The conception that living organisms are changing or mutable originated in the thoughts of Empedocles, an ancient Greek philosopher (c. 490-430 B. C. E.). He drew on the theories of Greek philosophers preceding him to suggest a unitary view of the world consisting of the four elements of earth, air, fire, and water, which interacted with each other according to the principles of love (attraction) and strife (repulsion). Organisms arose from varying combinations of the elements under the action of either love or strife. Thus organic (living) entities were thought to arise from inorganic (nonliving) materials, which then became adapted through a process of selection to their environment. Empedocles not only applied this theory to the origin of plants, but stated that they were the first living organisms.

From Aristotle to Lamarck

This evolutionary worldview was put on hold by...