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Why
Evolution
Is
Not
Always
Intuitive
Evolution
can
be
hard
to
grasp
because
it
does
not
happen
at
our
scale
its
too
slow,
happening
across
hundreds
of
generations,
and
many
thousands
or
millions
of
years.
In
contrast,
gravity
happens
on
our
scale
of
time
and
size.
So
most
everyone
is
comfortable
with
the
theory
of
gravity,
because
it
is
obvious
and
seemingly
simple
on
our
scale,
but
evolution
is
more
challenging.
However,
it
is
wrong
to
assume
that
everything
important
in
the
world
happens
at
our
scale.
For
example,
we
can
only
see
less
than
2%
of
the
electromagnetic
spectrum
(the
part
we
call
visible
light).
But
the
rest
of
the
spectrum
is
still
important
think
sunburns,
x-rays,
radiation,
radio
transmissions,
etc.
So
if
we
want
to
really
understand
how
the
world
works,
must
try
to
think
beyond
the
scale
we
live
on.
If
we
do
that,
things
get
more
interesting.
For
example,
gravity
is
not
well-understood,
at
all,
at
the
atomic
level.
There
is,
as
of
yet,
no
quantum
theory
of
gravity.
We
dont
really
understand
how
gravity
works
at
a
fundamental
level
we
dont
know
the
process.
So
while
gravity
seems
simple
at
our
scale,
its
really
not
simple
at
all
when
you
consider
all
scales.
In
contrast,
we
do
understand
the
processes
of
evolution
(below).
So
you
can
make
an
argument
that
the
theory
of
evolution
is
actually
better
understood
than
the
theory
of
gravity.
If
our
lifespan
somehow
increased
to
a
few
million
years
(while
that
of
other
species
remained
the
same)
I
think
evolution
would
be
pretty
obvious
to
us,
because
we
would
then
be
on
the
same
time-scale
it
operates
on.
What Evolution Is Not Many
misconceptions
about
evolution,
want
to
clear
some
of
them
up
first.
Evolution
is
not
Darwin.
Charles
Darwin
made
fundamental
contributions
to
our
understanding
of
evolution
(though
many
others
contributed
as
well,
before
and
since).
And
in
science,
the
ideas
must
stand
on
their
own,
apart
from
who
came
up
with
them.
So
even
if
Darwin
had
recanted
evolution
(he
didnt),
it
wouldnt
really
matter.
Its
about
the
ideas,
the
data,
and
the
analysis
that
is
what
evolution
is.
Its
about
the
science,
not
the
scientists.
Evolution
is
not
really
about
the
initial
origin
of
life,
thats
a
different
area
of
science.
From
evolution,
we
can
reconstruct
that
all
life
today
ultimately
shared
a
very
simple
common
ancestor
far
far
back
in
the
past
(this
is
not
just
an
assumption).
How
that
common
ancestor
itself
arose
is
not,
strictly
speaking,
part
of
evolution.
2
Evolution
doesnt
really
deal
with
the
transition
from
non-life
to
life.
Can
perhaps
apply
some
evolutionary
ideas
to
that
problem,
but
its
different.
Instead,
evolution
deals
with
that
common
ancestor
and
all
that
comes
after
it.
Evolution
is,
rather
obviously,
not
a
religion.
In
science,
you
have
to
be
able
to
answer
the
question,
how
would
you
know
if
your
idea
is
wrong.
Thats
not
so
much
a
concern
in
religion.
Creationism
and
intelligent
design
have
a
hard
time
answering
that
question,
which
is
part
of
the
reason
that
they
arent
science.
In
evolution,
as
well
see,
we
can
answer
that
question.
Evolution
is
not,
in
the
view
of
most
scientists,
a
replacement
for
religion.
Science,
including
evolution,
deals
with
how
the
world
works.
Science
generally
does
not
deal
with
how
we
should
behave,
how
we
should
treat
people.
Thats
historically
what
religion
deals
with.
For
example,
the
question
of
can
atoms
be
split,
thus
releasing
tremendous
energy
is
one
of
science
because
it
is
about
how
the
world
works.
Answer
is
yes,
so
it
was
possible
to
build
an
atomic
bomb.
But
the
question
of
whether
that
atomic
bomb
should
be
dropped
on
Japan,
which
the
US
was
then
at
war
with,
is
a
question
about
how
we
should
behave.
It
is
not
really
a
question
of
science.
This
is
how
many
scientists
(not
all)
distinguish
between
science
and
religion.
Not
telling
you
that
is
how
you
should
think,
just
that
it
is
a
common
view.
Evolution
is
not
just
a
theory.
Creationists
often
belittle
evolution
by
saying
it
is
just
a
theory,
thus
implying
it
does
not
have
much
backing,
because
in
common
usage,
theory
can
mean
speculation.
But
in
science,
a
theory
is
a
hypothesis
(or
set
of
hypotheses)
that
have
been
tested
and
verified
many
times.
So
gravity
is
a
theory,
as
is
evolution.
And
a
hypothesis
is
an
educated
guess
that
needs
to
be
tested
(or
tested
more).
What Evolution Is Biological
evolution
is
change
across
generations
in
their
biological
attributes.
In
thinking
about
evolution,
must
distinguish
between
process
and
pattern.
We
can
study
the
processes
that
produce
evolutionary
change.
We
can
also
study
the
patterns
that
those
processes
have
resulted
in.
In
this
lecture,
focused
on
process
(pattern
to
come
next
week
looking
at
humans).
Also
focused
on
the
level
of
the
individual
organism.
Rather
than
level
of
gene
(next
lecture
on
genetics).
Four
processes
that
produce
evolution:
Selection
Drift
3
Migration
Mutation
Selection Two
main
ingredients
to
natural
selection
variation
and
differential
reproduction.
Within
a
species,
individuals
vary
in
their
attributes.
(Well
cover
exact
definition
of
species
in
a
future
lecture.)
Some
of
that
variation
can
be
passed
directly
to
offspring
(next
generation).
I.e.,
some
of
that
variation
is
heritable.
We
also
observe
that,
in
most
cases,
not
all
individuals
in
a
species
survive
and
reproduce
equally.
Some
have
more
offspring
than
others.
We
can
call
those
differences
in
survival
and
reproduction
evolutionary
fitness
(or
just
fitness
for
short),
and
one
simple
way
to
think
of
fitness
is
just
the
number
of
offspring
produced
by
an
individual.
Natural
selection
occurs
when
differences
in
fitness
are
correlated
with
differences
in
heritable
traits.
Those
heritable
traits
that
increase
fitness
will,
on
average,
become
more
common
over
time
(across
generations),
and
those
that
decrease
it
will
become
less
common
over
time
(across
generations).
So
this
is
change
in
biological
attributes
over
generations,
which
is
evolution.
Some
key
points
for
natural
selection:
Must
have
variation
if
everyone
the
same,
no
natural
selection.
Variation
must
be
heritable
(so
it
can
pass
from
one
generation
to
next).
Must
have
fitness
differences
if
everyone
has
same
fitness,
no
selection.
Fitness
differences
must
be
correlated
with
variation.
If
they
are
random,
not
really
selection.
Selection
does
not
create
variation.
It
can
only
select
among
the
variation
that
exists.
Thats
why
no
eyes
in
the
back
of
our
head,
for
example.
But
there
are
two
other
kinds
of
selection
besides
natural
selection:
artificial
selection
and
sexual
selection.
Artificial
selection
is
human
breeding
of
plants
and
animals.
Breeder
controls
fitness
of
a
population
by
determining
which
individuals
get
to
reproduce.
Usually
selects
these
individuals
based
on
desirable
characteristics.
This
is
how
we
got
breeds
of
dog,
different
kinds
of
domesticated
plants,
etc.
Important
because
its
a
good
demonstration
of
selection
in
action.
Albeit
selection
driven
by
human
determination
of
fitness,
rather
than
the
environment
determining
fitness
(thus
the
artificial).
Sexual
selection
is
when
there
are
fitness
differences
due
to
mate
choices.
In
many
species,
there
is
some
choice
involved
in
who
to
mate
with.
4
If
those
choices
are
made
based
(to
some
degree)
on
heritable
variation,
then
youll
get
change
across
generations,
which
is
evolution.
Thats
sexual
selection.
Classic
example
is
the
showy
tail
of
male
peacocks.
Increases
their
fitness
because
female
peacocks
make
their
mating
decision
based,
in
part,
on
those
tails.
Drift Imagine
a
population
where
there
was
no
selection
everyone
survived
and
had
the
same
number
of
offspring
(so
no
fitness
differences
thus
no
selection).
There
would
still
be
change
across
generations.
Thats
because
we
only
pass
on
about
50%
of
our
genetic
material
to
each
of
our
offspring
(this
is
true
of
diploid
organisms,
which
include
virtually
all
mammals).
Which
50%
gets
passed
on
is
essentially
random.
So
depending
on
which
portions
get
passed
on,
you
get
change
from
one
generation
to
the
next,
that
is
you
get
evolution.
The
differences
introduced
by
which
portion
of
your
genes
get
passed
on
to
your
offspring
is
called
drift,
often
referred
to
as
genetic
drift.
It
is
different
than
selection,
in
that
it
has
nothing
to
do
with
fitness,
but
it
creates
change
across
generations
so
it
is
a
mechanism
of
evolution.
An
example
was
given
in
lecture,
and
you
can
find
examples
online
easily.
Drift
has
more
impact
in
smaller
populations
than
larger
populations.
The
larger
the
population,
the
smaller
the
difference
between
generations
based
on
drift.
Migration If
two
previously
separate
populations
of
one
species
come
into
contact,
reproduction
will
likely
occur
between
them.
The
resulting
generation
will
probably
differ
some
from
either
of
the
two
founding
populations
(each
of
which
was
probably
at
least
somewhat
different).
So
migration
of
groups
within
a
species
can
cause
change
across
generations,
that
is
to
say
evolution.
The
importance
of
migration
can
vary
greatly
between
species
depending
on
the
circumstances.
Mutation Imagine
a
species
with
no
selection,
no
drift,
and
no
migration.
Would
still
get
(small)
change
between
generations
as
a
function
of
mutation.
If
a
change
in
our
DNA
that
happens
during
our
lifetime
gets
passed
on
to
our
offspring,
that
changes
the
composition
of
the
next
generation
(at
least
a
tiny
bit).
So
mutation
is
a
mechanism
of
evolution.
By
itself,
it
does
not
produce
big
changes
because
mutations
that
get
passed
on
are
relatively
rare.
But
it
is
very
important
for
generating
the
variation
upon
which
selection
can
act.
Remember,
selection
does
not
create
variation.
Thats
what
mutation
does.
5
So mutation plus natural selection is a powerful force of evolution. Implications of Evolution We briefly discussed how an evolutionary viewpoint falsifies the notion that you can rank species from better to worse You can talk about more complex or less complex species You can talk about more numerous or more rare species But every species has evolved, every species has adaptations that fit it to the environment(s) it occupies. Its all about fit to the environment, rather than better or worse. For example, a sea cucumber is much better adapted to life in the ocean than we are. This destroys the ancient (and still well-established) idea in Western thought of a Great Chain of Being that ranked all life from lower to higher. From an evolutionary viewpoint, are humans special? Yes. But so are chimpanzees, daffodils, sea cucumbers, and all species. end