In this post, we’ll unpack all you need to know about evolution, defining exactly what it is, exploring Darwin’s theory, how it works and more.
What Is Evolution?
Evolution is the process by which species of organisms change over time through gradual genetic variations.
From a spiritual perspective, evolution is the process through which God achieves his creative endeavours in the physical world.
Charles Darwin’s Theory
Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution, often called the theory of natural selection, proposed that individuals in a species show variations in their traits and those with favourable traits are more likely to survive and reproduce.
Species that have faster life cycles evolve faster.
How Does It Work?
Evolution operates through 4 main mechanisms; natural selection (traits that improve survival and reproductive success increase in frequency), mutations (random genetic changes introduce new traits), genetic drift (random variations in gene frequencies) and finally gene flow (exchange of genes between populations). The process can occur fast or slow.
Individual species evolve not only to serve their own interests, but the interests of the whole.
What Is An Example?
The process of evolution can apply to anything that experiences change, adaptation and selection over time.
A classic example is the adaptation of the peppered moth during the Industrial Revolution in England.
Originally, most peppered moths were light-coloured, camouflaging them against trees.
However, as pollution darkened tree bark, darker-coloured moths that were better camouflaged against the soot-covered trees had a survival advantage.
Over time, as a result of evolution through natural selection, the darker-coloured moths became more common.
Evolution favours what is good at replicating itself rather than what is good.
The Two Primary Benefits
For humans, there are two broad classes of evolutionary benefits; reproductive benefits (genes) and security benefits (recourses).
Reproductive benefits ensure the continuation of genes. Reproductive benefits ensure the preservation of life.
Inevitable Patterns
Evolution, in all its forms, is driven toward certain recurring and inevitable forms by two pressures:
- The negative constraints cast by the laws of geometry and physics, which therefore limit the scope of life’s possibilities.
- The positive constraints produced by the self-organising complexity of interlinked genes and metabolic pathways, which therefore generate a few repeating new possibilities.
These two dynamics thus drive evolution in a specific direction.
Evolution moves from the general to the specific.
Summary (TL;DR)
Evolution is the process by which species of organisms change over time through gradual genetic variations.
It operates through 4 main mechanisms; natural selection, mutations, genetic drift and gene flow.