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.

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