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What has it done for medicine?

2007-02-13 08:02:15 · 26 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture Religion & Spirituality

Louis Pasteur didn't believe in evolution.

2007-02-13 08:18:00 · update #1

Blueoctag who is "us".

2007-02-13 19:42:32 · update #2

Serpent your colleagues just did.

2007-02-13 19:45:47 · update #3

26 answers

It hasn't!

2007-02-13 13:55:10 · answer #1 · answered by em<3 6 · 1 3

Since medicine focuses on human anatomy and physiology only at its current state of evolution, evolution as such does not play a significant role. On the other hand, medicine doesn't play a significant role in plant propagation. They are separate scientific disciplines. Not every field of science contributes directly to every other field. The study of evolution has helped mankind by increasing our knowledge and understanding of the universe in which we live, or to put it in terms that fellow Christians might use, to more deeply understand and appreciate the natural processess at work in God's Creation.

2007-02-13 08:10:04 · answer #2 · answered by PaulCyp 7 · 0 1

Well, all of biology is formed around evolution. So we have treatments for everything from cancer to infertility. Environmental progress comes out of understanding ecosystems and lifeforms.

Of course, if you don't believe in evolution, you don't believe in medicine either. Because the two are totally inseparable.

Natural selection is the unifying theory of all biology. You either accept undeniable reality of evolution, or you have a profound character flaw.

2007-02-13 08:07:22 · answer #3 · answered by Contemplative Monkey 3 · 1 1

Scientific theory is by its nature completely neutral. It neither helps nor hinders humanity. It is merely a statement that hopes to explain the observable facts in a rational manner.

How has the APPLICATION of this theory helped humanity?

Well it is inextricably linked to the concept of biological inheritance (Austrian MONK Gregor Mendel) which leads us to genes and DNA. Genetics is the study of the mechanisms by which evolution occurs.

It explains (for example) the prevalence of sickle-cell anaemia (and trait) in area of endemic malaria. The fact that sickle-cell expression can confer a biological advantage in malarious areas.
Clearly useful for genetic counselling, health care and intervention.

We can now detect genetic diseases, hundreds of them.

By modifying bacteria DNA we can get them to excrete human insulin that allows diabetics to live with less side effects.

As I'm sure you are aware there are thousands of applications.

I'm equally sure you won't be convinced.

I hope your belief in God is not so fragile it is readily threatened by genetics? Many eminent people confess a belief in both.

2007-02-13 08:50:31 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1 0

Gee, I don't know. Maybe left us use other organisms as models that enable us to test medications. Studies on things as low as yeast has a big impact on cancer research (My wife has papers in this area) and it pretty much is the whole basis for how you do all the research there.

You know none of that would work if you weren't related.

2007-02-13 08:07:00 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

Stop calling us "evolutionists," please.

The theory of evolution has helped a great deal with our understanding of how bacteria and viruses adapt with each generation. However, the point of this theory isn't to help or hurt humanity--it's just a scientific theory about how biological life adapts and changes. It has nothing to do with ethics or morality.

2007-02-13 08:06:52 · answer #6 · answered by N 6 · 4 1

Just a few ways the theory of evolution is helping humanity, off the top of my head:

Fighting malaria. A promising new approach in the treatment of malaria involves using evolutionary based understanding of genetics to evolve microbes that can produce artemisinin, an antigenic agent that conveys immunity from malaria.

Fighting cancer. Most of vertebrate evolution has resulted from modifications (by nucleobase transcription errors) of gene switches that influence where and when HOX genes produce morphogenic proteins. It is now known that it is errors in these switches which result in cancer. Most researchers feel that further understanding of how these genetic based evolutionary mechanisms work will lead to cures for cancer.

Saving endangered species. Species survival plans rely entirely on such evolutionary concepts as survival, adaptation, speciation and extinction.

Developing new pharmaceuticals. Scripps laboratories employ an understanding of evolutionary theory to develop pharmaceuticals that will withstand the ability of disease microbes to easily evolve drug resistance.

Saving bananas. Due to the reduced genetic diversity of the bananas in general and the Cavendish banana in particular, this crop is very susceptible to extinction by disease. Evolutionary biologists are working with molecular geneticists to develop a plan to increase genetic variation in this important crop.

Ridding the world of harmful waste. Using evolutionary principles, biologists are breeding microbes that will break down pesticides, as well as eat plastic.

Making fuel. using evolutionary principles, biologists are evolving microbes to assist in the production of plant based ethanol.

Increasing agricultural yields. For centuries farmers have used selective breeding and hybridization to increase nutrient yields in crops. Evolutionary biologists, with an understanding of the genetics of plant nutrients, are working to create a new green revolution.

Fisheries management. Man is now the managing director of fish evolution. Failure to consider the consequences of fishing practices such as only taking the largest fish has led in several species to the evolution of faster-maturing, smaller fish, which have turned fish ecosystems upside down and destroyed certain food fish reserves beyond recovery, such as the Atlantic Cod. By proper application of evolutionary knowledge in fish management we may be able to save what is left of fish resources.

2007-02-13 08:14:40 · answer #7 · answered by Dendronbat Crocoduck 6 · 1 0

Now that we know that bacteria evolves and become resistant to medication, doctors do not abuse the art of prescibing antibiotics to everyone who has a freakin' cold. The influenza virus is constantly evolving to become resistant and new vaccines have to made.

2007-02-13 08:07:58 · answer #8 · answered by stephanie 3 · 0 0

It explains why we have been unable to find a cure for AIDS... as bad as it is now, imagine how worse it would be if we couldn't understand why certain types of medicine only help for a short period of time.

2007-02-13 08:57:54 · answer #9 · answered by Ashley 4 · 0 0

I'm making a boatload of money developing new antibiotics because the old ones have been overused and the bacteria have evolved resistance.

2007-02-13 08:11:07 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

Yes its helped us develop psychology, medicine, understanding why we do the things we do. How we work within nature, how we can develop other species to suit our needs in farming,

In defences against desease and lots of other applications

2007-02-13 10:51:56 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

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