Darwinian Medicine : An Evolutionary Perspective

One of the largest examples of laws and policies put in place that reflect the ideas of Social Darwinism would include the pre-existing condition policy that Health Insurance companies put in place that prevent people from obtaining health insurance. This policy states that someone who is born with/ recently finds out they have a disease will not be allowed to gain health insurance from that company because it is a pre-existing condition before they applied to health insurance. Some of the conditions included are some of the most common, as well as the most deadly, condition in the U.S., such as diabetes.

In the modern world, mankind is surrounding by a plethora of unique animals, plants, and other organism that have a certain natural design all their own. For instance, every organism appears to be best suited in their natural environment, as they are usually able thrive under unique conditions that may not optimal for every organism. Thus, it would appear as though divine intervention was necessary for this perfect design and placement of an organism into their environment. Consequently, this was the ideology for many centuries until Charles Darwin explained how these “illusions” fit into his theory of natural selection. Charles Darwin’s theory of natural selection stated that the process by which forms of life having traits that better enable them to adapt to specific environmental pressures, such as predators, changes in climate, or competition for food or mates, will tend to survive and reproduce in greater numbers than others of their kind, thus ensuring the perpetuation of those favorable traits in succeeding generations (Cite). Although it is widely accepted that many of human’s physical traits are inherited from their parents, the notion that the mind has evolved and is designed to function is certain ways is still controversial (Cite). With that being said, the majority of theories that illustrate how the mind develops are still being debated. Moreover, the

Comment Powered by Li 1 UCOR 1620 02 Darwin & the idea of Evolution Mingxi Li(Jessie) Mar. 8th, 2017 Assignment 3 Argument against Evolution by Natural Selection Abstract Natural selection is one of the numerous theories that attempt to explain the evolution of living things from their primitive origins to the more advanced organisms existing today. At its core, this theory supports the notion that only the strongest organisms survive in a changing environment while their weak counterparts die off. Nevertheless, various circles regard the evolutionary theory by natural selection as practically impossible. Since its conception, proponents of the theory have defended it with the help of

Dr. Sharon Moalem, the author of Survival of the Sickest, provides a fascinating glimpse into the idea that modern human diseases that afflict us actually have a significant role in the selection and the existence of our ancestors. Before reading this book, I was used to thinking of diseases as disorders that adversely affect a person. While this may be the case for most individuals, Moalem explained in his book that that there’s an underlying connection between various diseases and longevity of a species. He explained how these diseases helped fight against more life threatening situations such as the Bubonic Plague, malaria, and the ice age. Most importantly, I learned that evolution did not necessarily favor adaptations that make us better, but those that help us survive, even if these adaptations would kill us in the long run.

The book will attempt to answer the question of why natural selection has not weeded out diseases and potentially harmful genes.

Dr. Sharon Moalem has conquered the scientific arts of diseases, neurogenetics, and biotechnology. In ‘Survival of the Sickest: The Surprising Connections Between Disease and Longevity’ Moalem shares with us the importance of biological change and relationship between lifeforms of all sizes as he unravels the astounding connections between evolution, disease, and human health.. Moalem attempts to tackle the questions that drive the biological world’s exploration of evolutionary disease. Is the human relationship with disease not a simple case of parasitism, but a that of commensalism or as far as mutualism? Does the way the scientific community view desease change our knowledge of history and evolution? Could disease itself be what fuels change in not only our past but our future? In Moalem efforts to

They provide a background to our native history, present a real-life problem, which connects back to the history they supply, and offer a solution. They constantly refer to the theory of evolution and natural selection. Questions about how the human mind evolved have been around ever since Charles Darwin presented his of natural selection in 1859 with The Origin of Species. He hypothesized about where human thought and emotion came from, but his data concerned the bodies (not the minds) of distant human relatives. At around the same time, Gregor Mendel discovered that characteristics were passed from parents to offspring through genes. In 1953, their discoveries were combined with the James Watson and Francis Crick’s discovery of the structure of DNA: genes were shown to be patterns of DNA that serve as blueprints for the organism’s physical traits. A few decades later, evolutionary biologists began to connect how genes translate not only to physical traits but also into human behavior. However, few actually use the results of evolutionary psychology to improve

Through this source I was able to obtain an article that discussed Maladaptation and Natural Selection. This article contained a brief overview by Randolph M. Nesse of a published slim volume called “Adaptation and Natural Selection: A Critique of Some Current Evolutionary Thought” written by George Williams. Williams did not use report clever calculations or drawn out field experiments but rather logically discussed a simple question which was whether or not natural selection shapes an individual’s traits that benefit that species. The next article I found was “Evolution of Maladaptation,” by Bernard J. Crespi where he explains that ‘natural selection is not evolution’ and that maladaptation can evolve. The third article “Population Biology, Evolution, and Infectious Disease: Convergence and Synthesis,” speaks about the importance of genetic structure and understanding the response of pathogens by selective pressure imposed by host immunity both natural and vaccine induced. This knowledge is important for the effective management of antimicrobial drugs. The last article that I found is “The role of evolution in the emergence of infectious diseases.” In this article it specifies on how infectious diseases are evolutionizing becoming more rampant, and

Both evolutionary and functional explanations of physiology and behavior are important in understanding why certain genes evolve across various generations. The evolution of structural characteristics and behaviors explain many of the questions often asked as to why humans, as well as other species, are the way that they are. More specifically, evolutionary psychologists use adaptive theories to comprehend why particular behaviors are promoted across generations or cultures, while others are not. Both structural and behavioral advantages managed to the survival rates in countless populations, at least in ancestral times (Kalat, 2013). However, while current evolutionary trends are no longer focused on just the adaptations relating to survival,

Adaptationism is the belief that the traits seen in organisms are the results of evolution by natural selection. There are different forms of adaptationism and many different definitions as to what an adaptation is, with some believing it is impossible to test a hypothesis about an adaptation at all. This essay will look at a) how to define adaptation b) different forms of adaptationism and c) consider the different methods of testing whether a phenotype is an adaptation.

Evolutionary or Darwinian medicine is a branch of medical science that aims to study all aspects of the disease in the context of biological evolution. It invites to think about the disease from a different, unusual perspective between health professionals which affects the novelty with a focus on the causes of the disease itself, its prevention and treatment (1).

Abstract evolution has occurred in humans for millions of years; however, in a modern society many scientists and evolutionists are now debating whether or not it is still occurring, and if it follows the same rules. With all of the new technology humans have created, some experts believe that humans have essentially conquered nature, and no further evolutionary changes will occur. Still, others hold opposing views; some experts believe that evolution is still occurring, but modern societal advancements have changed the rules. These experts say that the changes in evolution are a result of recent medical advancements that allow doctors to perpetuate genes that would not have lasted years ago. Additionally, others maintain that evolution is

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.

Living in the 21st century, it may seem like a miracle that the people of the past survived at all. Medical procedures and beliefs at that time were often unscientific and illogical, and disease was rampant. However, new evidence suggests that our own modern understanding of medicine is also quite flawed. Research done on traditionally deadly diseases show that these illnesses may have given an evolutionary advantage to the people of the past. For one, research on hemochromatosis has not only shown that the disease helps to prevent infection, but has also challenged accepted medical processes. Research on diabetes has led to the discovery of another part of our history in which excess amounts of sugar would have been beneficial. Research on favism has shown both the dangers and benefits of plants and disease, especially among certain populations. Indeed, hemochromatosis, diabetes, and favism all have genetic components that played a role in early man’s survival and in our modern-day medical research.

Genetics is the study of heredity and variation in living organisms. biological Anthropology looks at how biological traits from one generation to the next get passed along. The article describes gene therapy and human genetic engineering as an evolution indicating that by allowing tools such as gene therapy we underestimate the amount of influence it may have on our species. The gene therapy has helped human species develop and understand more about viruses and and certain diseases that have developed and evolved throughout evolution. Genetics also helps understand what humans have in common and what distinctive from other species. “Biological adaptations is the process in which humans, as both individuals and groups, develop biological characteristics that relate to environmental conditions”