Unit 5: Theories of Evolution PDF

Unit 5: Theories of Evolution Lesson 5.1 Development of Evolutionary Thoughts Contents Introduction 1 Learning Objectives 2 Warm Up...

Unit 5: Theories of Evolution Lesson 5.1 Development of Evolutionary Thoughts Contents Introduction 1 Learning Objectives 2 Warm Up 2 Learn about It! 4 Evolutionary Thoughts 4 Older Evolutionary Beliefs 4 Ancient Beliefs 4 Other Beliefs in the Middle Ages 8 The Lead-Up to the Theory of Evolution 10 Charles Bonnet and Evolution 10 Comte de Buffon’s Natural History of Animals 10 Jean-Baptiste Lamarck’s Transmutation of Species 11 Robert Chambers’ Vestiges of the Natural History of Creation 12 Charles Darwin’s Ideas 13 Key Points 13 Check Your Understanding 14 Challenge Yourself 15 Photo Credits 16 Bibliography 17 Unit 5: Theories of Evolution Lesson 5.1 Development of Evolutionary Thoughts Introduction Have you ever wondered where everything that you see in nature came from? Were humans able to establish early on how life was able to attain its current level of diversity since the first living forms appeared? The attempts to explain where life originated and how it developed and expanded have been going on for thousands of years. Humans have tried to present various suppositions as to how life on Earth diversified, and further studies are being made as new sets of evidence on the origin of life are being discovered. Today, we know that the diversity of life on Earth came about because of the occurrence of evolution. This knowledge was only possible, however, through centuries of scientific study and inquiry. This lesson will focus on how the knowledge of evolution developed over a long period of time. 5.1. Development of Evolutionary Thoughts 1 Unit 5: Theories of Evolution Learning Objectives DepEd Competency In this lesson, you should be able to do the Trace the development of following: evolutionary thought Identify the beliefs that predate the (STEM_BIO11/12-IIIc-g-11). theory of evolution. Explain the development of evolutionary thought. Warm Up Making Suppositions 15 minutes For centuries, humans have been in pursuit of an explanation of the origin of life. Some people have utilized simple observations to propose theories, while others utilized stronger and more accurate scientific evidence. In this activity, you will try to formulate hypotheses on the origins of life without using any scientific knowledge. Materials drawing and coloring materials cartolina sheet internet-connected device Procedure 1. Divide the class into groups of four. 2. Look closely at the photos shown below. You are to make suppositions about how the biodiversity of the given reef ecosystem came about. Make sure to tackle how the organisms and their environment could have possibly arisen. 3. Remember, you must make your suppositions without any scientific basis (i.e., without using what you currently know about science). Instead, you should use other means or observations to explain the topic. 5.1. Development of Evolutionary Thoughts 2 Unit 5: Theories of Evolution 4. Diagram or illustrate your answers on a sheet of cartolina. 5. Thereafter, you will be asked to present your output to the class. 6. Answer the guide questions below afterward. Guide Questions 1. What are scientific theories, and how are they important? 2. With the use of scientific knowledge, how do you think the organisms in the coral reef ecosystem came about? 3. Do you believe that ancient people formulated suppositions before modern scientific advancements became prominent? 5.1. Development of Evolutionary Thoughts 3 Unit 5: Theories of Evolution Learn about It! What are some beliefs that predate the modern theory of evolution? Evolutionary Thoughts Our modern ideas regarding evolution come from many sources. Among the most notable of these are from Charles Darwin, who is widely recognized as the father of evolution. Many of his ideas are known to be among the earliest accurate explanations for the diversity of life on Earth. However, there have also been many other concepts put forth that predate Darwin’s theory. This lesson will tackle some of these concepts and beliefs. Older Evolutionary Beliefs Ancient Beliefs Even in ancient times, people have tried to explain the different events and phenomena that happen within the natural world. Among these phenomena include the existence of life. Modern science, the natural world, and the concept of evolution was not fully understood during earlier times. In place of scientific explanations, people used myths and other supernatural stories in order to explain the origins of life and the diversity found in nature. This, however, does not mean that no attempt at a scientific explanation about the origin of life was made. There were many notable natural historians that were prominent even in ancient times. A natural historian is one that studies nature in a scientific manner. Among the most notable early natural historians include Aristotle, a Greek philosopher who lived sometime between 384 and 322 B.C. Aristotle is well known even in modern times due to his contributions to ethics, the study of logic, and his other philosophical work. There are multiple preserved works authored by Aristotle, and many of these show concepts that range outside just philosophy. His other work also extensively tackled scientific topics. Historia Animalium (The History of Animals), another preserved work of Aristotle, classified animals based on their structure and functions. 5.1. Development of Evolutionary Thoughts 4 Unit 5: Theories of Evolution A 12th-century reprint of Historia Animalium This is reminiscent of modern taxonomic classifications, which use both morphological and molecular data in order to determine lineage. Aristotle’s other works include those described in Table 5.1.1. Table 5.1.1. Other works of Aristotle Work Description Historia Animalium Focuses on the history and descriptions of animals De Generatione Animalium Describes animal reproduction De Partibus Animalium Focuses on animal anatomy, morphology, and physiology Includes other philosophical works, such as the organon, Other works metaphysics, poetics, and more 5.1. Development of Evolutionary Thoughts 5 Unit 5: Theories of Evolution Aristotle also proposed the idea of Scala naturae or “Natural Ladder” (shown in Fig. 5.1.1.), where he organized all natural objects, from nonliving matter to living organisms in a continuum. This ladder ranged from nonliving matter, such as minerals, as the lowest entity, and up to plants, animals, and humans, respectively. Aristotle placed humans at the top of the ladder because of their inherent capacity for rational thinking. Moreover, Aristotle also elaborated that organisms cannot change positions in this hierarchy, which implies that species are rather immutable or unchanging entities. Aristotle was not the only philosopher who used scientific means for observing the natural world. Other natural historians include Zeno (334–262 B.C.), who also studied Aristotle’s work, Theophrastus (371–287 B.C.), who was one of Aristotle’s successors and has done extensive work on plants in his Historia Plantarum (a study on plant anatomy, structures, reproduction, growth, and more), which earned him the moniker the “Father of Botany”, and Marcus Cicero (106–46 B.C.), who was born in the Roman empire. Pliny the Elder, a Roman military man, was also a prominent natural historian and philosopher. He lived sometime between 23 and 79 A.D. and wrote the work Naturalis Historia, which is Latin for Natural History. This vast publication spanned ten volumes that tackled several fields such as biology, astronomy, mathematics, 5.1. Development of Evolutionary Thoughts 6 Unit 5: Theories of Evolution and many other branches of science. Pliny’s observations on animals and plants have been widely read even centuries after his death. In fact, many of these ideas influenced his contemporaries many years afterward. Not all beliefs that people hold regarding the natural world are scientific in nature. While less of these nonscientific beliefs are still widespread in modern times, these ideas were much more accepted before modern scientific thought became more prominent. A notable example is the Roman Catholic creation story, which states that the world and all its inhabitants were created over the course of six days. Some Islamic creation myths are also very similar to the Catholic creation story, with the world being fashioned out of nothing. Buddhist mythology, on the other hand, states that the universe has no beginning and end. While many religious beliefs formerly clashed with the theory of evolution, more recent beliefs in these religions are less antagonistic toward the concept of evolution. For example, many Catholics, Muslims, Buddhists, and those of other religions already believe in evolution as a fact. In relation to this, a notable statement was given by Pope Francis in 2014, saying that the Big Bang and the occurrence of evolution are indeed scientific facts. The book of Genesis in the Bible contains the Catholic account of the creation story. 5.1. Development of Evolutionary Thoughts 7 Unit 5: Theories of Evolution This is not to say that people in earlier times outright rejected scientific explanations in favor of supernatural ones. In fact, there have even been many religious scholars who have published works that are in favor of scientific thought. Other Beliefs in the Middle Ages Al-Jahiz (776–869 A.D.) was an Islamic scholar born in Basra, Iraq. He published the Kitab al-Hayawan, also known as the Book of the Animals. This was a vast work that spanned seven volumes and contained ideas that had some influences from Aristotle. Al-Jahiz’ Kitab al-Hayawan had multiple ideas that predated but supported the idea of natural selection. Some of these include early ideas of adaptation, competition, and more. St. Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) was an Italian Catholic priest who has also made significant contributions to scientific thought. He notably stated that there is no disconnect between the Catholic creation myth and the natural observations that have been made by the natural philosophers that have come before him. His view attempted to reconcile the conflicting views of science and religion. Many of his beliefs, however, are incompatible with the modern idea of evolution according to some Thomasian philosophers. A notable view held by Thomas Aquinas was that natural phenomena do not occur without an ultimate purpose. He argued that natural events work toward some kind of purpose. This line of thought, in particular, contradicts the modern concept of evolution since evolution does not have an ultimate purpose and, instead, occurs through random mechanisms that depend on nature. For example, evolution does not have the purpose of making more complex organisms. The formation of complex organisms occurred merely due to random phenomena, such as natural selection or genetic drift. 5.1. Development of Evolutionary Thoughts 8 Unit 5: Theories of Evolution How do St. Thomas Aquinas’ views contradict modern ideas on evolution? Another notable Islamic scholar with ideas that predated the theory of evolution was Ibn Khaldun (1332–1406). Ibn Khaldun was born in Tunisia and published the Muqaddimah. In his work, he described the origins of Earth as being from basic nonliving components. Later on, he described the formation of plants and animals from simple life forms to more complex ones. A very notable idea that the Muqaddimah presented that is related to evolution, however, was the possible origin of humans from monkeys. Remember Many religious beliefs are seen to be contradictory to evolution. Some people, however, argue that religious creation stories should not be taken literally. As a result, these ideas do not necessarily antagonize each other. 5.1. Development of Evolutionary Thoughts 9 Unit 5: Theories of Evolution The Lead-Up to the Theory of Evolution The modern theory of evolution did not develop overnight, and the ideas did not all just come from a single scholar. The contribution of multiple naturalists and the revision of ideas from one scholar to another led to the theory of evolution as we know it today. Many of the concepts that build the modern theory of evolution were formulated in the 1700s. Charles Bonnet and Evolution In the past, evolution did not always hold the same meaning that it does in modern times. This term used to describe how organisms developed and grew as embryos before being born or hatched. The first time that the term “evolution” was used to describe how species have originated was in a publication by Charles Bonnet (1720–1793) in 1762. Charles Bonnet was a naturalist who was born to French parents in Geneva, Switzerland. In Charles Bonnet’s publication, the Considérations sur les Corps Organisées (Considerations on Organized Bodies), he used the term evolution to describe his own concept of preformation, which is an idea that states that a miniature version of organisms is carried by females to give rise to future organisms. While his idea of preformation later fell out of prominence, the use of the word evolution did not. Comte de Buffon’s Natural History of Animals Comte de Buffon (1707–1788) was a French naturalist who published an important work that contributed to the modern idea of evolution. His work, entitled Natural History of Animals, put forth ideas in comparative anatomy that are closely related to today’s idea of evolution. Some of his observations included noting the similarities in the limbs of several vertebrates and the specific structures and functions involved in these limbs. 5.1. Development of Evolutionary Thoughts 10 Unit 5: Theories of Evolution This method, in fact, is still used widely today to determine evolutionary relationships between organisms. Furthermore, he proposed that modern animals have not always been present, but are instead the descendants of organisms that once existed. He stated that these animals come from a common ancestor but have since been modified to give rise to the observable animals of today. Jean-Baptiste Lamarck’s Transmutation of Species Jean-Baptiste Lamarck (1744–1829) was a French naturalist who counted Comte de Buffon as one of his mentors. His contribution, though since been discredited, was also a major step toward the development of evolutionary theory. His transmutation of species is an idea that species change over time and may also be seen as a derivative of his mentor’s ideas. Take note that some of his concepts, like many other naturalists before him, were built and adapted from earlier ideas put forth by other naturalists. Lamarck’s concept of evolution had two major ideas, with some significant differences from Comte de Buffon’s proposals. Changes: The first idea aimed to explain how organisms change over time. Simpler forms of life are continuously formed through spontaneous generation. These simple life forms become more complex as time passes through various changes that occur in these organisms. The changes that occurred are explained by Lamarck’s theory of use and disuse, which will be discussed later. Inheritance: The second idea aimed to explain how these changes persist over generations. According to Lamarck, the traits that the organisms have acquired through change can be passed onto their offspring. The theory of use and disuse was the mechanism that he used to explain how species change over time. According to this theory (as shown in Fig. 5.1.2.), specific structures that organisms use more may become more developed or complex and can change over time. Then, these changes are heritable, which means that they can be transmitted to the organism’s offspring. 5.1. Development of Evolutionary Thoughts 11 Unit 5: Theories of Evolution The theory of use and disuse was explained by the classic example of the lengthening of the neck of giraffes. According to the theory, the need for giraffes to reach treetops for food led to them stretching their necks to acquire the leaves. The stretching of their necks eventually led to permanent neck elongation. Moreover, this elongation can be inherited by the offspring of the individual who underwent the change. This theory, however, has been disproven. Fig. 5.1.2. According to the theory of use and disuse, the development of the long necks of giraffes is due to the giraffes’ stretching of their necks to reach the upper levels of trees. Robert Chambers’ Vestiges of the Natural History of Creation Another work that put forth ideas regarding evolution was Robert Chambers’ (1802–1871) Vestiges of the Natural History of Creation, published in 1844. This work was published in the wake of the discrediting of Lamarck’s theories. Vestiges presented ideas regarding the origins of life on Earth. Important to the concept of evolution, however, were his claims that fossils show the progressive changes that happen to organisms. These fossils, according to Chambers, can be used to trace the origins of humanity. As with other earlier works about evolution, the publication contained many other ideas that were controversial or discredited. 5.1. Development of Evolutionary Thoughts 12 Unit 5: Theories of Evolution Charles Darwin’s Ideas As was stated earlier, the development of ideas regarding evolution were not all put forth by one individual. Even some of Charles Darwin’s ideas were already put forth by other naturalists in the past. The development of his theories will be discussed further in the next lesson. Key Points ______________________________________________________________________________________________ The ideas of Charles Darwin regarding the changes that occurred in organisms are considered to be some of the most advanced from his era. There are many pieces of work over the centuries that are centralized on the origin and hierarchy of living organisms. Among the earliest naturalists that focused on the living world was Aristotle from ancient Greece. He believed that all living and nonliving entities could be organized by the Scala naturae or Natural Ladder. Contrary to the general concept of evolution, the idea of a Natural Ladder of Aristotle established that organisms are immutable. The Middle Ages has numerous scholars that worked on concepts related to the origin of life and the diversity of species. They include Ibn Khaldun, St. Thomas Aquinas, and Al-Jahiz. Jean-Baptiste Lamarck’s disproven theory of use and disuse was among the most recognized theories before Darwin’s ideas became prominent. Charles Bonnet, Comte de Buffon, and Robert Chambers all contributed ideas regarding the process of change that occurs in living organisms. 5.1. Development of Evolutionary Thoughts 13 Unit 5: Theories of Evolution Examples of important work related to the field of evolution ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Check Your Understanding A. Given below are the names of publications related to the development of evolutionary thought. Identify the individual who authored each work. 1. Naturalis Historia 2. Vestiges of the Natural History of Creation 3. Historia Animalium 4. De Generatione Animalium 5. Muqaddimah 6. Kitab al-Hayawan 7. Natural History of Animals 8. Considérations sur les Corps Organisée 9. Historia Plantarum 10. De Partibus Animalium 5.1. Development of Evolutionary Thoughts 14 Unit 5: Theories of Evolution B. Identify the matching description of terms in column A with column B. Column A Column B __________ 1. Historia Animalium A. early ideas about natural selection __________ 2. Muqaddimah B. old accounts on structures, morphology, __________ 3. De Generatione physiology, and anatomy of animals Animalium C. comprehensive work that deals with __________ 4. Kitab al-Hayawan living organisms and the universe __________ 5. Considérations sur les D. early understanding animal reproduction Corps Organisée E. old extensive accounts of plant biology __________ 6. De Partibus Animalium F. history and characteristics of known __________ 7. Natural History of animals Animals G. early understanding of the development __________ 8. Vestiges of the Natural of complex organisms from simpler History of Creation forms __________ 9. Naturalis Historia H. early comparative study of animal _________ 10. Historia Plantarum structures I. earliest claims on the use of paleontological evidence to trace the origins of humans J. early ideas on the concept of preformation Challenge Yourself Answer the following questions. 1. Does evolution have an ultimate purpose? Explain your answer. 2. How did Aristotle influence naturalists that came after him? 3. How did the Vestiges of the Natural History of Creation attempt to explain the origins 5.1. Development of Evolutionary Thoughts 15 Unit 5: Theories of Evolution of humanity? 4. Why are the claims of Lamarck’s theory of use and disuse regarding how traits are acquired by organisms inaccurate? 5. How did the use of the term “evolution” change after Considérations sur les Corps Organisées? Photo Credits The Great Barrier Reef - 168 by Kyle Taylor is licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Flickr. The Great Barrier Reef - 189 by Kyle Taylor is licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Flickr. The Great Barrier Reef - 169 by Kyle Taylor is licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Flickr. Keeper Reef, Great Barrier Reef by Workfortravel is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons. Costantinopoli,_aristotele,_historia_animalium_e_altri_scritti,_xii_sec.,_pluteo_87,4.JPG by Sailko is licensed under CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons. Como_-_Dome_-_Facade_-_Plinius_the_Elder.jpg by Wolfgang Sauber is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons. Bust_of_Ibn_Khaldun_(Casbah_of_Bejaia,_Algeria).jpg by Reda Kerbouche is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons. Title page of Charles Bonnet’s “Considerations…” Wellcome L0001163 by Wellcome Images is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons. Bibliography 5.1. Development of Evolutionary Thoughts 16 Unit 5: Theories of Evolution Carroll, William E. "Creation, Evolution, and Thomas Aquinas." Revue des Questions Scientifiques 171 (4) 2000: 319–347. “Early Concepts of Evolution: Jean Baptiste Lamarck.” Understanding Evolution. Berkeley.edu. Accessed April 26, 2020. https://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/article/history_09. Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Accessed April 26, 2020. https://www.iep.utm.edu/greekphi/. Miller, Stephen A., and John P. Harley. Zoology. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, 2010. Russell, Peter J. Biology: The Dynamic Science. Student Ed. Belmont, CA: Thomson/Brooks/Cole, 2008. Starr, Cecie, Ralph Taggart, Christine A. Evers, and Lisa Starr. Biology: the Unity and Diversity of Life. Boston, MA: Cengage, 2019. Zirkle, Conway. "Natural Selection before the "Origin of Species"." Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society 84, no. 1 (1941): 71-123. Accessed April 26, 2020. www.jstor.org/stable/984852. 5.1. Development of Evolutionary Thoughts 17