Blog 1: Survival of the Fittest
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| Thomas Robert Malthus |
1.
Thomas Malthus influenced most over the Darwin’s
development of his Natural selection theory. Natural Selection is the beginning
of Darwin’s’ theory. Darwin was inspired and amused by the book the Malthus’s
essay on the principle of Population, on how the individual survive in which
the idea of the survival of the fittest. Darwin was fascinated by Malthus idea
about survival “only individuals of a species that had favorable adaptations would survive
long enough to pass down those traits to their offspring. This is the
cornerstone of natural selection.” (Scoville)
2.
Thomas Robert Malthus wrote the book, “The Essay
of Population on the Principle of Population as It Affects the future
Improvement of Society”, through his essay it was given a lot of attention and
showed an impact on the British social aspect. The Poor Laws was created which “encouraged large
families with their doles. If they had “never existed,” wrote Malthus, “though
there might have been a few more instances of severe distress, the aggregate
mass of happiness among the common people would have been much greater than it
is at present. These laws limited the mobility of labor, he said, and encouraged fecundity and
should be abolished. For the most unfortunate it might be reasonable to
establish workhouses—not “comfortable asylums” but places in which “fare should
be hard” and “severe distress . . . find some alleviation.” (Britannica
Encyclopedia). I believe Malthus; “Poor Laws” has a contribution to the
scientific community. I came from a country where human population where exceeding
the land space of the country and I believe that his theory has a scientific
basis to the community. Too much population created severe problems not only in
the community as well as the government. This would also apply his essay of the
Principle of Population wherein only individual who are fit survive most of the
time. Another contribution Malthus makes was his summary “Principles of
Political Economy Considered with a View to Their Practical Application
(1820)”. He stated that “To maximize wealth, a nation had to balance “the power
to produce and the will to consume.” (Britannica Encyclopedia) which I agreed
to his principle. He also believe that being “the principles of saving, pushed
to excess, would destroy the motive to production.” (Britannica). Many of the
problem of some business establishment today instead of producing quality products,
they ended up cost cutting it. Products are substandard as a result it chases
away the buying public. It diminishes the credibility to the buying public of
the products that are being cost cut or now being produced with sub standard
quality. http://www.allaboutscience.org/thomas-malthus-faq.htm
3.
Evolution work:
·
The Malthusian theory was about the population
growth and the demand. The struggle to survive caught Darwin’s theory about the
how the organisms or animals survive the fittest since the planet has a limited
resources. One who is weak will not survive and those who are well equipped and
adapt the environment will survive thus Darwin connect the idea of the survival
in the evolution theory.
·
Darwin believed that the even the smallest
organism who survive even to the extreme condition will progress and evolve
thus it is called the Natural Selection of Evolution.
·
Those organisms who survive will leave their
traits to their offspring and evolve thus it resulted to a new form of organism
or species.
4.
Charles Darwin would not develop his natural
selection theory without the influence and ideas of this individual because through
Malthus essay, Darwin’s idea of the survival of the fittest had built his ideas
of how the species survive and evolve in a long run. The fossils shows and
carbon dating (Carbon 14) showed evidences how the earliest fossil evolve and
how this fossils, organisms and species struggle to survive and in the process
evolve. Through Malthus principle Darwin was able to connect his theory of
evolution.
5.
The attitude of the church affects
Charles Darwin and his eventual publication of his book “On the Origin of
Species” basically the theory contradicted the religious beliefs. In his book “On
the Origin of Species by means of Natural Selection” mainly it is all about the
how the diversity of life begun from the common species which evolve through
times though Darwin’s book created a very controversial debate amongst the
religion advocates of creationism. The moral and spiritual issues that animals
have no spiritual lives. Moreover, it creates constraints during the 19th
century. Many scholars and scientists also see the pitfalls of Darwin’s
evolution theory like the genes theory and the role of heredity which Darwin
couldn’t explain well. However, some religious leaders believe that part of the
publication was true which included the beginning of the world coincide the
theory of how the earth begins. “Among these believers were the liberal
clergymen in the Church of England who then interpreted Darwin’s work as God’s
instrument” (Darwin
Correspondence Project, 2007). In America Asa Gray was one of the Darwin’s theory
believer. The book diversified people
beliefs and many of the religion wouldn’t accept the theory as this contradicts
the theory of morality and spirituality of human being. Scientist and biologist
also see the pitfalls of Darwin’s work.
Conclusion:
Though we are diversified by Charles Darwin’s work
but this only indicates that his evolution theory will still be a part of our
science history. Though many debates come out to the open either religious and
scientific studies but his work will always remained a part of our scientific existence.
When Charles Darwin read the essay of Thomas Malthus I believe it is the beginning of the history of evolution. The essay gave Darwin a spark of a brilliant idea that led to the theory of evolution. I also believe that one has to survive in many harsh condition to reproduce or to have an offspring so one has a chance to evolve. Through the scientific studies and evidences of fossils, the theory was developed. We may wonder, Are we really the descedants of a certain organism that evolve to a human like creature as Ape? or just a certain phenomenon that no one could explain the root of human existence?
References:
All
about science.org
Darwin
Correspondence Project, 2007
Scoville, Heather. People Who Influenced Charles Darwin
