Ernst Mayr: Observation And Inferences

Talwar Anmol

Ms. Giron

For thousands of years many philosophers had argued that life must have

been created by a supernatural being / creator / God due to the incredible

complexity of Nature (in particular, we humans and our minds). *Darwin’s

theory of evolution* *is based on five key observations and inferences

drawn from them. These observations and inferences have been summarized by

the great biologist Ernst Mayr as follows:*

*1) Species have great fertility. They make more offspring than can grow to

adulthood.*

*2) Populations remain roughly the same size, with modest fluctuations.*

*3) Food resources are limited, but are relatively constant most of the

time.*

*From these three observations it may be inferred that in such an

environment

there will be a struggle for survival among individuals.*

*4) In sexually reproducing species, generally no two individuals are
identical. Variation is rampant.*

*5) Much of this variation is heritable.*

*From this it may be inferred: In a world of stable populations where each
individual must struggle to survive, those with the "best" characteristics
will be more likely to survive, and those desirable traits will be passed
to their offspring. These advantageous characteristics are inherited by
following generations, becoming dominant among the population through time.
This is natural selection. It may be further inferred that natural
selection, if carried far enough, makes changes in a population, eventually
leading to new species. These observations have been amply demonstrated in
biology, and even fossils demonstrate the veracity of these observations.*

*To summarize Darwin's Theory of Evolution; 1. Variation: There is
Variation in Every Population. 2. Competition: Organisms Compete for
limited resources. 3. Offspring: Organisms produce more Offspring than can
survive. 4. Genetics: Organisms pass Genetic traits on to their offspring.