Is necessity the "mother of invention," in evolutionary terms?

Answer 1

Technically, that phrase implies that populations would evolve traits out of necessity. That isn't really the way things work. In evolutionary terms, RANDOM mutations can either make an individual more or less fit for an environment. The individuals better fit for an environment are more likely to survive and pass those mutations onto their children.

So in other words, there is no driving force behind evolution, it is all chance.

Answer 2

I suppose, in a sense, you could say so. But the quote was meant to allude to the problem-solving ability of the human mind, when provided the proper impetus.