SCI 110 FINAL INNER FISH – Saint Leo University | SCI 110 FINAL INNER FISH

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SCI 110 FINAL INNER FISH – Saint Leo University The Truthful Principles Behind Evolution and Its Theory Natalie M. Costa Saint Leo University  Chapter 1: What is Evolution? The th ... eory of evolution has thrived over the past two centuries, and it’s a theory that is continuously changing and improving for the betterment of science and our understanding of how humans evolve. Many scientists and researchers have dedicated enormous amounts of time and dedication to answer the complicated question of ‘where did we come from?’. Famous researches like Charles Darwin and Jerry Coyne have contributed great discoveries that help us answer that question. In Chapter 1 of Coyne’s book ‘Why Evolution is True,’ we touch the surface of what evolution is, not fully grasping how much it has evolved from a simple idea Darwin once had. Coyne begins to go into depth of how complex evolution can be but gives a basic summarization to what we’re about to dive in to. Coyne includes many visual interpretations to better describe the process of evolution in pictures than in words. For example, the figure provided on page 8, gives us a better understanding of the idea that Coyne is trying to get across. Looking at figure 2, it looks and seems super elaborate to someone looking at it for the first time, however with Coyne’s research he can describe the process being shown to someone uneducated to this idea. In my own words, the figure to me is describing the overall process of common ancestors and shared characteristics. Although this is information pulled from over 100 years and is continuously improving to this day, we can see and answer the question of ‘where did we come from?’. When you look at the evolutionary tree, provided on page 8, you can see no matter how different two species may be, they all relate to a characteristic they both share. It can be as simple as teeth, a spine or even hair. As we move along the tree, we can see how particular species become and instead of being a huge population of sharing one common trait, each subgroup categorizes itself smaller and smaller becoming more inclusive differentiating itself from the others. This representation supports the idea of evolution and diversity. As we advance in society, all animals must adapt to factors that challenge the strive to survive and be the best of what our DNA is capable of handling for the time being. (Coyne, 2009, pg. 8) With the idea of diversity being introduced, we’re able to answer the question as to why some species may split from their parents and it simply just comes back to the idea of evolution and diversity. As time goes by, certain factors that involve keeping the species alive is critical. Environmental factors, choosing who to mate, and how much food is available are all things animals need to consider, and all these factors lead to diversity. For a species to thrive and do well, they need to adapt and change to thrive better in the long run. This is why we see animals splitting from their family line, and it’s simply to adapt better and survive. (Coyne 2009 pg. 7) - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - by both parents that can either strengthen or weaken the offsprings quality of life. Poor eyesight, for example, is inevitable to avoid if both parents have bad vision, but glasses are a simple solution to the problem. Coyne also mentioned juvenile diabetes and how its genetic but its symptoms can be significantly reduced by insulin. Natural selection is still enforced in humans but fortunately there’s many resolutions that could solve problems that would be a threat to other species. (Coyne, 2009, pp 228-229). Conclusion In conclusion, after reading Why Evolution Is True by Jerry A. Coyne, my consensus agrees with Coyne and his research. During my childhood, religion was moderately forced on to my sister and I by our parents, where once a week we’d attend Sunday school as well as attending church. When it came to evolution in this setting, the theory was always discredited, and my Sunday school teachers drilled the thought that God created the universe and all that inhabited it in seven days. However, being able to attend public school, I connected and understood more when I sat in my earth science and biology classes. It simply made more sense to me. What I was able draw from these classes hindered my faith, as that I was able to see years of research and ideas circle and connect to each other than an excerpt in the Bible. I always loved science and being able to read in-depth detail of a theory that answers the question as to how we evolved was extremely interesting and intriguing to me. I learned a lot from the book, more than what I learned in public school. I never knew what a Tiktaalik was or even what transitional fossils were. My previous teachers always brimmed the surface of evolution, focusing more on Charles Darwin and his findings than diving in to the entire theory of evolution as a whole. Although, what I found most interesting was how there were two species of humans to walk the earth at one-point in time. I always assumed Homo-sapiens were the only species of humans to exist up until chapter eight where Coyne explains the relationship between Neanderthals and Homo-sapiens. Before reading Why Evolution Is True, my idea of evolution simply would’ve been the picture of an ape slowly transitioning itself into a human being. Although, it is somewhat true to an extent, Why Evolution Is True, broke this barrier for me. The research and information Coyne provided, expanded my knowledge and understanding to this theory and is just one of the things as to why science will always be my favorite subject to study.  References Coyne, 2009. Why Evolution Is True. New York: Penguin Group. [Show More]

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