Evolution of Humans: The Main Theories

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Table of Contents

Evolution as Such
Common Descent
Gradualism
Multiplication of Species
Natural Selection
Graphic Organizer of Contrasts in Theories
References

Evolution as Such

The process of evolution is one of the closest to the human being as people constantly invent new technologies and expand their minds. According to Langridge (2019), The first individual who proposed evolution theories was Charles Darwin. The breakthroughs of the scientists were related to the scientific part of human life and the spiritual aspect. Five main theories are known as “evolution as such,” “common descent,” “gradualism,” “multiplication of species,” and “natural selection.” The first theory, called “evolution as such,” has an unusual definition that can be connected to diverse areas of life as it shows that things are changing steadily. Moreover, it explains that constant processes slow down development and have a negative impact on evolution (Richerson et al., 2021). A common example of this theory is the process of human evolution, which has four basic steps: terrestriality, bipedalism, encephalization, and civilization (Jozic, 2017). People have spent many centuries understanding the surrounding world and staying connected to their nature.

Common Descent

The second step of the concept of theories of evolution is a “common descent,” which aims to explain that living species have similarities in the construction inherited from their ancestors. People, animals, and plants return to their origin but become more adjusted to the existing environment to survive in harsh conditions. A theory states that people have evolved from chimpanzees (Muller, 2017). Some experts in this sphere support this version of human development by providing similarities in the structure of bones in both species. The process of “common decent” usually describes the formation of new species from existing ones. Moreover, many studies are based on this theory to show how the human body changes over time by staying under the influence of the surroundings. “Common decent” theory also helps to study species living in different geographical locations and how the changes in global weather have influenced their structure based on color, shape, and cover aspects.

Gradualism

The third theory is known as “gradualism,” and it dispels the myth that states that new species appear suddenly. The changes are gradual in all organisms, and it might take centuries for the living class to pass all steps of evolution. Moreover, by crossing species, the desired type of organism can be achieved over a long period of time. The chain of ancestors can consist of different beings and originate many centuries ago. Based on the Godfrey-Smith (2020) study, genetic structures cannot change rapidly and require a specific period of time to develop without additional issues. People should respect this theory of evolution and not integrate it in the process of gradual development to ensure that the process is not disrupted. The geographical situation and gender difference also play significant roles in the study of gradualism as such phenomena as global warming affect the way different genders develop. Moreover, these aspects can influence the time spent on the process of evolution.

Multiplication of Species

The fourth theory included in the evolution progression is “multiplication of species,” which is one of the massive parts of the whole process. The concept states that there could be one specific structure of the living being but different types that differ by color or behavior. Geographically isolated species can be combined and make new organisms that will not significantly differ from their ancestors. This theory is also related to the growth of plants and the artificial invitro process to expand the range of different flowers (Stevens & Pijut, 2018). The theory can be seen in the development of butterflies with the same structure, but the wings’ color and shape might differ from other species. Moreover, the differences can be seen in different genders and bullfinches as males have red bellies and females have white fur in the front. Even though the same species participate in the theory of “multiplication of species,” the process of evolution stays graduate and time-consuming.

Natural Selection

The final aspect of the theory of evolution is known as “natural selection,” which allows further generations to appear and survive in the current conditions. The climate changes have allowed many species to continue their existence and develop new generations, but some previous beings could not adjust to the changes, and natural selection happened (Siepielski et al., 2017). For example, wolfs managed to adjust to the changes throughout many centuries, and these days, descendants of this animal live closer to people as dogs which can be categorized into different breeds. The theory states that the surrounding conditions constantly eliminate old species and allow space for new living organisms. “Natural selection” happens when the structure of DNA and genetic codes change, and the further development of animals achieves a final point. When species do not benefit from their surroundings, the evolution process stops and changes the characteristics of other generations.

Graphic Organizer of Contrasts in Theories

	Evolution of Such	Common Decent	Gradualism	Multiplication of Species	Natural Selection
Development Time	Slow and important	Is not related	Structured and Important	It is about the process of appearance of new species	Related to the changes in development over time
Importance of Construction	Is not applicable to the construction of living organisms	Important to understand how the structure of bones changed	Does not show the changes in structure	Differentiated by changes in color and behavior	Does not explain specific differences in structure that make species extinct
Relation to Ancestors	Is not related to ancestors	Shows the ancestors of people and several animals	Is not related to ancestors	The cross of offspring and breeding new species	Adjustment of ancestors to the surrounding to ensure the further evolution
The Influence of Changes in DNA/Gens	Is not related	Is not related	Is not related	Is not related	Important for the survival

References

Godfrey-Smith, P. (2020). Gradualism and the evolution of experience.Philosophical Topics, 48(1), 201-220. Web.

Jozic, S. (2017). Different stages of evolution of humankind. International Journal for Empirical Education and Research, 46-77. Web.

Langridge, J. (2019). Old and new theories of evolution. Routledge.

Muller, M. N. (2017). Chimpanzees and Human Evolution. Harvard University Press.

Richerson, P. J., Gavrilets, S., & De Waal, F. B. M. (2021). Modern theories of human evolution foreshadowed by Darwin’s ‘Decent of Man’. Science, 372(6544).

Siepielski, A. M., Morrissey, M. B., & Maccoll, A. D. C. (2017). Precipitation drives global variation in natural selection. Science, 355(6328), 959-962.

Stevens, M. E., & Pijut, P. M. (2018). Rapid ‘in vitro’ shoot multiplication of the recalcitrant species ‘Jaglans nigra L.’.In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology – Plant, 54, 309-317. Web.

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