Theory of Evolution - Essay Example

?Theory of evolution The vivid flora and fauna of the earth, which is symbolic of the evolution of life, inspired the imagination of human beings. Still, the theory of evolution is a controversial subject because evolution is a time consuming process which cannot be observed directly. The history of the theory of evolution proves that the growth and development of modern science forced the scientists to deny creation theory and accept the theory of evolution. As the theory of evolution is formulated upon the strong foundation of scientific evidence, not upon mere assumptions or hypotheses, the same can be considered as a window to the evolution of life on earth. Thesis statement: The history, research and analysis, and discussion based upon the validity of the theory of evolution prove that the strengths overshadow the weaknesses of the same and future development in the field of modern science may prove its value as a scientific theory. Description: Evolution is the process of continuous change which occurs across generations. To be specific, evolution can be defined as the process of change and inheriting certain genetic characteristics which eventually leads to the formation of new species. There is a general misunderstanding that human beings evolved from apes. Instead, the supporters of evolution are in favor of the idea that human beings and apes belong to the same family, but human beings did not evolve from apes. So, one can see that evolution is the key element behind the biological diversity of the earth. Nardo (2009) stated that, “The ancient Greeks had the first known discussions about some concepts that later became part of evolutionary theory” (p.19). The most important characteristic of the evolution is that the same is a continuous process. On the other side, those who believe in creation theory (the whole universe and the living things are created by the god) does not agree with the evolution theory because religious perspective on creation is different. Those who are in favor of the idea that evolution is the foundation of life on earth supported the evolution theory formulated by Charles Darwin. His role in the formulation of the theory of evolution is utmost important because further development within this field is deeply indebted to his research work and publications. For instance, Darwin argued that natural selection is the key element behind the evolution of different species on earth. Darwin was aware of the fact that lack of evidence and data will attract disapproval and disagreement from the naturalists and scientists. So, he collected evidence to back up his theory with the same. Besides, Darwin tried to prove that life on earth carries a common ancestry. At the same time, his theory was supported by the data collected by him. Later, Thomas Henry Huxley made use of Darwin’s theory to argue that human beings and apes belong to the same family. Smith (1993) made clear that, “The study of evolution is concerned with how, during the long history of life on this planet, different animals and plants have become adapted to different conditions, and to different ways of life in those conditions” (p.26). Within the context of evolution as a scientific theory, heredity, variation, and mutation are important. One can see that heredity decides the genetic characteristics of an organism. On the other side, variation is deeply influenced by external elements like environment. Besides, evolution is influenced by genetic variation of different species on earth. At the same time, mutation is another characteristic of the living world which can be considered as the proof for evolution. But mutation can result in positive and negative effect on living things. In short, the theory of evolution can be considered as the foundation stone of the growth and development of different fields within the context of the study of the living world. History: One can see that the earth’s ecological diversity fascinated the human beings. Still, the religious perspective of the origin of life is different from that of the theory of evolution. Earlier, those who are interested in the evolution of life on earth did not try to question the creation theory. But some of the scientists/naturalists and thinkers disagreed to accept the creation theory put forth by different religions. On the other side, the Greek philosophy acted the role of a catalyst that accelerated the development of innovative theories like the theory of evolution. Kent (2000) stated that, “Since ancient times, a number of philosophers and naturalists (including Confucius in China and Aristotle in Greece) have suggested that complex species evolve from simpler pre-existing ones by a process of continuous and gradual change” (p.436). Within this context, Anaximander is an important Greek philosopher who pondered upon the scope of evolution. On the other side, Empedocles was another philosopher who tried to understand the relationship between the origin of different species and evolution. But Aristotle approached the idea of evolution through a different way. He accepted the idea that life can be seen in different forms but the ingredient is same. During the 17th century, the development in the field of science led to the rejection of the ideas put forth by Aristotle. To be specific, Aristotle’s ideas on evolution were linked with philosophy but science rejected it and the scientists tried to understand evolution as a natural phenomenon. For instance, John Ray attempted to unmask the secret behind the diversity in nature. He did not reject the creation theory, but linked the same with the concept of evolution. At the same time, the research work (say, which led to the formulation of biological classification as a scientific method to classify living things) undertook by Carolus Linnaeus attained the conclusion that life on earth is under the influence of an external force, the god. The scientists/naturalists who lived during this time were of the opinion that the change that can be seen among the living things is due to the laws of nature. One can see that this change in opinion was important for the wider acceptance of the idea of evolution. For instance, Maupertuis and Buffon put forth innovative ideas on the characteristics of evolution which accelerated the later acceptance of evolution as a scientific theory. Within this context, the Transmutation Theory put forth by Lamarck is most important because the same supported the idea of the development of life from simple forms to complex living things. This theory supported the idea of the continuation of genetic characteristics from generation to generation. William Paley’s research work in this field is noteworthy because he attempted to connect the idea of evolution with theology. This deeply influenced Charles Darwin because he was trying to gain acceptance from the scientists/naturalists who are interested in the idea of evolution. Within this context, Charles Darwin’s ideas on evolution, natural selection and survival of different living things, gained worldwide acceptance. Darwin (2007) stated that, “When we look to the individuals of the same variety or sub-variety of our older cultivated plants and animals, one of the first points which strikes us, is, that they generally differ much more from each other, than do the individuals of any one species or variety in a state of nature ”(p.5). From a different angle of view, the development in the field of modern science is deeply indebted to the theory of evolution put forth by Charles Darwin. The present development in the fields like paleontology, developmental biology, Molecular biology, genetics, etc is deeply rooted in the theories formulated by Charles Darwin. Research and analysis: The most important strength of the theory of evolution is that it is supported by scientific evidence collected by Charles Darwin and others. Plotkin (1997) states that, “Darwin reasoned that any living creature is a patchwork of variable traits which together somehow determine how ‘fit’ that creature is for survival and reproduction in a particular environment” (p.30). As pointed out earlier, Darwin did not try to put forth an odd theory without any evidence. Instead, he collected data to back up his theory. One can see that the theory of evolution is not a single theory, but the amalgamation of a number of theories/ideas put forth by eminent naturalists/scientists and philosophers before centuries. Most of the theories in different fields originate from hypotheses put forth by naturalists/scientists and philosophers/thinkers. But the theory of evolution is different because the same is not based upon any hypothesis, but upon /fact/evidence. Southgate (2005) opined that, “One of the strengths of Darwin’s theory was that it explained, without the need for any ad hoc hypotheses, both aesthetically appealing adaptations, such as the beak of the woodpecker, and the ‘ugliness’ of species like the ichneumonidae –wasps whose larvae are implanted within the body of a caterpillar and eat it alive from the inside” (p.164). Darwin’s voyage to different places, especially his voyage to the Galapagos Islands and his research on the finch birds accelerated his effort to formulate the theory of evolution. Besides, he collected bird specimens to prove that evolution is a silent revolution, unnoticed by human beings. So, one can see that Darwin’s habit of collecting specimens helped him to provide evidence to his research findings on evolution. Besides, the development in the field of paleontology provides evidence to Darwin’s theory as a scientific theory. For instance, the fossil records excavated from different layers of the earth prove that evolution is natural processes which deeply influence the continuation of life on earth. During Darwin’s lifetime, his theory attracted strong criticism from other scientists who supported the creation theory. But now, observations and experiments in different fields provide evidence to Darwin’s theory. So, one can see that the theory of evolution is supported by observations and experiments in different fields of science. One of the weaknesses of the theory of evolution is its inability to provide ample evidence to unveil the secret behind the origin of life on earth. For instance, that the link between human beings and apes is still missing. But this does not prove that the theory of evolution is false because the scientists/researchers may identify this missing link in future. Besides, lack of ample evidence is another weakness of theory of evolution. From a different angle of view, the controversies related to this theory lead the mass to suspect the validity of this theory. Besides, modern science depends upon fossil records as one of the most valuable evidences that can prove the validity of this theory. As pointed out, lack of evidence on the secret behind the origin of life creates confusion among the supporters of the theory of evolution. The change occurred during the Cambrian age resulted in the rapid transformation of life on earth. During and after this age, there existed a number of living things with peculiar characteristics. These living things were entirely different. This phenomenon is totally against the theory of evolution, which is a slow and continuous process. From a different angle of view, human beings consider that their status on earth is entirely different from animals. Caiazza (2007) opined that, “That is, it is just too improbable to believe that the various interdependent organs and biochemical processes within each organism, as well as the origin of each species came about in the machine-like and inevitable manner that Darwinian evolutionism asserts ”(p.102). The theory of evolution totally rejects the racial supremacy of human beings. This creates suspicion on the validity of the theory of evolution. On the other side, the theory of evolution cannot be proved as valid by a laboratory experiment. Still, the theory of evolution is a powerful tool to unearth the secret behind the origin and evolution of life on earth. Discussion: The effectiveness of the theory of evolution to portray the world accurately is related to the theory’s scope in human life. One can see that the foundation of modern science is based upon observation and experimentation. Besides, the validity of a theory is related to its capability to provide strong evidences. Within the context of the growth and development of modern science, the theory of evolution is most helpful to explain the evolution of life on earth. Pusey (1998) stated that, “The theory of evolution deeply influenced modern Chinese thought because it was the first Western theory that most Chinese intellectuals thought true” (p.x). Besides, the scope of this theory is not limited to the evolution of human race, but extends to the context of the origin and existence of life on earth. The evidences collected by Darwin and the other naturalists/scientists who support the theory of evolution are helpful to have clearer understanding of the history of the evolution of life on earth. On the other side, the theory of evolution put forth enough evidence to prove that evolution is a continuous process. Wuketits (1990) opined that, “Evolution, therefore, is an aspect of organic evolution caused by mutations, genetic recombination and selection” (p.159). So, the future development of the human race can be predicted with the help of the theory of evolution. But one need not misunderstand that human race is the most important race on earth because the law of nature rejects the same. But human beings can depend upon the theory of evolution to follow the law of nature, which is applicable to the living world as a whole. Earlier, diversity that can be seen among the living things fascinated the human beings. But now, the research works conducted in the fields of science like biology and botany proves that evolution is the secret behind the diversity on earth. Rieppel (2010) made clear that, “Within his theory of evolution, Darwin not only provided a successful casual explanation of the origin of new species, but also validated a different way of doing science” (p.103). From a different angle of view, the theory of evolution can be considered as the foundation of modern biology because the same unveils the hidden secret of evolution. So, one cannot totally reject the role of the theory of evolution in the growth and development of science. In short, the most important characteristic of the theory of evolution is that the same is helpful to unmask the secret behind the evolution of life on earth. Summing, the secret behind the evolution of life on earth haunted human minds for centuries. But now, the theory of evolution, added with the development in the field of modern science, successfully unmasked this hidden secret. Still, most of the religions are not ready to accept the theory of evolution as valid. But more and more evidence is being collected and examined to prove that evolution is the key factor behind the existence of life on earth in different forms. The history of the theory of evolution proves that the same attracted strong protest from the mass but gained momentum during and after the lifetime of Charles Darwin. The research and analysis proves that the strengths of the theory of evolution overshadow the weaknesses. In short, the theory of evolution can be considered as an important factor behind the rapid development and acceptance of modern science among the mass. Even though, the human effort to unmask the secret behind the evolution of life on earth is an unending process because evolution is still a controversial issue. References Caiazza, J. (2007). The War of the Jesus and Darwin Fishes: Religion and Science in the Postmodern World. New Jersey, USA: Transaction Publishers. Darwin, C. (2007). On the Origin of Species: By Means of Natural Selection Or the Preservation of Favored Races in the Struggle for Life. New York, NY: Cosimo. Kent, M. (2000). Advanced Biology. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. Nardo, D. (2009). The Theory of Evolution: A History of Life on Earth. Mankato, MN: Capstone Press. Plotkin, H.C. (1997). Darwin Machines and the Nature of Knowledge. USA: Harvard University Press. Pusey, J.R. (1998). Lu Xun and Evolution. Albany, NY: SUNY Press. Rieppel, O. (2010). Evolutionary Theory and the Creation Controversy. New York, USA: Springer. Smith, J.M. (1993). The Theory of Evolution. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Southgate, C. (2005). God, Humanity, and the Cosmos. New York, NY: Continuum International Publishing Group. Wuketits, F.M. (1990). Evolutionary Epistemology and Its Implications for Humankind. Albany, NY: SUNY Press. Read More