John Fleming (naturalist)
Encyclopedia
John Fleming was a Scottish
Presbyterian clergyman, naturalist
, zoologist and geologist
. He was born near Bathgate
in Linlithgowshire and died in Edinburgh
. During his life he tried to reconcile theology
with science.
After his studies at the University of Edinburgh
in 1805, he became pastor the following year in the Church of Scotland
and assigned the parish of Bressay
in Scotland
. He was ordained in 1808.
From 1808 in 1834, he served in various parishes in Scotland. In 1808, he participated in founding a learned society devoted to the natural history
, the Wernerian Society.
John Fleming joined the Royal Society
on 25 February 1813. In 1814, he becomes a doctor of theology at the University of St. Andrews. The same year he became a fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh
.
In 1824 began the famous controversy between the geologist William Buckland
(1784–1856) on the nature of The Flood as described in the Bible.
Fleming was a close associate of Robert Edmond Grant
, who considered that the same laws of life affected all organisms. In 1828, Fleming published his History of British Animals. This book addressed not only current species, but also fossil species. It explains the presence of fossil climate change: the extinct species to survive here otherwise if weather conditions are favorable. These theories contributed to the advancement of biogeography. They exerted some influence on Charles Darwin
(1809–1882).
In 1831, he found some fossils in the Old Red Sandstone units at Fife
and recognized them as fossilized fish. This was something that didn't fit in the general accepted notion that the Earth was about 6,000 years old.
He was awarded the chair of natural philosophy at University and King's College in Aberdeen
in 1834. In 1845, he became professor of natural history
in New College, Edinburgh
.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
Presbyterian clergyman, naturalist
Naturalist
Naturalist may refer to:* Practitioner of natural history* Conservationist* Advocate of naturalism * Naturalist , autobiography-See also:* The American Naturalist, periodical* Naturalism...
, zoologist and geologist
Geologist
A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid and liquid matter that constitutes the Earth as well as the processes and history that has shaped it. Geologists usually engage in studying geology. Geologists, studying more of an applied science than a theoretical one, must approach Geology using...
. He was born near Bathgate
Bathgate
Bathgate is a town in West Lothian, Scotland, on the M8 motorway west of Livingston. Nearby towns are Blackburn, Armadale, Whitburn, Livingston, and Linlithgow. Edinburgh Airport is away...
in Linlithgowshire and died in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
. During his life he tried to reconcile theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
with science.
After his studies at the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
in 1805, he became pastor the following year in the Church of Scotland
Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland, known informally by its Scots language name, the Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....
and assigned the parish of Bressay
Bressay
-Geography and geology:Bressay lies due south of Whalsay, west of Noss, and north of Mousa. At , it is the fifth largest island in Shetland. The population is around 400 people, concentrated in the middle of the west coast, around Glebe, Fullaburn and Maryfield....
in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. He was ordained in 1808.
From 1808 in 1834, he served in various parishes in Scotland. In 1808, he participated in founding a learned society devoted to the natural history
Natural history
Natural history is the scientific research of plants or animals, leaning more towards observational rather than experimental methods of study, and encompasses more research published in magazines than in academic journals. Grouped among the natural sciences, natural history is the systematic study...
, the Wernerian Society.
John Fleming joined the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
on 25 February 1813. In 1814, he becomes a doctor of theology at the University of St. Andrews. The same year he became a fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh
Royal Society of Edinburgh
The Royal Society of Edinburgh is Scotland's national academy of science and letters. It is a registered charity, operating on a wholly independent and non-party-political basis and providing public benefit throughout Scotland...
.
In 1824 began the famous controversy between the geologist William Buckland
William Buckland
The Very Rev. Dr William Buckland DD FRS was an English geologist, palaeontologist and Dean of Westminster, who wrote the first full account of a fossil dinosaur, which he named Megalosaurus...
(1784–1856) on the nature of The Flood as described in the Bible.
Fleming was a close associate of Robert Edmond Grant
Robert Edmond Grant
Robert Edmond Grant MD FRCPEd FRS was born in Edinburgh and educated at Edinburgh University as a physician. He became one of the foremost biologists of the early 19th century at Edinburgh and subsequently the first Professor of Comparative Anatomy at University College London...
, who considered that the same laws of life affected all organisms. In 1828, Fleming published his History of British Animals. This book addressed not only current species, but also fossil species. It explains the presence of fossil climate change: the extinct species to survive here otherwise if weather conditions are favorable. These theories contributed to the advancement of biogeography. They exerted some influence on Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin
Charles Robert Darwin FRS was an English naturalist. He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestry, and proposed the scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection.He published his theory...
(1809–1882).
In 1831, he found some fossils in the Old Red Sandstone units at Fife
Fife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
and recognized them as fossilized fish. This was something that didn't fit in the general accepted notion that the Earth was about 6,000 years old.
He was awarded the chair of natural philosophy at University and King's College in Aberdeen
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
in 1834. In 1845, he became professor of natural history
Natural history
Natural history is the scientific research of plants or animals, leaning more towards observational rather than experimental methods of study, and encompasses more research published in magazines than in academic journals. Grouped among the natural sciences, natural history is the systematic study...
in New College, Edinburgh
New College, Edinburgh
New College was opened in 1846 as a college of the Free Church of Scotland, later of the United Free Church of Scotland, and from the 1930s has been the home of the School of Divinity of the University of Edinburgh...
.
Partial list of publications
- 1821: Insecta in Supplement to the fourth, fifth and sixth editions of the Encyclopae-dia Britannica, with preliminary dissertations on the history of the sciences
- 1822: Philosophy of Zoology
- 1828: A History of British animals, exhibiting the descriptive characters and systematical arrangement of the genera and species of quadrupeds, birds, reptiles, fishes, mollusca, and radiata of the United Kingdom, including the indigenous, extirpated , and extinct kinds, together with periodical and occasional visitants Edinburgh: i-xxiii + 1-565.
- 1851: The Temperature of the Seasons, and Its Influence on Inorganic Objects, and on Plants and Animals
Partial list of described species
- Chiton laevigatus Fleming 1813
- Patella elongata Fleming 1813
- Patella elliptica Fleming 1813
- Doris nigricans Fleming 1820
- Heterofusus retroversus Fleming 1823
- Octopus octopodia (Linné1758 : Sepia)-|- Fleming, 1826
- Bulla cranchii Fleming 1828
- Eolidia plumosa Fleming 1828
- Modiola vulgaris Fleming 1828
- Lima fragilis Gmelin 1791 -|- sensu Fleming, 1828
- Lutraria vulgaris Fleming 1828
- Gastrochaena hians Fleming 1828
- Patella clealandi Fleming 1828
- Assiminea grayana Fleming 1828
- Scissurella crispata Fleming 1828 :