EXAM 5, Introduction to Evolution Flashcards
Evolution in it’s simplest meaning is
change
In biology is has come to…
refer to genetic change over time in species or groups of species
Microevolution refers to
change in a single gene in a population over time
Evolutionists and Creationists…
alike accept the reality that populations change over time (microevolution)
Microevolution is…
observable
Macroevolution refers to…
the formation of new species or groups of related species
so new classes, orders, phylum…
While Evolutionists…Creationists…
Evolutionists accept macroevolution as a natural extension of microevolution, Creationists REJECT the concept that all organisms are interrelated by decent
Creationists…
accept that speciation within the created “kinds” may occur, but not the origin of one “kind” from another
using “kind” in a biblical sense
The emphasis of evolution…
meaning macroevolution, is the study of how new species and higher taxa are formed
Evolution as a Theory…
seeks to answer many questions related to the diversity of life, seeks to explain the origin of everything
Since question of origin seeks to answer questions about history of life on earth…
it may not be handled directly by the scientific method, since it cant answer questions about history
Scientific method…
relies on empirical thought
empirical thought means…
using observations of natural processes rather than nonphysical or spiritual points of view
Scientific method automatically
eliminates any reliance upon or reference to theology
(Pre-evolution) #1) Chinese, Greek, other early cultures…
a) life was created supernaturally (people were theists, involved gods)
b) organized from simple to complex
(Pre-evolution) #2 Greek philosophers (plato, aristotle)…
a) an ideal perfect world (essence) exists, in contrast to the apparent, imperfect world
b) therefore no need to change
since essence made everything perfect, would not accept evolution
(Pre-evolution) #3 early church
a) God’s creation is perfect
b)also influenced by greek philosophers
c) so species will neither disappear nor change
Factors promoting change of perspective
- Age of enlightenment
- fossil record
- geology
- Thomas malthus
(Promoting change of perspective) #1 Age of enlightenment..
(1700s) questioned Biblical inerrancy (belief that Bible is without fault)
(thinking of possibility of no god)
(Promoting change of perspective) #2 fossil record…
A.) Georges Cuvier documented extinctions
- he opposed evolution since he saw design in anatomy
- promoted catastrophism (earths history is shaped by local upheavals (flood, earthquakes)
- but did NOT embrace a biblical flood
extinctions was in contrast with what the church was teaching
B.) fossil sequence seemed to suggest a sequence of different organisms over time (ex. simpler on the bottom)
(Promoting change of perspective) #3 Geology…
A.) James Hutton - gradualism
- gradualism was slow, continual processes accumulate into a large effect/change
INFLUENCED DARWIN
B.) Charles Lyell - uniformitarianism
- “the present is key to the past”
- only the same processes occuring now explain what happened in the past
C.) conclusion: the earth must be very old
D.) Darwin reads Lyells book while in HMS beagle
(Promoting change of perspective) #4 Thomas Malthus…
A.) populations can increase faster than food or supplies
B.) So, results is survival of the fittest
DARWIN ALTHOUGH READ MALTHUS
(Evolutionary Theories) Jean Baptiste Lamarck (1801)…
proposed inheritance of acquired characteristics
- through use or disuse, parts of an animals body develop or degenerate
- these changes are passed on to offspring
this was eventually disproven (maybe epigenetics?)
(Evolutionary Theories) some background about charles darwin
- love for outdoors/nature
- began training as physician (boring and distasteful)
- turned to the ministry (most naturalists clergy)
- hired as ship’s naturalist (HMS Beagle, 5 year voyage around the world
(Evolutionary Theories) the beagle left in the year….when darwin was…
1831, 22 years old
(Evolutionary Theories) beagle most known for stop at
Galapagos islands
Darwin Key observation #1
similar but different species in different locations
question: did God create each one, or did some process produce this variation?
Darwin Key observation #2
fossil species similar to modern day species
Question: is the fossil the ancestor?