PSYC 387 Leanring Unit 1: Introduction
Who originally said that "change is the only constant"?
Roman Philosopher Lucretius
Explain why the author endorses the view "chnage is the only constant"?
The Author reminds the reader that the climate always shows species change, through weather
changes and natural disasters. He states "change is not the exception to the rule, it is the rule."
Describe why Darwin rejected Malthus' view of the effects of human population growth
- Malthus did not like the popular (at the time) belief that, with the expanding population created
this utopia. Malthus argued, with an expanding population growth human would overconsume
the worlds resources and then resources would become limited.
- Darwin noticed all species of plants and animals produce multiple offspring's; without
consumption the environment could not support the life anymore. The species that survived
would pass down their genes that would give the species the advantage to survive and then
reproduce for its own (expanding).
Describe Darwin's theory of adaptation based on natural selection.
Darwin's theory of adaptation was a rejection of Malthus view of human population growth.
Malthus saw the expanding human population as an overconsumption of the world species.
Where Darwin saw that species produce many offspring. The species that survived then created
more offspring. From those offspring some will share the trait/characteristic with their parents
that gave them the advantage to survive. Over generations those advantages get passed down,
the survival variation however slight is profitable and tends to be preserved.
Thus, through the generations these species have adapted and preserved each slight variation
and he termed this Natural Selection.
Was Darwin aware of the genetic basis for evolution?
no, it the work wasn't published till 1866 or widely known till the 1900s.
Who discovered the genetic basis for natural selection?
Austrian friar and founder of genetics, Gregor Mendel
, Darwin stated that if all members of a species were genetically identical, natural selection would
be impossible.
Natural selection is possible when species have a profitable variation, if there is not profitable
variation there is nothing new that is inherited to offspring.
What is one of the criticisms of Darwin's theory?
Darwin's critics state that with variation, natural selection cannot account for complex organs
that suddenly appear. Darwin states that complex organs do not just appear, for example, the
human eye has been evolving for hundreds of years. In the beginning, the eye had few
light-sensitive cells on the skin of some primitive animals, this would be helpful when detecting
shadows/predators. Through variations and natural selection, more light cells appeared making
the light-detecting organ more and more complicated until it gradually reached sophisticated
light-sensitive organs found in higher animals, including humans. There is no evidence of the
evolution of the eye however studying the eyes in the animal's kingdom from the simplest to the
more complex species there is evidence suggesting increasing sophistication.
natural selection gradual change
Climate change.
Species change through slight variations over the generation to survive. In Scotland, it is know
for long cold winters. Scotland has been having shorter and warmer winters. Over the past 25
years sheep have been getting smaller and lighter to last the winter.
natural selcection rapid change
Pollution.
Peppered moth, a large gray moth found in the British Isles feeds at night and rest during the
day on trunks and limbs of trees. The moths must blend into the trees to hide from predators. A
black moth would have been rare and easily spotted. Coal pollutions darken the trees and black
moths started to increase in population because the gray moths were being eaten. Since coal
pollutions are decreasing and the tree bark is lightening gray moths are now dominant again.
Is natural selection likely if there are no significant changes in the species' surroundings?
Changes in a species environment is largely responsible for the changes we see in natural
selection. No change in the environment no change in the species. If the species exitance is not
challenge there is no need to change or adapt the situation. Natural selection is the aid for
survival
Who originally said that "change is the only constant"?
Roman Philosopher Lucretius
Explain why the author endorses the view "chnage is the only constant"?
The Author reminds the reader that the climate always shows species change, through weather
changes and natural disasters. He states "change is not the exception to the rule, it is the rule."
Describe why Darwin rejected Malthus' view of the effects of human population growth
- Malthus did not like the popular (at the time) belief that, with the expanding population created
this utopia. Malthus argued, with an expanding population growth human would overconsume
the worlds resources and then resources would become limited.
- Darwin noticed all species of plants and animals produce multiple offspring's; without
consumption the environment could not support the life anymore. The species that survived
would pass down their genes that would give the species the advantage to survive and then
reproduce for its own (expanding).
Describe Darwin's theory of adaptation based on natural selection.
Darwin's theory of adaptation was a rejection of Malthus view of human population growth.
Malthus saw the expanding human population as an overconsumption of the world species.
Where Darwin saw that species produce many offspring. The species that survived then created
more offspring. From those offspring some will share the trait/characteristic with their parents
that gave them the advantage to survive. Over generations those advantages get passed down,
the survival variation however slight is profitable and tends to be preserved.
Thus, through the generations these species have adapted and preserved each slight variation
and he termed this Natural Selection.
Was Darwin aware of the genetic basis for evolution?
no, it the work wasn't published till 1866 or widely known till the 1900s.
Who discovered the genetic basis for natural selection?
Austrian friar and founder of genetics, Gregor Mendel
, Darwin stated that if all members of a species were genetically identical, natural selection would
be impossible.
Natural selection is possible when species have a profitable variation, if there is not profitable
variation there is nothing new that is inherited to offspring.
What is one of the criticisms of Darwin's theory?
Darwin's critics state that with variation, natural selection cannot account for complex organs
that suddenly appear. Darwin states that complex organs do not just appear, for example, the
human eye has been evolving for hundreds of years. In the beginning, the eye had few
light-sensitive cells on the skin of some primitive animals, this would be helpful when detecting
shadows/predators. Through variations and natural selection, more light cells appeared making
the light-detecting organ more and more complicated until it gradually reached sophisticated
light-sensitive organs found in higher animals, including humans. There is no evidence of the
evolution of the eye however studying the eyes in the animal's kingdom from the simplest to the
more complex species there is evidence suggesting increasing sophistication.
natural selection gradual change
Climate change.
Species change through slight variations over the generation to survive. In Scotland, it is know
for long cold winters. Scotland has been having shorter and warmer winters. Over the past 25
years sheep have been getting smaller and lighter to last the winter.
natural selcection rapid change
Pollution.
Peppered moth, a large gray moth found in the British Isles feeds at night and rest during the
day on trunks and limbs of trees. The moths must blend into the trees to hide from predators. A
black moth would have been rare and easily spotted. Coal pollutions darken the trees and black
moths started to increase in population because the gray moths were being eaten. Since coal
pollutions are decreasing and the tree bark is lightening gray moths are now dominant again.
Is natural selection likely if there are no significant changes in the species' surroundings?
Changes in a species environment is largely responsible for the changes we see in natural
selection. No change in the environment no change in the species. If the species exitance is not
challenge there is no need to change or adapt the situation. Natural selection is the aid for
survival
