Evidence for Evolution PDF

Evidence for Evolution 1 Image source  Learning Objectives Describe how Darwin and Wallace came up with their theory Describe how their theories were different from existing theories – Contrast with special creation, typological thi...

Evidence for Evolution 1 Image source  Learning Objectives Describe how Darwin and Wallace came up with their theory Describe how their theories were different from existing theories – Contrast with special creation, typological thinking, scale of nature with lower to higher life forms – List requirement for their theories to be plausible: e.g. earth is old – List key elements of their theories: species change, gradualism, diversification, common descent, process of natural selection List the following eight lines of evidence and explain how they provide evidence for descent with modification: biogeography (including law of succession), artificial breeding, intermediate forms, imperfections, transitional fossils, hierarchical organization of life, homology (structural, developmental, genetic; contrast with analogy), vestigial traits Give an example of each line of evidence Correctly write the genus and species name of an organism, e.g. Saccharomyces cerevisiae 2  Historical context Beliefs at the time: – Species are fixed, permanent forms that do not change (Aristotle) – Living things were intentionally designed (William Source Paley) – The earth is ~6000 years old (based on the Bible) Source Voyage of the Beagle (1831 – 1836)  Important influences Thomas Robert Malthus Charles Lyell Alfred Russel Wallace -published Principles of -human suffering is a result of Geology in 1832 the human population -British naturalist doing -the earth is millions of increasing faster than food fieldwork in Indonesia years old supplies and other resources  Charles Darwin Darwin explored the Galapagos islands from April through October 1835. – Entire voyage of The Beagle: Dec 1831 - Oct 1836 When and where he started thinking about what was to become his theory of evolution by natural selection. He did not publish his thoughts until the publication of The Origin of Species in 1859. 6 Darwin’s (and Wallace’s) theories evolution as such (species change) common descent multiplication of species gradualism natural selection (incl. sexual selection) 7  Impact From the Wizard and the Prophet by Charles C. Mann: ”Overstating the impact of Darwin, Wallace, and Malthus is not easy. Their ideas passed rapidly beyond economics and biology to become models for society. Some thinkers viewed evolution as a process of competition leading to progress and viewed it as justifying an unfettered market. Others saw the races of humanity fighting for resources, and sought victory for their group; foreign people, spilling over their borders, had to be choked back.” 8