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Alfred Russel Wallace Notes 18: Wallace On The Balance Of Nature, Charles H. Smith

Faculty/Staff Personal Papers

Alfred Russel Wallace (1823−1913) had a unique perspective on the ‘balance of nature’: he avoided classical thoughts on the subject, but nevertheless seems to have adopted elements of the ‘balance’ concept while acknowledging that irreversible change occurs at both the biological and environmental levels. Wallace’s position can be understood from his grounding in Humboldtian ‘equilibrium of forces’ thinking, and his turn toward ‘final causes’-based interpretations.