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Updated: Jun 19, 2026
11:17
Extinction Training During the Reconsolidation Window Prevents Recovery of Fear
Published on: August 24, 2012
Summary
Charles Darwin viewed extinction as essential for evolution, a concept rarely discussed today. Our modern perception of extinction has shifted due to evolving scientific understanding and societal values.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary Biology
- History of Science
Background:
- Charles Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection.
- The historical context of 19th-century scientific thought.
Observation:
- Darwin considered extinction an ordinary and necessary component of evolutionary change.
- Contemporary views often regard extinction with dismay or horror, contrasting with Darwin's perspective.
- The essay investigates the linkage between Darwin's concept of "improvement" and natural selection.
Findings:
- The essay traces the reasons behind the changed valuation of extinction over time.
- It highlights how scientific information and ideological preferences have reshaped the concept of extinction.
- Darwin's own understanding of extinction evolved from "On the Origin of Species" to his later writings.
Implications:
- Challenges current assumptions about the role and perception of extinction in evolutionary processes.
- Encourages a re-evaluation of extinction within the broader framework of evolutionary theory.
- Provides insights into the dynamic interplay between scientific concepts and societal values.
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