Ideas About Biological Diversity
• “Except in the case of human behavior, we need not invoke nor can we find any evidence for any design, goal, or purpose anywhere in the natural world.”– Douglas Futuyma
• Old ideas about biological diversity• Aristotle: scale of nature
• Ranking system
• Ranking represents levels of fixed
• diversity
• Higher – Lower forms
• One tenent of creationism
– fixity of species
– all created at the same time
– have persisted unchanged since
• their origins
• Idea subsequently altered by
• evolutionists such as Lamarck.
1 = Lamarkian Evolution; 2 = Darwinian Evolution
“Inheritance” of acquired characteristics1.
2.
Our Origins, 2nd EditionCopyright © 2011 W.W. Norton & Company
“Lamark’s classic example of inheritance of acquired characteristics.”Hypothesis can be tested.
Giraffe neck lengthAn adaptation
.
Does the long neck increase energy acquisition?
Two bull giraffesEngaged in competition
What Is So Different about Humans from Other Animals?
The Six Steps to Humanness: Humans differ from other animals in several important ways.1) Bipedalism (?)
Defined as walking on two feet2) Non-honing chewing
Reduction of canine size
3) Complex material culture and tool use Humans depend completely on culture for
day-to-day living and species survival. Other apes exhibit some forms of cultural
behavior. 4) Hunting
Group pursuit of animals for food
5 ) Speech The only animal that communicates by
talking 6) Dependence on domesticated foods
Development of ability to raise domesticated plants and animals