Evoltion

4 Pages 986 Words

Since the introduction of Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution through natural selection, there have been numerous arguments regarding his theory. I never knew the idea of natural selection until I took a summer class here at SJSU about the origins of life. After I took that class my thinking about the word “evolution” became completely different. Even if I was raised to believe that God was the creator of everything, the evidence that was presented to support the idea of evolution was hard to disregard. The idea of natural selection was very interesting. In this paper I will briefly discuss the idea of natural selection and its role in the process of speciation(the formation of a new species).
How do new and different species develop? How do existing species change over time? The answer to these questions is found through the process of evolution. According to Monroe W. Strickberger, a professor at the University of Missouri in St. Louis, evolution is defined as, "Genetic changes in populations of organisms through time that lead to differences among them". Evolution has many mechanisms through which these genetic changes occur. One of the most important of these mechanisms is natural selection.
Before the theory of natural selection was proposed, the most prominent theory on evolution was that of Jean Baptiste de Lamarck. Lamarck's theory has two parts: 1) the principle of use and disuse and, 2) the inheritance of acquired characteristics. The principle of use and disuse states that if an animal frequently uses an organ then that organ will grow in strength, and if an animal does not use an organ it deteriorates until it eventually disappears. The inheritance of acquired characteristics states that the changes that occur in animals through the principle of use and disuse are passed on to the animal's offspring. Lamarck's theory on evolution was proven false because it incorrectly asserts that organisms can change the...