This covers God and Evolution as opposed to God vs Evolution. I will examine theories to the origin of life and coincide them with the belief in God.
While studying on the Beagle, Darwin came up with his theory of natural selection and evolution. According to Darwin, in order for natural selection to be possible, there needs to be variety within species. Darwin assumes that individuals are inconsistent and that there are variations with each individual. He also has to assume that the history of Earth is very long and that survival and reproduction don’t just happen randomly. Genes can be passed by mutation, copying errors, DNA damage or the rearrangement of genes during reproduction, also called recombination. These are ways genes can change without being naturally selected. If the changes in genes are useful, then that individual will more likely survive and pass on its traits. If these traits are not reproducible, then offspring will not have them. “In the survival of favoured individuals and races, during the constantly-recurring struggle for existence, we see a powerful and ever-acting form of selection.”
Darwin concluded that all individuals vary in many different ways. Darwin knew this, but he didn’t have any idea that those variations were caused by DNA and are also passed down to offspring by DNA. In order to study variations in individuals, Darwin used pigeons. He compared the short faced Tumbler with the English Carrier and pointed out their different beaks and skulls. He compared foot length, skin between toes and the development of their oil glands. He concluded that every type of pigeon that ever lived originated from the Rock Pigeon. He then crossed different species of pigeons and got varying offspring, mongrels (A mongrel is an offspring from two different sub species). He discovered that these mongrels were also able to reproduce and pass on their traits; therefore, evolution of a species is proved to be possible.
Species are naturally selected in competition for food. Darwin used wolves as an example. Theoretically, if one day, for any reason, deer began to die off and become rare, only the fastest and smartest wolves would be able to catch the deer. Darwin goes on to say “this is no different than man picking the fleetness of his greyhounds.” Plants that provide the most nectar would be most often visited by insects and consequently would be most crossed with other plants. These insects would then compete for the nectar produced. Insects with longer proboscises will get insects much easier than those with short ones. Depending on which plants lived in a certain area, the species of insects that can feed on those plants will also live in that area. If the species of plant begins to decline in numbers, then so would the insects that feed on it. If the insects began to decline, the plants would also decline and plants with favorable traits will survive. This happens because the plants depend on the insect to spread its pollen, and the insect depends on the plant for food. Darwin concludes, “Natural selection banishes the belief of the continued creation of new organic beings, or of any great and sudden modification in structure.” Darwin is implying that new species aren’t made by a god, but are created by natural selection.
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