Transcript Fossil record - Curriculum Support

Intelligent versus non-intelligent
ideas about design and evolution
Dr. Darrell J. Kemp
Department of biology, Macquarie University
Why is Evolution Important?
“Nothing in Biology Makes Sense
Except in the Light of Evolution”
- Theodosius Dobzhansky (1900-1975)
2009 a special year:
- 200th Anniversary of Darwin’s birthday
- 150th Anniversary of the ‘Origin of Species’
What Darwinian Evolution is (and isn’t):
 Doesn’t explain the meaning
of life
 …or even, necessarily, the
processes that initiated life in
the first place (origin of life)
 Does explain: The
diversification of life forms,
once life on earth initiated
(i.e., the “Origin of Species”)
Process of Natural selection
(as Darwin formulated it…)


“Top-Down” explanation for the diversity and
complexity of life forms on the planet.
Three ‘necessary and sufficient’ conditions:
1. Struggle for survival (Competition);
2. Variation (Differences among individuals);
3. Inheritance (Offspring resemble their parents).
Evolution is an emergent property
(a consequence) of these rules
“Another curious aspect of the theory of
(Darwinian) evolution is that
everybody thinks he understands it…”
- Jacques Monod (Herbert-Spencer Lecture)
1. Initial (variable)
population
25% 25% 25% 25%
2. Differential survival
(selection upon ‘happiness’)
Best
OK
Worst
3. Reproduction (and inheritance)
4. Generation#2
8% 42% 25% 25%
5. Differential survival
Went extinct
6. Reproduction
Novel variation
introduced
7. Generation#3
42%
25%
8% 8%
67%
17%
8%25%
8%
8. Differential survival
went extinct
9. Reproduction
10. Generation#4
17%
75%
8%
11. Differential survival
went extinct
12. Reproduction
Novel
Novel
12. Generation#5
8% 42%
25%
58% 25%
8% 25%
8%
Gen#1
• Gen#2
• Gen#3
• Gen#4
• Gen#5
Gen#1
Gen#2
• Gen#3
• Gen#4
• Gen#5
Gen#1
Gen#2
Gen#3
• Gen#4
• Gen#5
X
Gen#1
Gen#2
Gen#3
Gen#4
• Gen#5
X
X
X
Gen#1
Gen#2
Gen#3
Gen#4
Gen#5
X
X
X
X
Gen#1
Gen#2
Gen#4
Gen#5
X
X
X
EVOLUTION !
Gen#3
X
Population evolved to be happier!!
The evidence is overwhelming!!
The evidence is overwhelming!!
Fossil record
The evidence is overwhelming!!
Fossil record
Fossil record
Biogeography
The evidence is overwhelming!!
Comparative
anatomy/
Biogeography
embryology
Fossil record
Fossil record
The evidence is overwhelming!!
Molecular
biology
Comparative
anatomy/
Biogeography
embryology
Fossil record
The evidence is overwhelming!!
Comparative
anatomy/
Biogeography
embryology
Fossil record
Artificial selection
So, where do humans fit in?
HERE !!
(very roughly)
Humans Related to Apes?
Shock horror!!!
Humans Related to Apes?
Human DNA
and chimp DNA
~99% identical
Humans Related to Apes?
Is it really so
unbelievable?
www.bushorchimp.com
Intelligent Design ‘theory’
Essentially an innovation (on behalf
of the creationism movement) to
circumvent US constitutional law
(…an attempt to package creationist
views up as a bona-fide scientific
theory…)
I.D. ‘theory’ states:
“An unspecified entity which is
currently unobservable used
unknown techniques and tools
to design life, and/or the
universe.”
Philip Johnson (Law Professor)
I.D. ‘theory’ states:
“An unspecified entity which is
currently unobservable used
unknown techniques and tools
to design life, and/or the
universe.”
?
The Flying spaghetti monster (www.veganza.org)
"This isn't really, and never has been a debate
about science. It's about religion and philosophy."
Intelligent design vs. Evolution
"Both sides ought to be
properly taught . . .
so people can
understand what the
debate is about”
President George W. Bush,
August 1 2005
Why does this matter for us?
…because, what happens in the USA…
…does NOT always stay in the USA
(even if it is really bad!)
The power of prediction
(in an uncertain world…)
The power of prediction
(in a certain world…)
Thanks for listening!
“There is a grandeur in this view of
life, with its several powers,
having been originally breathed
into a few forms or into one; and
that…from so simple a beginning,
endless forms most beautiful and
most wonderful have been, and
are being, evolved”