Descent with Modification: A Darwinian View of Life

1) Explain some of the Pre-Darwinian Views of Life!

Greek Philosophers: Plato (organism perfectly adapted to the environment), Aristotle(Scala Naturale - a scale of increasing complexity

Fixed Spicies Concept: the Creator had designed each and every species for a particular purpose

Catastrophism: fossils related to current life (Georges Cuvier); fossils were remains of species lost due to a catastrophe

Gradualism - Hutton: profound change is the product of slow, but continuous processes

Uniformatarianism - Lyle: geological processes à operated at the same rate over the Earth’s history à the Earth must be very old!

Lamarck's Theory: life changed to complex from simple over time
a) use/disuse - body parts used to survive become larger and
stronger; body parts not used to survive deteriorate
b) acquired characteristics - modifications acquired by use/disuse
are passed on to offspring

2) What are endemic species?

Species found at certain geographical locations and nowhere else.

3) What are some signs for evolution?

biogeography, fossils, taxonomy, comparative anatomy, comparative embryology,molecular biology...

Facts:

- Lamarck recognized that species evolve, though his explanatory mechanism was flawed.

- Fossils provide evidence for the theory of evolution.

- Evolution is change in species over time.

- Heritable variations exist within a population.

- These variations can result in changes in the genetic composition.

Summary:

Evolution includes changes over time, and is continuous (still occurs).

Ideas about change over time include fossils, paleontolgy, catastrophism, uniformitrarianism. Lamarck first provided with his hypothesis. Later, Charles Darwin defined the natural selection and supported his ideas.

Many evolutions that have to do with ancestors and environments have been contemplated and discovered.

Extra:

Evolution (of dance) video