Darwin and His Origin of Species Essay

<br>With the studies that Charles Darwin obtained he published his first work, "The Origin of Species." In this book he explained how for millions of years animals, and plants have evolved to better help their existence. Darwin

Upon his return to London Darwin concluded thorough research of his notes and specimens many ideas. Out of this study grew several related theories: one, evolution did occur, two, evolutionary change was gradual, requiring thousands to millions of years, three, the primary mechanism for evolution was a process called natural selection, and four, the millions of species alive today arose from a single original life form through a branching process called "specialization."

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

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.

Natural selection was Darwin’s way of explaining the how’s and the whys of adaptation and speciation that concern the continuance of life. Attributes of species is not by happenstance or by chance, but by years of evolution altering the genetic composition so as to ensure the preservation of its lineage. In virtual lab number seven, specific alleles and starting percentages (independent variable) of each were manipulated in varying environments (dependent variable) to show how a species adopts certain traits that are advantageous to its survival. I predict that as the independent variable changes the species will continually search for ways to match the dependent variable that ensures not only a continued existence, but one that is more formidable. Understanding how species co-exist in the world can assist mankind in understanding the differences in cultures.

The theory of evolution sets forth an explanation of how all of the living species on Earth came to be. The theory as we know it today, written by Charles Darwin, states that all the living species of today – humans included – evolved over time; we can see evidence of their evolution in the fossils of now-extinct species. In his book Origin of Species, published in 1859, Charles Darwin wrote that species evolve over time through a mechanism known as “natural selection.” Basically, each species is born with a multitude of traits, some more favorable to survival than others. Because some traits encourage survival more so than others, the animals equipped with those traits tend to breed more than the animals that lack those traits. Over time, more and more offspring are born with these favorable traits and less are born without them; thus, the species evolves. In his 1871 book, The Descent of Man and Selection in Relation to Sex, Darwin surmised that where humans are concerned, natural selection helped humans evolve in addition to a concept known as “sex selection.” Similar to natural selection, sex selection is the process by

The Darwinian view of life came into focus in 1859, when he published one of the most important books called “ On the Origin of Species by Mean of Natural Selection”. Back in Darwin’s time in the 19th century historians were being to think of evolutionary change as an explanation for patterns observed in the future. He did not invent this idea however he carried out the necessary research to document the idea. He made this book to make two valid points, “descent and modification” and “process natural selection”. Descent and modification described the evidence and support that he gathered about species. “It is an insightful phrase, as it captures the duality of life’s unity (descent) and diversity (modification).” Simon, Eric J., Jane Reece,

A complex concept using mutation, migration, genetic drift and natural selection has been shaping the way we evolve. Darwin’s theory of natural selection still holds on today, but with more precise cause and effect, like the three conditions including differential reproduction, heredity and variation. To study any species, we need to remember the 4 lines of evidence that allows us to gather all that information. Understanding where we come from can help us know where were going, because in the end, humans are connected to all species around

Natural selection is the process whereby species that are better equipped for survival in their environment are able to prolong their bloodline by reproducing. Advancements in these species, evolution, can be seen as a result of natural selections force. Natural selection can be broken down into three concepts that require it to operate. The first is the constant struggle a species face for survival, which results in the continuation of the successful branches of the species, as the others become extinct. The second requirement is a varying population, these more successful branches only stem from mutated groups or individuals whose features become beneficial when faced with such struggles. The third concept is the presence of a mechanism that allows these mutations to be passed on to the next generation, thus evolving the species. All three of these conditions are interrelated, and must take place in order for natural selection to play its role in the evolutionary process.

In 1859, Charles Darwin published On the Origin of Species: by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life, a work which was set change our ideas on how we think about the natural world, how it works, ways in which it develops itself. Although making the briefest of commentaries about the human, parallels in thinking can be drawn on the behaviour of the natural world to the way of humans. I will look to understand nature first to analysis if our behaviour as humans is similar to that of the natural world, to understand the barriers that may effect change or to an extreme evolution. I believe it is essential to understand nature first as humans share many traits with the natural world, e.g.

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

Evolution by natural selection, proposed by Charles Darwin in 1859, requires a population to have three necessities. These include variation, which leads to differences in fitness, and a form of heredity for this variation (Bourrat 2014). Natural selection acts solely by accumulating slight, successive, and favorable variations and cannot produce great or sudden modifications because it can act only by very short and slow steps (Darwin 1859). Nevertheless, there are always numerous potential selective pressures in nature that limit a population’s evolution and fitness like predation.

As Darwin’s works became more popular, the message caught on and more and more people used logic that Darwin employed in explaining competition, natural selection, and evolution in other disciplines. Soon, the same pages were being used by feminists, anti-feminists, religious sects, atheists and more to explain contradictory ideologies. Due to the great range of ideologies that reference Origin and Descent, historians strive to try to determine how one work could produce so many different ideas about “evolution and society,” as well as try to figure out where Darwin may have stood on some of the social questions that Origin and Descent raised. This essay will look at two historians, Evelyn Richards and John Greene, to determine some of the methods that they used to understand Darwin, evolution, and the society surrounding the

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).

Charles Darwin was a man who shaped the way in which we think about evolution in modern times. He brought forth and described the theory of natural selection and survival of the fittest. To fully understand modern evolutionary thoughts it is necessary for one to completely understand the early theories of Charles Darwin. In this paper I will provide the reader with a complete background on Charles Darwin, describe his voyage on the HMS Beagle, and discuss his theory of natural selection.