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Otto ShindevolfGerman paleontologist and evolutionist
Date of Birth: 07.06.1896
Country:  Germany |
Content:
- Otto Schindewolf: German Paleontologist and Evolutionary Theorist
- Geological Service and University Career
- Seminal Work: "Grundfragen der Paläontologie"
- Typhostrophic Theory
- Later Work: Cosmic Influence
Otto Schindewolf: German Paleontologist and Evolutionary Theorist
Early Life and CareerOtto Schindewolf was a German paleontologist and evolutionary theorist. He studied the evolution of corals and cephalopods and developed the theory of typhostrophism. In 1919, Schindewolf became a professor at the University of Marburg, where he taught until 1927.
Geological Service and University Career
In 1927, Schindewolf was appointed Director of the Geological Survey in Berlin. In 1948, he became a Professor of Geology at the University of Tübingen, where he worked until his retirement in 1964.
Seminal Work: "Grundfragen der Paläontologie"
Schindewolf's major work, "Grundfragen der Paläontologie," was published in Germany in 1950. It became a landmark in the development of paleontology and evolutionary theory.
Typhostrophic Theory
Schindewolf developed an alternative theory to Darwinism during the 1930s and 1940s. The main tenets of his theory included:
- Typhogenesis:The explosive emergence of a new taxonomic group, such as the "horse type," without gradual transitions.
- Typostasis:The gradual elaboration of a type over time, driven by its inherent potential rather than natural selection.
- Typololysis:The eventual aging and extinction of a taxon, linking typhostrophism to Giovanni Brocchi's concept.
Later Work: Cosmic Influence
In later works, Schindewolf postulated a cosmic influence on the course of evolution. He suggested that typhogenesis (the emergence of new types) and typololysis (their extinction) might be linked to the influence of cosmic rays.
