Evolution Theories: Lamarck, Darwin, and Human Development

Evolution Theories: A Comparative Analysis

Lamarckism: Can be summarized in two principles:

• The function makes the organ: Life forms adapt to the environment because they live just for the sake of survival.
• Inheritance of acquired characters: Transformations are passed from one generation to another. Lamarck believed that the inner desires of living beings are the main cause of all evolutionary processes.

Darwin's Theory: Can be summarized in two principles:

• Dislocated survival: Results from the competition for space and distributed food.
• Natural selection: Those best suited survive in the environment. Darwin defended that natural selection acts through inherited changes as a principle of evolution.

Synthetic Theory: It is based on two principles:

• Significant genetic variation is passed from parents to children.
• The best suited may undergo significant changes over time.

The synthetic theory does not account for the appearance of new species (macroevolution).

Punctuated Equilibrium Theory: Evolution is not gradual but occurs in jumps. There are evolutionary periods of relative calm followed by abrupt changes in a short time, in which evolutionary changes occur. The most important base is located in paleontological studies of fossils.

Neutralism: Is a shift in natural selection as a decisive factor in the evolutionary process. Mutations suffered by the genome of a species originate released genes. These genes are available to undergo changes that result in the appearance of new species.

Human Evolution: Stages and Characteristics

Stages: radiation, divergence, and natural selection.

Phylogeny: Phylogeny is part of the study of the evolution of man, not his origin, but the final outcome of their own anatomical characteristics and hallmarks of behavior.

Bipedalism: Human beings walk upright on their two legs. Bipedalism involves the release of the hands, which are then used as tools. This enables object apprehension.

Brain Development: In bipedalism, the head-body axis takes on a new structure. The object pressured, toolmaking lead to greater cooperation among individuals.

Culture: The human being is not very specialized, which is shown as an achievement. Having no instincts, it can transform the nature of their needs. Fire provided protection against the weather, animals, and attacks, as well as greater safety of foods.

Sedentary Lifestyle: The transition from nomadic life to a sedentary life was possible thanks to man's intellective power. Man began to play at the expense of immediate and easy access to fruit.

Society: Human beings cannot survive alone. However, this does not imply that man is social out of need for convenience or a collective mutual non-aggression agreement with each other.