Evolution - is a phenomenon?

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Now, as to the place and out of place, they talk about evolution.And it is - a scientific term, and it must be used carefully.A very common belief that evolution - it is progress.That is, by this phenomenon to understand the ongoing development of anything from simple to complex, from worse to better.In contrast, there is the evolution of the concept of "degradation", which is a regression to the primitive rolling.Initially, the term was used regarding the development of species.Now, however, its scope has expanded.You can talk about the evolution of society, human rights and other terms referring to the progressive, slow their development and improvement.It will be wrong to assume that the term coined by Charles Darwin.In fact, in his book "On the Origin of Species," it just a few times used the word "evolution," which he used to embryologists.What really does the term "evolution"?Let's face it.

origin of the term

Strictly speaking, the Latin word «evolutio» translated as "deployment."It can be said that evolution - a movement of organic and energy in time.The fact that all life evolves, guess even in ancient times, philosophers of Miletus school.For example, Anaximander rightly believed that animals were first waterfowl and only then went to the land.Empedocles also not without reason to believe that to survive in nature, only the most suited to the environmental conditions of the individual.The great religions of the world for centuries stopped any possibility of even stutter that animals and plants can evolve.They believed and asserted that God first created everything visible the way it is now.As the Creator of the Universe is perfect, he did not have to create plant and animal species in need of development.And man, Adam, He created at the time of homo sapiens.The first modest voice that species can evolve and produce others, were heard only at the end of the XVI century.In 1751 the French naturalist Maupertuis wrote that organisms can be modified as a result of the accumulated over many generations of mutations.And Erasmus Darwin (grandfather of Charles) put forward the theory that all warm-blooded animals are descended from a single microorganism.

evolution and embryology

first started talking about this phenomenon doctors who study fetal development.It was found that in the process of embryo growth and formation through several stages.From a simple fertilized egg it becomes a ready-to-self-life of the organism.And in the development of the embryo passes through the stage of existence with gills.For the first time this term is described and characterized in 1762 by S. Bonnet.When applied to the embryo, evolution - a gradual and, above all, a natural transition from one phase of development to another.

contribution Darwin

Great British scientist and naturalist rethought earlier used the term and applied it to all living things on Earth.Indeed, if the embryo of a child at a certain stage of its development, has gills, then why not assume that he is just the first nine months passed that way, which went all humanity for millions of years?In his work "The Origin of Species," Darwin said that the mechanisms of new features along with hereditary properties and parameters of the body remain unknown.The scientist tried to explain them in the "Time pangenesis theory."Natural conditions create a field for natural selection.They survive only those individuals who have managed to adapt to the environment.They also convey their distinctive (new) features of descendants, while the unfortunate individuals die out.It turns out that biological evolution - is a natural process in which living organisms through natural selection and adaptation to the changing aspirations mutate.Thus, the scientist led the scientific community to a conclusion about the origin of man from the animal world.It should be said that this has generated a heated debate that continues even today.

contribution Hugo de Vries This

Dutch botanist who lived at the turn of the XIX and XX centuries, has entered into scientific use the term "mutation".He reinterpreted Darwin's theory of evolution and its operating time geneticists added.He proved his hypothesis on the example of wild primrose Lamarck.If Darwinian evolution - a slow, progressive, accumulating from one generation to another development, then Hugo de Vries changes occur suddenly, due to the "beneficial" mutations.These changes provide a boost to the formation of a new species (which explains the diversity of nature), or to a change in the species.The revolutionary transformations in the organisms of the population has given rise to the theory of saltationism (from the Latin word salto - jump).In 20-30 years of the twentieth century, scientists have overcome the gap between Darwin's theory of forward progress and abrupt changes Vries and supplementing their achievements conclusions on heredity Mendel created a new doctrine.It can be described as the modern evolutionary synthesis.

essence of the concept

Thus, we can say with certainty that the evolution - the development.Why would we not have used the Latin word, it must point to the improvement, improvement, progress.The backward movement of the complex to the simple, "folding" in public relations is called degradation, decline.With regard to species, such setback for him deadly.It leads to its extinction.Paleontology knows thousands of examples of "dead end" in the global evolution.And with regard to human societies?It is known that earlier in the territory of modern Yakutia developed civilization existed Deering Yuryakh.Those examples of regression can be observed in relation to the law or economic relations in a given society.Restriction of freedom of speech or the total defiance of human rights in the country speaks of his latent extinction.

What does it take to biological populations evolved

Yet, what makes the driving force of a living organism mutate and create a new kind of creature?We know the breed, for example, some fish that have remained unchanged for millions of years.To revolutionary improvement occurred in all species, it is necessary to present the evolution of factors.This is primarily intraspecific competition, which leads to natural selection, and genetic drift.If the population there is in a supportive environment, many individuals are born, how many can survive on the basis of the forage, while the animals are isolated from others of their kind, the genotype have more or less the same.In this type there is no need to adapt, mutate and evolve.But if the environmental conditions change, or there is a surge of fertility, there is a competition between individuals - one of the reasons for changes in appearance.The strongest and most suited taken food from their weaker brethren, and against the background of their destruction, leave their genotype in the progeny.A heredity - another factor in evolution - establishes "good" change, mutation, as the sign of the species.

People - top development?

Human evolution or human evolution - it is a long and mysterious process by which there was Homo sapiens.He stood out from among the other hominids about two million years ago.What happened at that time in Africa that the apes were forced to leave the jungle and move to Savannah, to master walking on hind legs, make tools, to subdue the fire?Human evolution was very different way than in animals.If recent changes to adapt to the natural environment, people have devised ways to accommodate the terms of peace to your needs.On the path of evolution of Homo sapiens had its "dead ends" of development.For example, Homo erectus or Neanderthals.

there an evolution in society?

This concept is also worried about the minds of scientists.Especially when it comes to progress and modernization.Can we say that evolution - it is a social process?With regard to scientific and technological progress, we can safely say that there is one.People learn about the laws of this world.They are embracing new technologies and using them create more sophisticated weapons.But the example of civilizations is not so smooth.After all, society - a kind of macro-organism.It can also mutate, evolve.If it is open to "new genetic implosion" - it will develop.If it chooses the path of self-isolation, it is doomed to degradation.Social evolution is evident not only in the progress of technology, but also in the development of institutions and law.

revolution and evolution

This relationship is slow, progressive and abrupt, sharp changes in society have long interested sociologists and political scientists.Speaking about the evolution of society, it should be noted that the most dramatic changes occur as a result of radical upheaval.Sometimes these revolutions are bloodless.For such a development must be the government's desire to go for reform.If the ruling class only wants to stay in power by suppressing dissent, a social explosion is inevitable.