There was a theory put forth by Jean-Baptise Lamarck that showed how an animal evolved over time because of its parents characteristics, so if a giraffe was to strain its neck to reach leaves at the top of the tree, its child would be born with a long neck because of the parent's characteristics, another theory of course is that God put all the animals on the planet. Scientifically speaking though, Darwin's theory of natural selection is the most widely believed in the 21st century.
2007-11-30 09:16:30
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answer #1
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answered by richard t 2
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You have three questions here. Let me dispose of the second one first:
The origin of life is not yet adequately explained. There are partial theories, and some clever surmises that might work, eventually. But the plain fact is that we don't know how to get to even very simple living things from abiotic beginnings. The questions about 'the origin of life' are well outside of any theory of change, which is all that Darwin's theory is, or claims to be.
The third of your questions asks for the current status of Darwin's theory. In biology, there are plenty of other theories that are elbowing it to the rear of the pack, as biological concepts are accommodated in theories that are biologically more sophisticated. (Darwin's theory as originally put forth was diagrammatic, and NOT penned within the precepts of biology; many biologists don't know this.) As I am not a practicing biologist, nor even a practicing scientist, I'm not abreast of the 'Darwin's Theory Replacement Du Jour," so I must pass, there. In philosophy, it's still a contender. The very simplicity of it makes it quite durable in that intellectual cockpit.
Your first question, though, allows me to speculate a bit. Darwin's original theory, brutally simple-minded as it was, should not be awfully badly challenged by entities that replicate themselves inexactly and who are also a significant part of the selection process that picks out those specific entities to replicate. That is to say that however sophisticated in their reproductive operations human beings become, they will still be replicating individuals from among themselves with less-than-perfect-fidelity; and even if human beings become the dominant factor in the selection process, individuals will still be 'reproductively favored' by that process (even if those individuals serve only as the 'draft' for an 'edited' replicant/descendant, the Darwinian model is satisfied).
2007-11-30 14:30:09
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answer #2
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answered by skumpfsklub 6
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Evolution is still very relevant to humans today. Modern medicine has allowed us to survive many previously fatal diseases, but this medicine is not available to most of the world's population. Malaria kills about 2 million people per year, most children, mostly in Africa. Other than medicine which they cannot afford, the only defence available is an inherited genetic mutation which causes an abnormal haemoglobin (HbS), if inherited from both parents (homozygous), it is fatal. If inherited from only one parent (heterozygous) it confers a resistance to malaria, increasing chances of surviving to adulthood. Evolutionary pressures exist in other other areas of preventable diseases. So, for most of the people on Earth, evolution is quite relevant, irrespective of the last 100 years, or so, of modern medicine.
Every fossil, every observation in biology points to evolution. There is nothing that goes against it or points to a different way to scientifically explain modern diversity. There is not one fossil or one piece of DNA that does NOT point to evolution.
Evolution is a world-wide accepted fact, including the evolution of man.
Scientists (real ones) have been studying and supporting evolution for over 150 years, and still nothing has pointed to any other theory (including creationism). There are clear links and transitional forms between everything in the fossil record to the Class-Family level, if not Genus-Species level. And this includes humans, which there are several 'missing links' which are well described and studied, people just choose to ignore this. Sure, there are still things we don't know, but that's why science is not stagnant and dead. We learn more every day, that's what happens when you keep an open mind and follow the scientific method.
When talking about the fittest surviving, this could quite rightly be applied to the theory of evolution.
2007-11-30 14:13:59
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answer #3
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answered by Labsci 7
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I think the only material from Darwin's original theory that is still held to be true is that species change according to pressures put on them.
Darwin, nor any other scientist, said that man came from apes. That is religious disinformation. Darwin (and most other scientists) DO say that man and primate must have had a similar ancestor, somewhere along the line.
2007-12-02 05:24:45
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answer #4
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answered by eine kleine nukedmusik 6
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Darwin's general idea is still sound and has been backed up by several independent and overwhelmingly compelling theories or methodology. The dating of fossils and analysis of genetic material has pretty much sealed the deal about the validity of natural selection.
It has much relevance in the contemporary world because it is the current boundary between where most fundamentalists and scientists are separated.
2007-11-30 10:43:49
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answer #5
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answered by bravozulu 7
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Charles Darwin's theory and resultant evolution theory opens doors for unprecedented racism among humans.
2007-12-03 00:50:54
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answer #6
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answered by AjitPD 3
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Charles' Darwin's theory of evolution is the best explanation for our origin. Although it is a basis of thought, and a good one for that matter. This topic is too deep and complex to try and explain in a post. The way you need to see it, is as a basis for further explanation. Other critics, readers and authors have elaborated on the concepts highlighting certain specifics, as the way they see human evolution (the selfish gene for example).
2007-11-30 09:16:52
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answer #7
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answered by thamizhan 2
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Yes and No. While Darwin's original hypothesis has been revised much since it was put forth, the modern consensus of evolutionary is still remarkably close to Darwin's ideas - which is impressive for Darwin.
2007-11-30 10:25:43
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answer #8
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answered by High Tide 3
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Darwin's theories explain some changes, but don't prove much about origins
2007-11-30 10:56:57
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answer #9
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answered by Anonymous
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The Greeks and Romans had the concept of Evolution...
In Latin, 'evolvere' meant to "roll out", like a tube of toothpaste. It's irreversible. Life rolls out. It doesn't go backwards...Did you ever try to put toothpaste back into the tube? It's not meant to go back in...Evolution is similar. Time marches on...Things change. They adapt...
Darwin's propositions simply heralded the birth of scientific thinking, which at the same time, resulted in the death of superstitious religious thinking...
2007-11-30 09:24:00
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answer #10
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answered by Anonymous
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