Georges Cuvier
A founder of paleontology and comparative anatomy, known for his work on extinction and his opposition to evolutionary theories.
Most quoted
"The animal kingdom, viewed in its entirety, presents a vast and complex network of relationships, where every part is connected to every other part, and where the destruction of one link can reverberate throughout the whole."
— from Le Règne Animal distribué d'après son organisation
"Every organized being forms a whole, a unique and closed system, of which all the parts mutually correspond and concur to the same definitive action by a reciprocal reaction."
— from The Animal Kingdom, 1817
"Our consciousness allows us to reflect on our own mortality, to ponder the meaning of our brief existence, and to seek solace in the enduring patterns of the natural world."
— from Discourse on the Revolutions of the Surface of the Globe
All quotes by Georges Cuvier (414)
The true method of natural history consists in observing, comparing, and classifying.
The structure of an animal is always in harmony with its mode of life.
The study of fossils reveals a succession of different forms of life.
The animal is a system of organs, each of which has a specific function.
The history of the earth is a series of catastrophes.
The different parts of an animal are so connected, that a change in one necessarily brings about changes in all the others.
The species of animals are as distinct as the species of plants.
The study of fossils is the only way to reconstruct the ancient world.
The earth has not always been in the state in which we see it today.
The animal kingdom is divided into great classes, each of which has a distinct plan of organization.
The study of comparative anatomy is the foundation of all zoology.
The fossil remains of animals are the monuments of a lost world.
The laws of nature are immutable and eternal.
The revolutions of the globe have been the cause of the extinction of many species.
The organization of animals is a perfect adaptation to their environment.
The study of fossils is a powerful tool for understanding the history of life.
The earth has been subjected to great and sudden changes.
The different parts of an animal are so constructed as to act in concert for the preservation of the whole.
The study of fossils is the most certain means of knowing the ancient inhabitants of the earth.
The animal kingdom is a vast and magnificent spectacle.
Contemporaries of Georges Cuvier
Other Biologys born within 50 years of Georges Cuvier (1769–1832).