Final answer:
The statement that Charles Darwin developed the science of evolution without prior influences is false. Darwin's theory was influenced by earlier scientists, and Alfred Russel Wallace independently developed a similar theory.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that Charles Darwin independently developed the science of evolution without any influence from previous scholars is False. Darwin was not the sole originator of evolutionary ideas; his theory of natural selection was influenced by other thinkers such as Jean Baptiste Lamarck, Charles Lyell, and Thomas Malthus. Additionally, another naturalist named Alfred Russel Wallace independently developed a theory that was remarkably similar to Darwin's concept of natural selection.
The progress of the science of evolution was not a solitary journey for Darwin. Instead, his work built upon earlier research, observations, and theories. These included the understanding of geological processes by Lyell, which suggested the Earth was much older than previously thought, allowing for the gradual evolution of life. Malthus’s ideas on population growth influenced Darwin's understanding of the competition within species and the survival of the fittest, which are key elements of natural selection.
Darwin's seminal work, On the Origin of Species, published in 1859, presented the idea that species evolve over time due to natural selection. His observations from the Galápagos Islands and extensive research contributed to solidifying the theory of evolution by natural selection as a central concept in biology.