AHC: Earlier Darwinian Biology

If Charles Darwin invented On the Origin of Species in late 19th century, how can we have somekind of analogue of it earlier?
Perhaps in Renaissance?
If can, how will this affect the Church's view of science, and the view of the world itself?

Thanks in advance!
 
The Renaissance was before modern science really got started.
Didn't the Golden Age of Islam have some close calls?
 
Darwin was not the first to develop a theory of evolution, although his was the best one at the time. As early as the 17th Century Maupertius (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maupertuis) developed early ideas that can be seen as a forerunner of Darwin's theory. you could have him develop the ideas more.

Incidentally, these days we have moved on quite some way from classical Darwinian evolution in the same way that our understanding of gravity has moved on significantly from classical Newtonian gravity
 
The Renaissance was before modern science really got started.
Didn't the Golden Age of Islam have some close calls?

"Animals engage in a struggle for existence; for resources, to avoid being eaten and to breed. Environmental factors influence organisms to develop new characteristics to ensure survival, thus transforming into new species. Animals that survive to breed can pass on their successful characteristics to offspring"
-Al-Jahiz (c. 776-869)-

Depends how you define a "close call". :D
 
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