Evolution of Thought Essay -- Science Biology Biodiversity Essays

Evolution of Thought It is interesting to contemplate a tangled bank, clothed with many plants of many kinds, with birds singing on the bushes, with various insects flitting about, and with worms crawling through the damp earth, and to reflect that these elaborately constructed forms, so different from each other, and dependent upon each other in so complex a manner, have all been produced by laws acting around us. –Charles Darwin, The Origin of Species I knew very little about and did not have much interest in evolution, systematics and biodiversity prior to the first week of this class. The knowledge I had about these topics came from introductory courses and what I was being told by my family. I soon discovered that I had a lot to learn. I was raised in the Roman Catholic Church. I completed my First Communion and Confirmation. I grew up being told that God created all that is around us. Everything seemed so cut and dry until I began studying evolution in school. It was hard for me to try and understand both points of view initially. However, through several courses and due to my interest in science, I eventually came to my own conclusion. This conclusion however, as I found out this week, was still incorrect. I thought what I believed in was evolution. I found out this week that what I thought was evolution was in fact progressionism. Progressionism is the idea that life on Earth can be characterized by forward movement from lower to higher life forms. In the beginning of the first class we were asked to answer a few questions related to evolution and systematics. One of the questions asked what we thought the most highly evolved organism was. I had al... ...ws he defines. I do not yet completely understand the laws Darwin defines, but I know that during the course of the semester I will learn so much more than I already have as I gain a better understanding of Darwin’s words, evolution, biodiversity, the study of systematics and how they are interconnected. I do understand one thing completely now as a result of this week, however. I understand that no matter how simple or disgusting an organism may seem to me, it is amazing, beautiful, and vital to understanding evolution, systematics, and biodiversity. Works Cited Darwin, Charles. 1979 (originally published 1859). The Origin of Species. Gramercy Books. New York. Larson, Gary. 1998. There’s a Hair in My Dirt! A Worm’s Story. HarperCollins. New York. Savage, Jay M. 1995. â€Å"Systematics and the Biodiversity Crisis.† Bioscience. 45(10): 673-697.