Between 1650 and 1800, some naturalists, such as Benoît de Maillet, produced theories that maintained that the universe, the Earth, and life, had developed mechanically, without divine guidance. ###>Entre 1650 et 1800, certaines théories évolutionnistes soutenaient l'idée que l'univers, incluant la vie sur Terre, s'était développé de manière mécanique sans aucune intervention divine.