How Does Coyne Support The Theory Of Evolution

The term “evolution” is commonly misconstrued by many individuals. Society often think of evolution as sort of a sudden alteration of a species, simply assuming that every being, just suddenly transforms into another being, as oppose to a continuing change in the species genetic code, modifying their structure over time. However, there are many individuals who do not believe in evolution, due to the lack of evidence that is presented about its case. There is in fact, quite a substantial amount of evidence supporting the “Theory of Evolution”, people are either just not aware, or rather choose to believe in what they want. Evolution as explained in Jerry A. Coyne’s book, is the elucidation for the history of life on Earth. Life on Earth has constantly evolved over the course of time, appearing much differently than the original species that inhabited it, more than 3.5 billion years ago. (Coyne 3) Evolution explains to us how everything is linked to the plants, animals, and even bacterium that existed far before we came into the world.

Coyne breaks down evolution, as well it other main components which include gradualism, speciation, common ancestry, natural selection and non-selective mechanisms, as the six components of Darwin.

At one point, we were primitive species that gradually changed over a great period of time, creating a selection of new species through a process known as natural selection. Coyne first describes the theory of evolution as a species that go through genetic change over time. Mutations of these species are based on changes made in the DNA, as many species can evolve into something much different over the course of many generations. (Coyne

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Second on Darwin’s list of evolution is gradualism. Described as the “evolution of new features”, (Coyne 4) such as the development of new limbs, or other features that able us to better differentiate between mammals and reptiles. Gradualism explains that evolutionary change can either occur through very long periods of time, possibly taking millions of generations to develop an adequate change, or some changes occurring rather rapidly. As insisted, gradualism does not necessarily refer to an even pace of evolutionary change. Often times, when natural selection has become durable, similar to when an animal or plant begins to inhabit its new surroundings, the rate of evolutionary change is accelerated. Once the species is stabilized to its surrounding the rate at which evolution occurs slows down.
Next on Darwin’ list of evolutionary traits is speciation. Coyne describes speciation as the evolution of different groups that can’t interbreed, simply meaning, groups that can’t exchange genes. (Coyne 6) Species are not always required to split and will only do so if the environment permits inhabitants to evolve enough differences that the need for the species to interbreed diminishes, until they are no longer able to breed at all. Nearly all species will go extinct without leaving traces of their descendants for future generations to come. (Coyne 7)

Considered to be the exact opposite of speciation and fourth on Darwin’s components is common ancestry. Common ancestry allows us to use fossils or DNA to be able to glance into the past to search for descendants linking at their ancestors. (Coyne 8-11)

Last, but certainly not least, is Darwin’s idea of natural selection. Personally considered to be is crowning intellectual achievement, natural selection offers an extraordinary explanation that environmental intentions through a materialistic process, doesn’t require any type of guidance or structure at all. (Coyne 11) As the course of time continues to move, inhabitants will mutate accordingly to better suit their environment, slowly eliminating each specie’s non-dominant inhabitants from existence. However, natural selection is unable to construct something that’s completely flawless, but rather is able to create qualities and features from what it has to work with.