Human Evolution

1016 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Theory of evolution - Charles Darwin’s ideas of natural selection

For centuries, man has been curious about his origins and the origins of the life surrounding him. Countless explanations have been formulated using “evidence” that “proves” the story to be true. However, in 1859, Charles Darwin published a monumental theory in his book called The Origin of Species. In his book, Darwin outlined his theory of evolution by natural selection (Darwin, 1859). Although complex, this story is extremely useful in explaining the origins and history of life as we know it. Today, however, man questions not only his past, but also his future. Based on Darwin’s theories of evolution, man can actively postulate his existence in the upcoming centuries. Do complex civilizations and advancing technologies give man the ability to outsmart evolution? Or will our technological advances doom us in the end?

In order to begin to answer these questions, it is important to understand the basics about Darwin’s theories on evolution. First, Darwin stressed that populations and organisms are variable (Darwin, 1859). Without variation, evolution would not be a viable explanation for the progress of life. Although Darwin was aware that variation occurred because of his extensive observations of different populations, he was never able to pinpoint where this variation came from. The answer lies in genetic material; heritable genes play a huge role in the evolutionary process. Genes are the medium through which variation is passed down through generations and can be affected by several different forces. Mutation, gene flow, genetic drift, non-random mating, and genetic recombination are all ways in which genes can be altered within a population (Mayr, 2001).

Darwin understood that organisms are variable, but for a long time he lacked a mechanism, or a driving force, of evolution. Natural selection, or a complex natural process of elimination, turned out to be one of Darwin’s most ingenious contributions to evolutionary thought (Mayr, 2001). Natural selection is the process by which genetic variation is sorted through and selected for through the organism’s ability to survive. Selection may be due to environmental conditions, competition with other species, or reproductive success. Those organisms that survive can then go on to reproduce, and their offspring then carry the successful traits.

Show More
Related

  • Natural Selection In Kangaroo Rats

    629 Words  | 2 Pages

    Biological evolution is a change in the characteristics of living organisms over generations (Scott, 2017). A basic mechanism of evolution, the genetic drift, and mutation is natural selection. According to Darwin's theory of evolution, natural selection is a process in nature in which only the organisms best adapted to their environmental surroundings have a higher chance of surviving and transmitting their genetic characters in increasing numbers to succeeding generations while those less adapted tend to be eliminated. There has been many experimental research projects that relate to the topic of natural selection and evolution.

    Read More

  • Evolution of Human Characteristics

    794 Words  | 2 Pages

    Human characteristics have evolved all throughout history and have been manipulated on a global scale through the use of science and technology. Genetic modification is one such process in which contemporary biotechnology techniques are employed to develop specific human characteristics. Despite this, there are a countless number of negative issues related with genetic modification including discrimination, ethical issues and corruption. Hence, genetic modification should not be used to enhance human characteristics.

    Read More

  • Malcom X's Leadership In The Life Of Malcolm X

    2168 Words  | 5 Pages

    ...ply hate. While it is true that his words were not always so understanding, and he was often guilty of deep, hateful prejudice himself, the fruits of his life were not of hate. In the end, they were of tolerance. His faith brought him to a new, deeper understanding of the world around him, and his belief in God brought him to an acceptance of all races, for he saw that God had only eyes for the person inside, not the person outside. While there were many consequences to his early actions as a radical black activist, the way he saw the era of his ways displays true understand of a deeper connection he developed with the world around him. Malcolm Little became an icon to the American Society. He put so much of a impression on the American society that we still talk about him today. That is why I am writing this paper and speaking about his heroic mission for change.

    Read More

  • Ethical Egoism In Malcolm X

    855 Words  | 2 Pages

    In my opinion, Malcolm X had a very terrible life just after his father’s death. His mother on the other hand was committed to the mental institution and Malcolm left home to live with family friends. He had experienced a troubled youth because in school his classmates (white people) treated him more like the class pet than a human being. The de-motivational situation continuously happened when he told his English teacher that he wanted to be a lawyer but the teacher responded this "One of life's first needs is for us to be realistic ... you need to think of something you can be ... why don't you plan on carpentry?". This humility urged Malcolm to discontinue his studies because there was no point for a black child pursuing education. Here, I learnt that people should not discriminate each other. We have to treat people fairly. The strong racism that had been shown by the black and white people made me think back of ethical egoism for which ethical egoism quite similar to racism. An ethical egoist really believes that the fire-fighters should not save those people because of the risks involved. The white people do not have to help the black and vice versa. Racism will ruin the community because of zero cooperation and the hardest part is riot happens and the ignorant are everywhere.

    Read More

  • Separation And Freedom In Malcolm X, By Alex Haley

    1298 Words  | 3 Pages

    The book, Malcolm X as told to Alex Haley, tells the story of an African American who lived in America, where the society has been become a supremacy by the white man and shows how that African society has been oppressed like the other races such as the asians, caucasian, mexican but not as prominent like the African Americans population and that there has been movements to change the society as a whole but the movement has not been resolved which leads to civil unrest and systemic oppression until the one man, who brought the truth and sought change for the society in America and led to nationwide concern for them. This book, this one story is a tale of his life. Within the book, Malcolm X, there are key ideas such as systemic oppression,

    Read More

  • Sean Lawrence, S Response To Sean Cohen's King Lear

    1317 Words  | 3 Pages

    Lawrence believes that the storm is a symbol of King Lear’s own turmoil that he is unable to realize. Furthermore, when King Lear wishes to die in the storm, he hopes to make his death more significant than it really is. Lawrence also argues like many other critics that King Lear’s suffering is largely voluntary, which he believes King Lear does to give his life more meaning. Lawrence also describes the Fool similarly to other critics as King Lear’s guide. For instance, despite all the suffering King Lear faces in the storm scene, the Fool reminds him that he can ask for Cordelia’s blessing to feel better (Lawrence 40). However, King Lear fails to recognize the Fool’s words of wisdom being caught up in his own self-righteousness. This can be seen in King Lear’s speech demanding for an apocalypse when he accuses others of crimes to show his superiority over others (Lawrence 41). Only once King Lear calms down later in the play does he begin to seek a meaningful death. However, it may have been too late for King Lear as he remains unable to escape from Being due to how he acted before (Lawrence

    Read More

  • Why Darwinism Is Just A Theory?

    854 Words  | 2 Pages

    Keith Henson a writer in evolutionary psychology once said that “Evolution acts slowly. Our psychological characteristics today are those that promoted reproductive success in the ancestral environment.” Evolution was first introduced by a naturalist by the name of Charles Darwin. Darwin had written an autobiography, at the age of 50, On the Origin of Species (1859) explaining how species evolve through time by natural selection; this theory became known as Darwinism. “Verlyn Klinkenborg, who writes editorials and vignettes on science and nature for the “New York Times”” (Muller 706) questions Darwin’s theory in one of his essays he wrote called Darwin at 200: The Ongoing Force of His Unconventional Idea. Both articles talk about the theory of Darwinism, but the authors’ use different writing techniques and were written in different time periods. Darwin himself writes to inform us on what the theory is, where as Klinkenborg goes on to explain why Darwinism is just a theory. Today, evolution is still a very controversial topic among many. It comes up in several topics that are discussed everyday such as in politics, religion and education.

    Read More

  • Evolution: Mutation, Natural Selection, Genetic Drift and Gene Flow

    758 Words  | 2 Pages

    Mutation, natural selection, genetic drift, and gene flow: the four forces that make the evolution process work. Mutation happens when the DNA gene gets changed, moves, or is damaged. When this happens, it causes the genetic message to be carried by that gene to be different. This process can occur in somatic cells. The somatic cells are all the cells that are a living organism, except the reproductive cells, meaning the body.

    Read More

  • Three Events In Malcolm X

    1010 Words  | 3 Pages

    Three events in Malcolm X’s life were very significant in Malcolm’s development and influenced his ideas. His interaction with Mr. Ostrowski opened his eyes to a new, more aware, point of view that marked his transition from childhood. His time in prison turned him against white people and led him to completely accept the ideas of Elijah Muhammad and transition away from hustling and crime. Malcolm’s pilgrimage to Mecca transitioned him from the hate-driven society of the Nation of Islam and towards a more accepting society of traditional Islam. All these events progress or completely change Malcolm’s ideas about systemic oppression, racial identity, and separation verses integration and push him to a new period of life and the next event.

    Read More

  • How Humans Developed: The Homo Sapiens

    1823 Words  | 4 Pages

    “The scientific study of how humans developed did not begin until the 1800s in Europe. Until that time, people relied on religious explanations of how humans came into existence. Starting in the 1500s a scientific revolution began to sweep Europe. Thinkers started using scientific methods and experiments to try to better understand the world and the creatures living in it. Eventually these methods were turned to the question of human origins” (The Nature Of Human Origins, 1). Earth made it possible for species to change over time because Ancient Earth provides ability to plenty of time.The Homo Sapien a is very complex creature. The species started off very simple by living in caves and surviving with little food and then later evolved into a species that were able to do many more complex things. The first species was Sahelanthropus tchadensis They were one of the most simple humans in that time period and on. They had very small skulls compared to Homo Sapiens today and their motor skills were just the same. We have evolved and changed for the better both mentally and physically. The Evolution of Homo Sapiens started off simple, such as the Neanderthals, and now we are the most advanced species to ever walk the planet so far.

    Read More

  • Evolutionary Psychology

    985 Words  | 2 Pages

    Charles Darwin has five parts to his theory of natural selection, firstly the “Geometric increase” which claims that “all living things reproduce in great numbers”, meaning that species may survive but not all will survive because, the resources used for survival for instance ,food will not be enough for all living things. “The struggle for existence” because there is a limited number of resources and can only sustain some and not all, not all living things will survive, however the question lies in which living being will survive?. “Variation” is the third part of natural selection which claims that within those living things there are variations within them that will determine whic...

    Read More

  • Charles Darwin's Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection

    679 Words  | 2 Pages

    With the studies that Charles Darwin obtained he published his first work, “The Origin of Species.” In this book he explained how for millions of years animals, and plants have evolved to better help their existence. Darwin reasoned that these living things had gradually changed over time to help themselves. The changes that he found seemed to have been during the process of reproduction. The traits which would help them survive became a dominant trait, while the weaker traits became recessive. A good example of what Darwin was trying to explain is shown in giraffes. Long-necked giraffes could reach the food on the trees, while the short-necked giraffes couldn’t. Since long necks helped the giraffes eat, short-necked giraffes died off from hunger. Because of this long-necks became a dominant trait in giraffes. This is what Charles Darwin would later call natural selection.

    Read More

  • The Evolution of Human Skin Color

    1016 Words  | 3 Pages

    According to Darwin and his theory on evolution, organisms are presented with nature’s challenge of environmental change. Those that possess the characteristics of adapting to such challenges are successful in leaving their genes behind and ensuring that their lineage will continue. It is natural selection, where nature can perform tiny to mass sporadic experiments on its organisms, and the results can be interesting from extinction to significant changes within a species.

    Read More

  • Human Evolution

    941 Words  | 2 Pages

    Evolution is the complexity of processes by which living organisms established on earth and have been expanded and modified through theorized changes in form and function. Human evolution is the biological and cultural development of the species Homo sapiens sapiens, or human beings. Humans evolved from apes because of their similarities. This can be shown in the evidence that humans had a decrease in the size of the face and teeth that evolved. Early humans are classified in ten different types of families.

    Read More

  • The Process of Evolution

    980 Words  | 2 Pages

    Natural selection is based on the concept “survival of the fittest” where the most favourable individual best suited in the environment survive and pass on their genes for the next generation. Those individual who are less suited to the environment will die.

    Read More

More about Human Evolution

Open Document