice of where to work I think I'd perfer Darwin's. . .

Reading about Mr. Darwin

Well, as long as I am posting lists here is a listing of books and DVDs. In no particular order, mixed non-fiction/fiction, some I've read, some I'm reading and some I will read. . . But I will tell you that the book that started it all for me was actually one of fiction - it was my first reading (some 30 years ago, I think. . .) of Irving Stone's "Origin" (I've re-read it countless times since). Stone has written a number of historical fiction novels - they all are backed up by massive and meticulous research into the subject matter. His writing shares a real excitment and feel for the subject matter - it transports you.

Books (Fiction/Nonfiction)
Darwin And The Beagle by Alan Moorehead (Author)

Charles Darwin: The Power of Place by E. Janet Browne

Charles Darwin: Voyaging by E. Janet Browne

From So Simple a Beginning: Darwin's Four Great Books (Voyage of the H.M.S. Beagle, The Origin of Species, The Descent of Man, The Expression of Emotions in Man and Animals) by Charles Darwin, Edward O. Wilson (Editor)

The Reluctant Mr. Darwin: An Intimate Portrait of Charles Darwin and the Making of His Theory of Evolution (Great Discoveries) (Great Discoveries) by David Quammen

Darwin, His Daughter, and Human Evolution by Randal Keynes

The Origin by Irving Stone (Author)

Darwin: The Indelible Stamp; The Evolution Of An Idea by James D. Watson (Editor)

Darwin Day Collection One: The Single Best Idea Ever by Amanda Chesworth (Editor)

More Letters of Charles Darwin: A record of his work in a series of hitherto unpublished letters. Volume 1 by Charles Robert Darwin

More Letters of Charles Darwin: A record of his work in a series of hitherto unpublished letters. Volume 2 by Charles Robert Darwin

Charles Darwin: Edited by Andrew Lang by Charles Grant Blairfindie Allen

Alfred Russel Wallace: A Life by Peter Raby

Ever Since Darwin by Stephen J. Gould

DVDs
Genius Boxed Set - Galileo, Leonardo da Vinci, Darwin DVD ~ Genius Box Set

Icons Of Evolution DVD ~ Brian Boorujy

Evolution: Darwin's Dangerous Idea DVD ~ Original Soundtrack

Evolution Boxed Set DVD ~ Evolution

Biography - Charles Darwin: Evolution's Voice DVD ~ Biography

Genius - Charles Darwin DVD ~ Charles Darwin



Magazines/Periodicals:
Was Darwin Wrong? National Geographic Magazine, November 2004

Links to Mr. Darwin

Please, no puns about "missing links."

I promised some links to the Darwin resources I found on the web. Here they are, in no particular order and without and annotation (I just hate it when authors do this!):

http://www.aboutdarwin.com/literature/CD_Books.html

http://www.williamcalvin.com/bookshelf/down_hse.htm

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/ConProperty.102

http://www.darwincountry.org/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/darwin_charles.shtml

http://www.bbc.co.uk/kent/in_pictures/panoramas/downe/index.shtml

http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/darwin/leghist/index.htm

http://www.fact-index.com/c/ch/charles_darwin.html

http://www.infidels.org/library/historical/charles_darwin/descent_of_man/

http://darwin.thefreelibrary.com/

http://charles-darwin.classic-literature.co.uk/the-life-and-letters-of-charles-darwin-volume-i/ebook-page-47.asp

http://www.visionlearning.com/library/module_viewer.php?mid=110

http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/darwin/idea/think.php

http://www.lib.cam.ac.uk/Departments/Darwin/index.html

http://darwiniana.org/

http://www.rit.edu/~rhrsbi/GalapagosPages/DarwinFinch.html

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/darwin/index.html

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/ConWebDoc.5907

http://www.literature.org/authors/darwin-charles/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Voyage_of_the_Beagle

http://pages.britishlibrary.net/charles.darwin/

Where is it?

Well, if your going to visit Mr. Darwin I guess you should find out where he lives (lived), right? So I did some surfing around and found a number of great websites which I'll post later. I found a couple of places with great maps and then I began fooling around with Google Earth. Being a geologist at heart, and having a weak spot for technology, I really am blown away by GE! Every time I use it I find something interesting. Anyway, I know where it is and made some really interesting map/air photo composites. In the second composite you can even compare the different parts of the house!

And for anyone who cares -

Downe House:

51º 19’ 53.18” N
0º 03’ 12.49” E
Elevation – 563’

What's this all about?

Well, honestly I'm not sure yet.

Although I read a lot of blogs, I have never tried my hand at writing one. Anyway, it looks like next year in early June I'll be in London on business for about a week and it just recently occurred to me that Darwin's home (Downe House) is only about 16 miles outside of town - that perfect opportunity! I've always been fascinated by Darwin (more on this later) so I decided to make this whole thing into a mini-project with no particular concrete outcome or goal. Something just to have some fun with!

Since I am a long-time dedicated user of Moleskine Notebooks (these things have a cult-like following - just do a Google on "moleskine" - or look at http://www.moleskineus.com), I started a new one specifically for this project - a "technology" that I'm sure Darwin would have been very familiar with.


But now I'm augmenting my notebook with a blog - a "technology" obviously unknown to Darwin, but one I think he would have approved of were it available - Would Darwin have blogged? - My gut instinct screams YES! - but it's a question that may require some careful consideration and thought-time.

Well, let's see where this whole thing takes us - shall we?