The Darwinian Tension. Between Romanticism and Reductionism∗

When talking about the relation between 18th century thought and the nature-culture problem in a society marked by the technological modification of nature in general, and of human nature in particular, there is something obvious, and there is something odd in referring to Charles Darwin and the doctrines of Darwinism. It is obvious that, in the past 145 years, interpretations of Darwinian evolutionary theory have played, and continue to play, a key role in conceiving of animate nature and its relation to human culture and society. The odd bit, of course, is that what I am talking about here and now, in 2004, dates back a mere 145 years, Darwin and his theory only coming to life in the 19th century. So where’s “18th century thought ” in this picture? I will argue that the epistemical sources of Darwin’s theory are to be traced back to a division within (late) 18th century thought, namely that between enlightenment and romanticism, which in itself is well-known, but which remains little explored in its relation to the making of Darwinism, and to its further itinerary. Darwinism quite frequently is taken to be the paradigm case of enlightenmen