Charles Darwin Theory: Analysis of Chapter 4

Darwin had a theory that organisms that can adapt better to their environment are more likely to reproduce, obtain food, survive better, and pass on their traits to their offspring; this theory is called natural selection. Natural selection allows

According to Darwin and his theory on evolution, organisms are presented with nature’s challenge of environmental change. Those that possess the characteristics of adapting to such challenges are successful in leaving their genes behind and ensuring that their lineage will continue. It is natural selection, where nature can perform tiny to mass sporadic experiments on its organisms, and the results can be interesting from extinction to significant changes within a species.

Darwin’s Theory of Natural Selection, a scientific theory that supported the belief of evolution, was manipulated and applied to different areas of life, and thus it became the shaping force in European thought in the last half of the nineteenth century. Darwin, through observation of organisms, determined that a system of natural selection controlled the evolution of species. He found that the organisms that were most fit and assimilated to the environment would survive. They would also reproduce so that over time they would eventually dominate in numbers over the organisms with weaker characteristics. This new theory was radical and interesting to the scientific world but its effects reach far beyond this small institution of

Charles Darwin includes an effective beginning for his work, Natural Selection. By introducing his theory with a set of questions, interest to continue reading is developed. One question Darwin poses is the possibility of how one can survive, taking into account the circumstances of climate and traits. An interesting concept Darwin alludes to is that some individuals possess certain traits that enable them to survive. Another method implemented in the beginning of Darwin’s piece is the broadness of the context. Darwin does not go into any specifics right away, as the reader will learn more as they continue. “Let it be borne in mind how infinitely complex and close fitting are the mutual relations of all organic beings to each other and to their physical conditions of life” (Darwin 900). Darwin accounts for how unique each organism is, but generalizes the statement by categorizing all organisms as complex. By doing this, the reader is inclined to continue

In what he called the ‘survival of the fittest’, Darwin suggested that through the process of natural selection animals with particular characteristics, as a result of possessing advantageous alleles, will survive. However, those with maladaptive genes cannot adapt to changes in environmental conditions, so will die or become extinct. Dowling (1994) stated that this process depends on three principles: species diversity, interaction and the spread of a species as a result of differential amplification. Sexual selection is another component of Darwin’s research, which explains the best strategies adopted for passing on genes to offspring. Moreover, there are problems with Darwin’s theory such as his attempts to generalise animal behaviour to the way in which humans interact in their environment. However, he has presented compelling evidence which is very scientific in its approach and methodology. Furthermore, contrary to Darwin’s evolutionary idea of survival of an individual, Dawkins (1976) suggested that the survival of the genes is more important.

Evolution is the process of biological change by which descendants come to differ from their ancestors. Natural Selection is when an individual with the best trait survive and breed in more population. Larger populations of organisms with the desired traits will then occur and organisms will evolve. The four principles of Natural Selection are variation, over production, adaptation, and descent with modification. Charles Darwin, an English naturalist and geologist saw two major trends within organisms which were variation and adaptation. Variations are differences in individuals’ physical traits compared to other individuals. In the Galapagos Islands Darwin noticed that finches had different beak sizes and shapes. Darwin then concluded that finches with thicker beaks lived in areas where nuts were the main food source and finches with smaller beaks tended to live in areas where insects were the main food source. Adaptation are features that allow an organism to better survive in their environment. There has been many adaptations in animals but one of the best has been living in groups because animals can then “help each other find food, defend against predators and care for their young” (animalpanet, n.d.). Overproduction is when organisms produce more offspring than the environment can support. Darwin stated that all animals over produce since offspring can reach reproduction age and have offspring of their own. For example, “even a slow breeder

Chapter 7 revolves around beginnings of human research into the idea of evolution and an introduction of Charles Darwin's theory of evolution. This chapter has given us, as students, more knowledge and insight into the topic of evolution. Since we were little kids, we always thought of evolution as the theory that establishes the link between humans and monkeys or that the phrase “Survival of the fittest” meant that the strongest always prevailed over the weak. However, this chapter has given us more detailed knowledge and background information about evolution, allowing us to lift these rumors and myths from our minds.

Natural selection is considered to be the primary mechanism by which Evolution happens. Darwin posited that because any species can exceed the resources necessary to sustain life, a struggle for existence develops. In this struggle, “individuals with heritable traits that increase survival and reproductive success will pass on those traits to their offspring while those that do not will tend to be eliminated.” It is interesting to note that Darwin’s thoughts on natural selection were heavily influenced by Edward Blyth. Blyth, however, viewed natural selection as a conservative process whose goal was to keep organisms essentially unchanged.

Contrary to the popular belief that Charles Darwin first thought of the theory of biological evolution, it was actually an idea that had been around since the ancient Greeks. Though the idea had been apparent since then, the term “Evolution” first appeared in 1647 but wasn’t talking about the evolution of organisms. Instead evolution was used to describe the progression of something from simpler beings. However, it was Darwin who introduced the idea of Natural Selection. Natural selection is a process in which species slowly evolve by gaining heritable traits that help them survive better in their ecosystem. This idea helped push the ideal of “survival of the fittest” which is the continued existence of organisms

In the origin of the species Darwin argues that every species adapt in order to survive. Natural selection is the form where parents transfer what is necessary to live in a certain environment and with time the descendants start changing accordingly to the necessities to stay alive. Darwin mentions that those species that change will survive and prosper, but on the other hand, the species incapable of changing will die and become

According to Darwin, a “struggle for existence” is a crucial factor for a species’ survival. Any organism needs challenges to strengthen themselves and be prepared for any unexpected severe hardships. They need to adapt themselves to the changing environment. The developing traits are thus passed down to offspring, producing stronger and stronger traits throughout generations. The struggle is necessary not only for the individual’s life but also for later generations. This process is known as natural selection. For example, a mistletoe struggles with other trees for nutrition, water and light. However, without those trees, the mistletoe is more likely to die if there are too many parasites

Darwin theory, he first started talking about an organism, his theory was that in a population shows a difference in traits. The following theory was survival of the fittest, it is when one appears to look like their parents and they are comfortable in their environment, and has the possible to live longer and might reproduce being relaxed in their environment. Beneficial Traits is to increase in frequency over time in a population since individuals with traits are more likely to produce and will pass on the gene to the next generation. It is not important to be a perfect specimen, but important to produce more babies. In addition, Darwin theory was based on the

Charles Darwin first idealized natural selection as species changing in an orderly manner (Cacioppo, Freberg 2013). This manner could include an animal like a rabbit, which would survive when it is faster rather than slower. Then in the next generation, faster rabbits would start to appear more because the previous generation’s mates were more commonly the faster rabbits. Therefore, an organism that survives to reproduce passes on those positive traits along, but organisms who do not reproduce do not pass down those negative traits. Natural selection favors the organism with the highest degree of fitness, defined as the ability of one genotype to reproduce relative to other genotypes (Cacioppo, Freberg

Charles Darwin's theory of evolution centres on the idea that species compete to survive, and favorable characteristics are passed on from one generation to the next. Darwin said that evolution took place by a process of natural selection or survival of the fittest. This meant that the animals and plants best suited to their surroundings survived and were able to pass on their genes to their offspring. The ones that weren't best suited died off and didn't get the chance to reproduce.

Many scientists believe variations are caused by environmental factors, such as food availability, weather and more; and that species evolve when environmental conditions change to increase the species survival. Darwin censures this idea; he believed that the main cause of variation is due to reproduction (Chapter I). Darwin suggested that parents pass down specific characteristics to their offspring, and those variations are continued on in the following generations. The problem with Darwin’s theory of reproduction is that Darwin did not comprehend how or why some characteristics are perennial and how others are not. Darwin’s inferences on variations also conflict with the idea that God created species independently, which was widely understood by many people in a time where religion was prominent (Chapter II).