Whether Human Evolutionary Process Is Transferring Digital Information or Analogue - Coursework Example

HUMAN EVOLUTION The present research has been made to estimate the notion whether human evolutionary process is transferring digital information or analogue. In other words, the aim behind the study is to assess the authenticity of the Dawkins theory stated in his famous "A River out of Eden", in which he submits that the DNA gene is the source of transferring the information to the next generations in the same way as it does not lose its basic characteristics and features. The hypothesis for the present study in: Digital the transformation of the DNA gene, more likely are the chances of next generations to imitate the characteristics of their ancestors. Human evolution simply means the physical changes in humans over time leading to anatomically modern human beings. (Nelson & Jurmain, 1985:6) Man has always been curious about revealing the mysteries of the universe, exploring ins and outs of his own creation and knowing about the secrets of life since ever. It is his curiosity as well as struggle and longings for survival that he has successfully traveled from the world of primitive Paleolithic and Neolithic state into contemporary modern age of technological advancements and industrialization. The studies show the very fact that countless changes have been made, during the course of time, in mans biological and cultural structure, leading to his present physical appearance and environmental composition as well. The details of evolution process shows that existing animals and plants cannot have been separately created in their present form, but must have evolved from earlier forms by slow transformations. (Darwin, 1959; quoted in Huxley, 1872: X) Theories have been articulated and researches have been made to bring the realities of biological and cultural evolutions to the limelight. The study of evolutionary process has also got unabated projection with the passage of time. Charles Darwins theory revolutionized the views regarding biological human evolution in modern times and many of the future researchers and scholars followed the same while articulating their assumptions and making their analysis. The name of Richard Dawkins is especially noteworthy in this regard. Richard Dawkins is one of the most prominent biologists and naturalists of contemporary times, who have significantly contributed to the disciplines of human development, physical anthropology and natural sciences. His brilliant theories and in-depth study has not only won respectable place for him in the field of biological evolution, but also they reflect and rectify the ideas and speculations presented by Charles Darwin in his magnificent Origin of Species. He also imitates the same presumptions determined by the great naturalist and his school of thought by applying latest research methods and systematic investigations. All Dawkins works including "The Selfish Gene", "Climbing Mount Improbable" and others wide open new dimensions of wisdom and knowledge to the scientists and the public alike reminding them the revival of the renowned Darwinian Theory of Evolution in a more vivid and analytical way. Darwin has submitted that the process of natural selection is the foundation of evolution of human generations. He has further stated that as natural selection acts solely by the preservation of profitable modifications, each new form will tend in a fully stocked country to take the place of, and finally to exterminate its own less improved parent-form and other less favored forms, with which it comes into competition. (1872:159) Similarly, Richard Dawkins gives the novel presumption that all living things are mere source of transformation of information, projection and proliferation of their own DNA in order to protect and prolong their own survival in one way or the other. The reproduction and replication are the symbol of the perpetuity of the genes. It is therefore Dawkins declares living things as selfish genes, which are interested in their individual survival by adaptation according to the alteration in the physical and environmental set up. His wonderful work under the title "River out of Eden: A Darwinian View of Life" published in 1995 is the continuity of his speculative views regarding human evolutionary process. By the river entitled in the book, Dawkins simply means the river of DNA, which has been flowing with the flow of time and is preserving the replication of powerful genes on the one hand and wiping out weak ones on the other. In addition, he has shown the connection of every existing matter with the earliest living organisms stating that these living things serve as the tributary of the metaphoric river of the most primitive organisms. Every living organism is an individual river of DNA that maintains its unique identity and instinctive existence. Dawkins has focused on the significance of DNA by stating that one molecule i.e. DNA must be comprehended absolutely in order to get acquaintance with the origin of life and its evolutionary process. The biochemical as well as cultural studies lay stress on the complete analysis of molecules to prove common ancestry of all the species on the one hand and predict the estimated time of divergence between evolution of apes, humans, mimicry and all other existing creatures on the other. Dawkins also opines in favor of Darwinian Theory of common ancestry. It is molecules, Lewin suggests, which determine all the facts regarding evolutionary process. Molecules have been very important in providing the clocks by which to estimate and put a date on the ape-human divergence. (Lewin, 1986: 18) Every molecule or DNA, according to Dawkins, maintains its place in its safe dwelling i.e. a living organism from where it acquires an opportunity of metaphoric traveling and information transforming through reproduction procedure. The DNA River, according to Dawkins, at first flowed as one single entity, giving birth to millions of its tributary branches. Each river is distinct from the others and no longer exchanges waters from the others, just as species are isolated reproductively from other species. (Bohlin, 1996: 1) Only those rivers maintain existence which can adapt themselves during the course of slow but steady alterations in their environment. Dawkins emphatically tries to prove the contents of Darwinian assumptions of one single ancestor of all living creatures and the acquaintance with this common ancestor is a trivial matter of no worth for him. Instead, he lays stress in finding out the sources and origins supporting the theory of single parenthood. In addition, he altogether refutes the theological assumptions that humans had been created in the image of God. Christian dogmatism and beliefs cite the Scripture maintaining that the Creator has made man in His own image by giving him dominance on the bird of the air and the fish in the sea. Dawkins, asserting and affirming Darwinian themes of evolution, rejects religious beliefs altogether and finds out sufficient proofs regarding common ancestry. It is therefore he is considered as the staunch anti-creationist in religious and dogmatic circles. Dawkins takes genetic codes in the same patterns on which languages and computer codes have been defined. He compares the DNA River and its flow to that of digital one running along with an optic fiber. Since these genetic codes have arisen only once, it clearly proves the very fact that million of genetic rivers flowing separately contain the one ancestor. Dawkins makes a good deal while recommending the examining and exploration of the characteristics of one molecule i.e. DNA that is the foundation of life on the earth. All living beings yield pretty much the same family tree—which by the way, is rather good evidence, if evidence were needed, that the theory of evolution is true. (Dawkins, 1995:44) Thus, molecular data is the evidence sufficient enough to combat with all other theories negating the speculation of single parenthood. Thus the first and the foremost thing while analyzing evolutionary process is genetic code and DNA. The Basic biological mechanism of adaptation is to be found in the individual, and this mechanism is gene. (Cohen, 1968:13) The ability of species to live and survive as well as adapt itself according to its environment determines its survival and existence. Social and physical environment must be appropriate and favorable for entering into reproduction process and consequently preservation of life itself. Powerful molecules either survive in unfavorable circumstances too or undergo imperative changes according to the prevailing environment. The rivers, or molecules in other words, which refuse to accept change in their environment, are likely to cease to exist and perish away subsequently. Thus, Dawkins rectifies Darwinian claim that in the struggle for existence, only those survive who are found to be fittest. It is therefore both dinosaurs and mammoths were eliminated, during the pre-historic era, because they had refused to adapt themselves according to the changes taking place in their surroundings. All the species existing in the universe contain almost the same DNA characteristics whether they are humans, apes, chimpanzees and whales on the one hand and wasps, microscopic viruses, protozoa, insects and mimic creatures of least worth on the other. Dawkins vehemently refutes the assumption that the creatures can survive even they have imperative weaknesses in them that may cause problems for their existence. Such weaknesses may be limited intellect, poor eyesight and mimic size etc. Rather, all such features of various species are helpful for them in their proper structure and functioning. As all these creatures maintain one and the same biological inheritance, their weaknesses and poor position serve as the source of their existence rather cause of their elimination from the world. The law of adaptive radiation, which was originally applied to the mammals, is equally applicable to the reptiles on the one hand and the insects on the other. (Lull, 1976:408) The adaptation of changes taking place in the environment is slow, continuous and gradual. No change as well as adaptation could be made immediately. It is fact beyond doubt that millions of insects have sharp eyesight as well as contain power to fly like birds. The insects like wasps and others, which have little ability to fly and contain poor eyesight, have lost their wings and power to see in specialization. The birds gave up a pair of walking limbs to acquire wings and the power to fly and the fish did the same to swim in deep waters. Thus, both of them had to surrender one of their characteristics to preserve their existence within their most favorable environment. The same is the case with wasps, which have lost the sharpness of their eyesight to remain in reproduction process and survive consequently in the world. Dawkins works through some of his favorite examples of how this gives rise to evolutionary change – the development of the eye, orchids which mimic female wasps to encourage cross-pollination by males, bees dancing to impart information to their fellow workers. (Turney, 2005:3) Dawkins vehemently supports the part of Darwinian Theory that it is single egg from which all the living species share single ancestry. He is in favor of the African Eve, instead of an Adam, which serves as the mother of all the existing species and their only common ancestor. The idea was supported by analyzing the characteristics of mitochondria, which obtains maternal features of DNA. The sperm injects only nuclear DNA into the egg cell; therefore all our mitochondria are inherited from our mother. (Bohlin, 1996:4) Darwin argues regarding natural selection that it is the law of nature that the favorable traits and features in species contain more probability of inheritance and transformation into next generations. Dawkins, on the other hand, has reduced the entity of natural selection to mere gene in his book. According to him the river of DNA, maintaining sets of genes in it carries away its flow on the foundation of success and power. If the gene has enough power to transform its characteristics and information regarding the DNA, it may flow with other tributary branches along with all its favorable characteristics. On the other hand, if the genes are unable to select adaptability, the specific branch of the river will cease to flow; in other words, that specific species will cease to exist in future. The under discussion book written by Richard Dawkins looks highly supportive in preaching the Darwinian concepts and thoughts in a scientific and logical way. It is therefore, Dawkins is considered one of the greatest torch-bearer of Darwins Theory of Survival of the Fittest, which concludes that the species which go with the flow of their environment must survive even they are very small in size and poor in mobilization. Dawkins has presented the examples of wasps and forest trees interlinking their traits with the favorable environment and their possible adaptability. The trees in the forest are taller in comparison with those of other regions due to the fact that they overlap rival trees in the always prevailing competitive situation. The species which succeed in maximizing their DNA replication, can transform the information regarding their own genes into next generations. Dawkins is of the opinion that as the changes in the surroundings do not take place suddenly, there are great chances of adopting certain traits and characteristics by the DNA River(s). But if these characteristics and features hidden in the DNA refuse to accept the changes taking place, either these species seek alteration in their biological and cultural appearances and atmosphere, or these will be eliminated because of replication bomb, the check nature applies to bring changes in the flow of the DNA River. BIBLIOGRAPHY Bohlin, Raymond G. (1996) Book Review: River Out of Eden: A Darwinian View of Life. (http://www.answersingenesis.org/tj/v10/i3/eden.asp) Cohen, Yehudi A. (1986) Man In Adaptation: The Biosocial Background Aldine Publishing Company Chicago Darwin, Charles Robert. (1872) The Origin of Species A Mentor Book. New American Library, New York Dawkins, Robert (1995) A River Out of Eden. Basic Books, New York Kroeber, A. L. (1963) ANTHROPOLOGY: Cultural Patterns & Processes. Harcourt, Brace & World Inc. Lewin, Roger. (1986) Human Evolution: An Illustrated Introduction. W. H. Freeman & Company New York Lull, Richard Swan. (1976) Organic Evolution. Seema Publications, Pratab Bagh Delhi Nelson, Harry & Jurmain, Robert. (1985) Introduction to Physical Anthropology. Third Edition. West Publishing Company. 50 West Kellogg Boulevard Turney, Jon. (2005) River Out of Eden—A Darwinian View of Life. (Quoted in http://genome.wellcome.ac.uk/doc_WTD023544.html) Read More