Critical Analysis of the Descent of Man by Charles Darwin

1 I have been studying the traits and dispositions of the lower animals (so-called), and contrasting them with the traits and dispositions of man. I find the result humiliating to me. For it obliges me to renounce my allegiance to the Darwinian theory of the Ascent of Man from the Lower Animals, since it now seems plain to me that that theory ought to be vacated in favor of a new and truer one, this new and truer one to be named the Descent of Man from the Higher

The biological perspective also can be called Biopsychological Perspective, is a large scientific perspective that undertake that human behaviour and thought processes have a biological fundamental points. Investigations with biological perspective into biochemistry of behaviour link with genetics and heritability, neurotransmitters and hormones, and the psychophysics of sensation and perception. Parts of biological perspective may include; Physiological psychology, neuroscience, pyschoneuroimunology and psychopharmacology. The biological perspective relies on scientific methods because of this, its scope of information is limited to variable that can be manipulated.

The Pharomachrus mocinno has evolved many behavioural and physical traits as a result of adaptation to the current environment and lifestyle it leads, however this proposal will focus on the unusual plume tail length of the male P. mocinno. This particular species habitat requires nests as high as 22 meters in rotting trees (Seigfried et al. 2010). Therefore, the function of the feathers would typically be assumed to enhance flight, as that would make sense as a useful function in this scenario due to the high elevation. Surprisingly, however, the long length of the plume tail actually decreases the speed of the male bird due to the drag force of air (Norberg 1995) and requires it to drop backward off the branches before being able to fly forward normally (LaBastille et al. 1972). With such issues with the long plume tails, would sexual selection really be in this traits’ favour? In a study done on the widowbird such was the case; males with longer plumes were mated the most (Andersson 1982). However, the widowbird is completely black (including its tail), while in the case of Pharomachrus mocinno it is a very colourful bird. Previous studies also have shown, that the bright reflective colours on the male’s bodies help in attracting females (LaBastille et al. 1972).

Darwin argued that those individuals that are well suited to their environment survive, prosper and give birth to new individuals that share their characteristics, while those less suited will die out. Any new characteristics with which an individual is born are likely to be passed on if it is useful. Species evolve and develop in a process that is not random, or determined by God, but instead follows natural laws (Towns). The theory of evolution contradicted fundamental Christian beliefs about humanity and sin. In 1871, Darwin published the Descent of Man, in which he argued that human beings evolved naturally from lower creatures stating that not only does life itself follow natural laws but also the human mind and soul are not some supernatural element breathed into the body by God. By eliminating God, Darwin was saying that they evolved from nothing thus eliminating the most important element, God. (Hill).

Darwin wanted to further his studies in plant and animal life, and he also became interested in the similarities of plant and animal species to those of the human species. He noticed that humans too also had to develop new characteristics that would help them adapt to their environments. This made him want to look further into where humans came from and also question the idea of creationism. He argued that men are animals because they have to adapt to their surroundings just as animals do. He suggested that the stronger animals have a better survival chance and they produce offspring that carry this trait. A whole new population of species can derive from these offspring and traits that have evolved from older generations and species. This became known as Darwin’s Theory of Evolution.

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.

One of the most famous researchers was naturalist Charles Darwin, who wrote The Descent of Man in 1871. Darwin compared man to animals, and that in order to produce healthy offspring, the fittest could only survive to pass on the desired traits. “With savages, the weak in body or mind are soon eliminated; and those that survive commonly exhibit a vigorous state of health.” Darwin also agreed that races were indeed different species of the human race. Races had “…many differences in structure and constitution.”. Scientists even compared blacks skulls to the ones of chimpanzees, noting the similarity in contrast

Charles Darwin is a naturalist, well known for his studies on evolution. In 1871 he wrote The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex, which explored evidence pertaining to anatomical, medical, embryological, and behavioral differences amongst species. His research findings showed that the human embryo develops the body, cells, proteins, blood, and DNA in developmental stages similar to other species. Darwin also concluded there is evidence that strongly suggests that humans have a common ancestry with apes, more specifically chimpanzees (Stevenson, Haberman, & Wright, 2013, p. 250). In addition to Dawin’s findings, Diamond (1992) further suggests how humans have evolved away from apes. Major differences that began to differentiate

Our Society depends upon science, and yet to so many of us what scientists do is a mystery. The sciences are not just collections of facts, but are ordered by theory; which is why Einstein could say that science was a free creation of the human mind. (Bowler)

While other naturalists thought that external things cause the variation of species Charles Darwin believed that it was something more than that. Darwin tells us that his study of domesticated animals, cultivated plants and natural organisms will help explain his theory on the origin of

Creationists obviously have to account for the fact that the world is not perfect as described in Genesis 1 and 2. They explain this through Genesis chapter 3, where Eve ate of the forbidden fruit. She and Adam her husband who was with her, learned of the knowledge of good and evil, thus ushering in sin into the world. This also brought death upon all creation, as God promised would happen if they ate of the fruit. “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Romans 5:12, KJV).

In this work, Charles Darwin frequently observes and references the variation in traits amongst individuals in a population. He observed that nature selects from existing varieties the traits most suited for a particular environment. He also proposes that species descend from common ancestors, undergoing various modifications in the course of time. This concept is described by Darwin as “descent with modification” or the new variations present in new generations resulting from natural selection. One of Darwin’s more convincing points is made by way of metaphor. He wrote, “The face of Nature may be compared to a yielding surface, with ten thousand sharp wedges packed close together and driven inwards with incessant blows, sometimes one wedge

Like any scientific revolution, Darwin also had his critics. Although he was expecting heavy criticism from biblical literalists, he faced harsh criticism for his methods used in developing the theory of natural selection. For example, most of his critics called him out for his deductive reasoning behind the theory. As stated by Sedgwick, “Darwin's theory is not inductive, —not based on a series of acknowledged facts pointing to a general conclusion, —not a proposition evolved out of the facts, logically, and of course including them”. He goes on to say that Darwin’s theory is full on conjecture because instead of forming a hypothesis first in order to build upon his knowledge, he started at the top of the pyramid and work his way down to develop

My favorite constellation is Gemini. I like this constellation because it has a unique name and it's my mothers zodiac sign. People born between May 21 to June 21 are Gemini. It represents the element of air.

. Darwin showed how he believed evolution shaped man in his following book ‘The Descent of Man’. In it, he speculated that man, having evolved from apes, had continued evolving as various races, with some races more developed than others had. Darwin classified his own white race as more advanced than those “lower organisms”, and he called different people groups “savage,” “low,” and “degraded.” He even remarked how standards of beauty differed between societies, questioning the “hideous” ornaments and music of “savages” with the “refined: tastes of the “civilized races.” Darwin himself had stated about civilized societies being undermined because they allowed the physically feeble and the mentally underdeveloped to breed. However, Darwin also