[From the Creationist Pierre-Joseph Van Beneden to his Darwinian son Edouard].
In the XIXth century, Pierre-Joseph and Edouard Van Beneden were the two most prominent zoologists in Belgium. If one looks for other cases of father and son having both lead eminent scientific careers, a definite kinship is usually observed. But in the present instance, the publication of the Origin of Species by Darwin in 1859 gave rise to a drastic antithesis. The father remained a convinced creationist and an authoritative representative of the catholic religion while the son became an unconditional Darwinist and an atheist. He was not only the bright teacher, the passionate research worker and the great scientific leader reported by his pupils. His behaviour was also typical of a provocative scientist of the end of the XIXth century and a great stoic.
Hamoir
G
G
Institut de Chimie, Université de Liège.
D001530:Belgium; D005075:Biological Evolution; D049672:History, 19th Century; D010684:Philosophy / Q000266:history; D012070:Religion and Science; D015046:Zoology / Q000266:history*