Summary of lecture notes from the Diversity of Life module. Notes include the topics Evolution, Early Life Forms and Invertebrate Metazoa. Notes are very clear and contain colourful images and diagrams.
Diversity of Life Term 1 – Evolution, Early life forms and Invertebrate Metazoa
notes:
Evolution 1:
Complexity:
Diversity
Apparent design (well-suited to environment)
Issues with “special creation”:
Creation stories are not consistent across cultures and religions.
Who created the Creator?
God must be very cruel. Evidence in the natural world of cruelty e.g. disease
and parasites.
Examples of sub-optimal design (botched job by creator)
Explanation for issues was Darwin’s “Origins of Species” book:
Provided overwhelming evidence that evolution occurred
A theory for how evolution occurred
Charles Darwin was the first to provide a workable mechanism, despite not
being the first evolutionist
Charles Darwin background:
Well-connected upper-middle class family so access to people with influence
Studied medicine at Edinburgh University, but quit shortly. Provide with
understanding of anatomy.
Then studied Theology at Cambridge. Made strategic sense, as he loved
Natural History as would be able to live the easy life as a country vicar.
At the time at Cambridge, revolutionary ideas were occurring in geology.
Darwin wanted to provide explanation for how organic diversity came about.
Sailed around the world on geological survey ship HMS Beagle. Established
him as a respected scientist (in theory of coral atoll formation).
Pivotal moment of voyage was time spent at the Galapagos islands.
Contained species, such as Galapagos mockingbird, that do not exist
anywhere else in the world.
Observation made about Giant tortoise: On islands where vegetation was
low lying, they had shells that went down to protect neck. Where vegetation
was higher, shells were arched so necks could go up.
Darwin delayed publication for 20 years:
Devout Christian family who he did not want to offend
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