Perfection, An End Or Then End

Charles Darwin’s theory was natural selection, the survival of the fittest and the struggle for existence, which had a great impact on selective breeding. Organisms that were well-adapted to their environment had more tendency to survive and reproduce, providing their genetic characteristics for future generations whilst those less-adapted organisms were more likely to be decreased in amount. Charles Darwin’s theory also

Sandel’s article is titled, “The Case Against Perfection,” but what is perfection? There is a clear cut definition for perfection in the Oxford dictionary described as, “The condition, state, or quality of being free or as free as possible from all flaws of defects” (oxforddictionaries.com). However, when the word perfection is applied to a person, there is no explicit model of perfection. We all view perfection differently. There is no exact illustration of perfection, it is all based on perception. Here’s where the problem lies: if perfection is all based on our perception, when are people satisfied? And if they are satisfied with themselves, is that good enough to, in a way, blend in with society? People struggling to reach “perfection” are left with false hope and never will. Another way to understand this lust for perfection would be the endeavoring desire for

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.

In his short stories “Rappaccini’s Daughter” and “The Birthmark” author Nathaniel Hawthorne explores the limitations of humanity and the ability to achieve perfection. Humans are always striving to advance and evolve, forever chasing after this idea of perfection. Part of humanity is always wanting to do better, to have more. In Hawthorne’s short stories, the two main characters are both scientists who make an attempt at creating perfection. Hawthorne epitomizes the unattainable pursuit of perfection sought after by humans and subsequently, the overeagerness of humans to attempt to play god. In reality this desire to have complete perfection is an unattainable goal that humans can only aspire to. In the pursuit of perfection, the greatest risk is to become too caught up in perfection and to then lose the ethics and morality of humanity.

Perfection is the unattainable state or quality we strive possess. An individual’s freedom from flaws or defects is based on the views of the society he lives in. In addition, we often associate ideas of perfection with those of higher rank or with superiority. The minorities are then left as the undesired, the outsiders. But societal views are not completely accurate. Perfection seems to be about “having it all”.

From the beginning of Charles Darwin’s writing of the “Natural Selection; or The Survival of the Fittest,” as edited by Joseph Pendleton, we find that he feels that nothing holds a light to as genius as the works of natural selection when he verbalized, “Can we wonder, then, that nature's productions should be far 'truer' in character than man's productions; that they should be infinitely better adapted to the most complex conditions of life…,” (Darwin 42). Being more of a verbal expression than a question, Darwin clearly feels that in comparison to natural selection, the breeder (man) selection, which he also speaks of in his literature, does not stand a chance. By giving examples, Darwin shows that natural selection can make something transpire

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

Change is the key factor in a species survival, whether that change, is being minimal or extremely dramatic, and without change a species have condemned itself to extinction. Animals have learned to adapt to their surroundings in order to survive, and with these adaptation people can witness new breeds added to the spectrum and see them flourish. Breeds can be defined as a stock of animals or plants within a species having a distinctive appearance and typically having been developed by deliberate selection. For example the finches from the Galapagos Island’s they are all finches, but they all differed in their appearance, some had smaller others had larger beaks. Charles Darwin studied these Finches and came to discover that the Finches differed in appearance because they had adapted to their environment. The Galápagos finches provide an excellent example of this process. Among the birds that ended up in arid environments, the ones with beaks better suited for eating cactus obtained supplementary food. As a result, they were in healthier condition to mate. Similarly, those with beak shapes that were well suited in getting nectar from flowers or eating thicker shielded seeds in other environments were at an advantage there. In a very real sense, nature selected the best adapted varieties to survive and to reproduce. With his findings throughout the years Darwin formulated his theory of evolution by natural selection, and published his first book entitled, "On the Origin

Understanding good design requires addressing the question of what units undergo natural selection, thereby becoming adapted (Shelton, 2014). There is a natural connection between the formal Darwinism project (which aims to connect population genetics with the evolution of design and fitness) and levels of selection issues, such as natural selection acting on individuals, or on populations (Shelton, 2014). Darwin offers contradictory ideas of thinking concerning these levels of selection (Shelton, 2014).

American culture, afraid of hard work suppresses perfectionism, a trait closely tied to a strong work ethic. So many articles and papers explain the detrimental effects of striving for perfectionism; the website, Psychology Today says, “Perfectionism may be the ultimate self-defeating behavior. It turns people into slaves of success—but keeps them focused on failure, dooming them to a lifetime of doubt and depression.”

Can the desire of perfection be disastrous? The desire to be perfect is the problem we as humans have.The world we live in thrive off of perfection. Perfection today is having the latest clothes,phones and shoes. The struggle of being perfect can cause us mental issues and also physical harm to oneself. Edith Schaeffer stated “People throw away what they could have by insisting on perfection, which they cannot have, and looking for it where they will never find it.” This statement puts what society is today if you don't have the perfect couple, the perfect clothes we don't fit in.

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).