Evolution

Patrick McDonald

After a five year journey across much of the known world, a young naturalist was

faced with a number of interesting observations. He had examined a number of

specimens from an assortment of south American islands and was perplexed. Birds from

different places, while appearing to be members of the same species, displayed a couple

varying characteristics. After toying with his observations for quite a while, this naturalist

put forward an idea that would revolutionize the world of biology as we know it:

Evolution. By taking God's direct hand out of nature biologists could now examine the

world more thoroughly as well as objectively understand the slow but constant pace of

species change. The theory of evolution also put an end to the idea of teleology, the idea

that thing moved in a direction towards a predetermined end. Darwin's theory of

evolution finally helped the modern field of genetics more rationally explain how species

change through mutation.

By removing the idea of an arbitrary creator from the scientific picture, people

could begin to examine biology and all the natural sciences without theology clogging the

picture. Before naturalists and biologists had based much of their ideas solely on a literal

interpretation of the bible. Many fossils were seen as evidence of animals that didn't

make it on to Noah's ark, or as a creator with an interesting sense of humor. But

evolution, fueled by natural selection explained without the presence of super natural

influences the success or individuals or entire species. As science lost its base in biblical

theory, it gained a legitimate and quantifiable framework that could be tested and

understood clearly. This loss of a biblical base, lead directly into the next the leap

forward in biology.

Before the theory of evolution was presented to the world, it was generally

accepted that there was a pre-set purpose to all things. Teleology as it was known was

thought to be the driving force behind why things happened the way they did. Now that

there was an idea that would effectively challenge this notion people could view the