MY RENAISSANCE

My Renaissance
History of Evolutionary Thought
Amber Schofield

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Abstract

The history of evolutionary thought dates back to the ancient Greeks, and is still a topic of
interest and debate today. The thought that species of all kinds change and evolve over time has
upset many beliefs throughout the years. These beliefs will be explored briefly to cover the ideas
of the ancient Greeks, but Darwin's work will be the main focus. An understanding of how
Darwin's work surrounding common descent and natural selection ultimately changed the way
modern science approaches evolution is to be gained.

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My Renaissance
History of Evolutionary Thought

I have returned to school after having 3 children and being in the workforce for 22 years.
I had no idea what to expect or how much of a struggle it was going to be to work and maintain
an aggressive course schedule. This alone was an awakening, almost as if I was returning to the
outside world after all this time. I have been pleased with what I have learned thus far and
surprised at how many times I have re-learned something I once learned only to find that my
understanding of this known subject was completely different than it was the first time. This is
what happened when I was re-introduced to common descent and natural selection.
New Discoveries
I was unaware that the idea of evolution was not a modern discovery and that the ancient
Greeks had already suggested that man had originated from an animal of another sort and that
living beings in general had gradually developed from moisture and heat. I also learned that
Darwins grandfather had laid the groundwork for Darwin concerning the origin of species and
this was something that I had never picked up on before. The most substantial difference in what
I believed and what I have now learned is that species do not adapt to their environment, in fact
they are already genetically different and when the environment changes it give these species
with the adapted genetics an advantage that allows that trait to carry on while others traits
disappear.
Darwins Work
Darwin was not the first to create a formal document on the origin of species, but he did
add the new ideas, common descent and natural selection, to his version. Common Descent is
the idea that all living organisms on earth descended from a common ancestor, and Natural

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Selection is part of evolution that can be described as a genetic drift towards the most beneficial
features of a species.
Common descent and the evolution of man is a touchy subject for many, because it
contradicts the religious idea that God created man in his own image. It is interesting to me that
so many believe in this spontaneous creation and continue to make this type two error. This
Theory states that every living thing, plants, animals and humans began as the same thing
branching off in different directions like the branches of a tree.
Natural selection is even more interesting. The idea that species evolve over time based
on an accidental change in their DNA and this change in turn creates an advantage for that
species is completely amazing to me. There are many examples of how a certain feature is more
preferred over another, causing that genetic trait to carry on while the others die out. An example
of this is the story told about the crabs that have markings on their back that resemble a warriors
face. The belief of the people was that these particular crabs represented a king that died at sea,
because of this, they did not kill them and threw them back. In time, these were the only crabs
left in that area. There have been cases where a human liking to a certain feature has caused the
incorrect genetic code to dominate in an environment where is cannot survive on its own,
ultimately causing extinction and other selections that are done completely by accident, naturally
and without thought, though it may not end in extinction, every case has a consequence.
Darwin believed that he could solve the mystery of the beginning of all things and was
able to convince many scientists that his evolution ideas were correct. Many have carried on
what he started and have refined the theory in the process. His work was, and still is considered
revolutionary, as one testimony sent to Darwin after reading the Origin states Your leading idea

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will assuredly become recognized as an established truth in science. clarifying what was
obscure, simplifying what was intricate, adding greatly to previous knowledge. (Stamos, 2007)
This short essay is just the beginning of my research into this subject, I hope to broaden
my knowledge surrounding the early historic beliefs and how these works have benefited us
today in our everyday life.

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References

Darwin, C. M. (1859). On the Origin of Species or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the
Struggle for Life.
Sagan, C. (Director). (2013). Cosmos [Motion Picture].
Stamos, D. N. (2007). Darwin and the Nature of Species. Albany: Suny Series in Philosophy and
Biology.
The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy and its Authors. (2016, March 1-3). History of
Evolution. Retrieved from Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy: http://www.iep.utm.edu