Darwin's Roots
During his five year journey round the world on HMS Beagle, Charles Darwin collected the roots of some hitherto unknown plants. After naming and drawing them, they were packaged and posted back to England – sailing home by passing ship. Long sea journeys at that time could take up to two years, which in this case explains missing labels as well as the partial disintegration of some of the roots.
In seeing them for the first time in the Royal Scottish Botanical Gardens and having been told of their origin, even without labels they acquired a specific association, namely Darwin’s Origin of Species. However, without that Darwin connection, they were merely items of debris.
If, in this case, Origin of Species is the concept, and the root is the trigger to that concept, then once Origin of Species is reached, the function of the root is now concluded.
The concept leaves the object behind.
In seeing them for the first time in the Royal Scottish Botanical Gardens and having been told of their origin, even without labels they acquired a specific association, namely Darwin’s Origin of Species. However, without that Darwin connection, they were merely items of debris.
If, in this case, Origin of Species is the concept, and the root is the trigger to that concept, then once Origin of Species is reached, the function of the root is now concluded.
The concept leaves the object behind.
