EvolutionPCB 4674

Introduction to evolution

“Nothing in biology makes sense, except in the light of evolution”

Theodosius Dobzhansky

Is there intelligent life on earth?

Have they discovered evolution yet?

What is man, that thou art mindful of him?

Psalms 8:4

The point I want to make now is that all attempts to answer that question before 1859 are worthless and that we will be better off if we ignore them completely.

GG Simpson

History is more less bunk.

Henry Ford

characteristics of organisms can only be fully understood in light of their history - the same for evolution

2 fundamental principles of biology:

all life subject to physical & chemical processes

all life evolved

‘evolution’ Latin ‘evolvere’, to unfold, unroll, to reveal or manifest hidden potentialities

‘evolution’ Latin ‘evolvere’, to unfold, unroll, to reveal or manifest hidden potentialities

descent with modification

‘evolution’ Latin ‘evolvere’, to unfold, unroll, to reveal or manifest hidden potentialities

descent with modification

change in the properties of populations of organisms, or groups of such populations, over the course of generations

Evolutionary biology has applications in:

health sciences

agriculture

natural products

conservation & environmental management

understanding ourselves

The Darwinian revolution is both a scientific and a philosophical revolution, and neither revolution could have occurred without the other… If I were to give an award for the single best idea anyone has ever had, I’d give it to Darwin, ahead of Newton and Einstein and everyone else. In a single stroke, the idea of evolution by natural selection unifies the realm of life, meaning, purpose, with the realm of space and time, cause and effect, mechanism and physical law.

DC DennettDarwin’s dangerous idea: evolution and the

meanings of life

The race is not to the swift, Nor the battle to the strong … But time and chance happen to them all.

Eccl 9:11