2006-08-04 06:17:00 · 17 answers · asked by Gordon H 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Biology
You misunderstand evolution. Fleas evolved because there was a niche for them to evolve into: blood-sucking. It provides a lot of nutrition to those organisms that can take advantage of it. So this method of getting food is quite beneficial to the fleas! It doesn't have to be beneficial to anything else. In fact, all it has to do is make it so that more fleas survive until they are able to reproduce.
2006-08-04 06:22:46 · answer #1 · answered by mathematician 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Creation is the belief that everything must have a purpose or it wouldn't have been made. So God must have had a reason for creating the little bloodsuckers, although I can't figure out what it could be; yet another reason why, If think, Creationism is a fantasy, not reality.
Evolution is the belief where creatures change to fill a niche in the environment. Successful creatures live to pass on their genes, and they become successful by either being really good at filling their niche, or they pick one that is underexploited.
Fleas are parasites that pass on disease. I can't think of a single good use for them, but they have been very successful. Fleas fill their niche of blood sucking very well, and are able to jump between species, which has made them a very successful creature. It should be noted that the most common life form are insects, there are a lot of competition between insects so the fleas have done very well for themselves.
Fleas also carry the Black Plague (yes, it still exists), which decimated Europe and eventually created the middle class. Until that time the majority of the population were serfs or servants. They lived miserable lives and were kept in line by the Church; who promised that if they obeyed the Church and its laws then they would be rewarded in the after life. A truly great con job if every there was one.
Religious people might claim that the Black Plague was part of God’s plan, except that the creation of the middle class also spelled the decline and fragmentation of the Church. In the Middle Ages the Catholic Church was very powerful. Religious leaders crowned Kings and Queens. Their power was derived from God and even the kings and queens had to follow the rules of the church. Now days the Christian Church is less powerful and has fragmented into several sub-religions, reducing its power. There are even a lot of political leaders who dare to not flaunt their religion, or let their minds be made up based solely on the doctrine of the Church. Some people have even taken the blasphemous act of publicly admitting that they may not believe in God.
2006-08-04 13:45:13 · answer #2 · answered by Dan S 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The reason there are fleas is that a flea can successfully survive and reproduce. There is no requirement in nature to be beneficial to any organism other than oneself.
Though as fleas can be disease vectors they can be beneficial to those diseases.
2006-08-04 13:42:53 · answer #3 · answered by convictedidiot 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The fleas have their own reasons. They are beneficial to themselves and the diseases they transmit.
They survive because they can, not because of some kind of cosmic anthropocentric purpose.
They are a contributing factor in natural selection by further weakening sub par hosts or by eliminating host species whose internal diversity has dropped too low through disease transmission.
2006-08-06 09:04:06 · answer #4 · answered by corvis_9 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No evolving-created by God-but fleas came as part of the curse
on man after his fall in the Garden of Eden. (read Genesis)
2006-08-04 13:21:56 · answer #5 · answered by Randolph 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not everything evolves for our own benefit, let's not forget that. They evolved to feed on us land-dwelling mammals, and something else will feed on them. Nothing beneficial for us, i can guarantee you that, but they're alive because they've made it this far so they must be doing something right eh?
Cheers.
2006-08-04 14:55:24 · answer #6 · answered by flammable 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Fleas exist to make more fleas.
2006-08-05 14:07:55 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
They are beneficial for producing more fleas.
And to whatever eats fleas.
2006-08-04 13:21:18 · answer #8 · answered by _Kraygh_ 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Certain insects eat fleas as a part of their diet.Why these bugs are here im not sure.
2006-08-04 13:20:45 · answer #9 · answered by lumpydonut21 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Evolutionary theory does not state that anything has to be beneficial to anything, other than to its own reproductive success.
2006-08-04 15:39:15 · answer #10 · answered by Zhimbo 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋