Task 4 God nature and time Flashcards
(21 cards)
Natural selection
process in Darwin’s evolutionary theory by which the environment results in the continuation and multiplication of organisms with certain genetic features and hinders the reproduction of organisms with other genetic features; the first type of features are called favourable (within the prevailing environment), the second type unfavourable
Survival of the fittest
describes the outcome of natural selection: only organisms that fit within the environment and can produce viable offspring survive (quote by spencer)
three main parts of Darwin
(all you need for evolution is inheritance, variation and selection)
o When individuals in a population reproduce, the new generation must resemble their parents
o The resemblance between generations must be close, but not perfect, so that each generation includes new variations in characteristics
o There must be a link between some of these new variations and the chances that an individual will be able to survive and reproduce
DNA (Darwin)
every creature can be defined by DNA, in reproduction DNA is passed on during this process little mistakes can happen. These mutations lead to variation in the population
Comparative psychology (Influence on psychology)
Study the behaviour of animals to learn more about human behaviour. Because Darwin stated that humans and animals have a lot in common
Individual differences (Influence on psychology)
based on natural selection personal differences gained on interest
Psychology and biological processes (Influence on psychology)
new sub units were created (ethological and evolutionary psychology)
Natural selection & Sexual selection (Influence on psychology)
guiding psychologist to classes of adaptive problems linked with survival and reproduction
Comprehensive psychological science (Influence on psychology)
psychological mechanisms have adaptive functions is a necessary, not an optional, ingredient for a comprehensive psychological science
Galton
o Wanted to show the heredity of human traits, in particular intelligence
o Was convinced that individual differences in mental ability were due to inherited differences in the quality of the senses
o He could never prove this
o Encouraged the talented to have big families
Herbert Spencer
the struggle for existence was not primarily about combat, at least among members, but coexistence
o the whole effort of nature is to get rid of such, to clear the world of them, to make room for better (self-help)
Religion
was kind of fine with his theory because he didn’t say anything about the first appearance of animals
Clock analogy
A clock is build by a person who uses different mechanisms but he is still the creator
ID advocates
want supernatural propositions to be considered as part of science
Irreducible complexity
if you find a complex structure that, if you removed one of its parts, it would no longer work, then you must admit that this structure and its function could not have evolved by natural means
Specified
if you can rule out the possibility that a structure evolved either by natural processes or chance, using probability theory, then you must accept that the structure was specially designed
Social Darwinism
(popularised in mid 1940s but not by Darwin himself)
o Those who are unable to avoid poverty for their children should not reproduce
o Moral qualities are much are advanced much more by habit, reasoning, learning and religion than by natural selection
o Darwin had stressed the importance of struggle within species, believing it to be the most severe since these individuals lived in the same places, ate the same food and faced the same dangers
Eugenic
the belief that the only solution to social problems was to discourage reproduction by those with undesirable traits, while encouraging reproduction by society’s worthier elements
Eugenic disaster
The death of wealthy sons in the first world war
Positive eugenics
Galton’s concern to encourage the talented to have large families
Negative eugenics
Poor and untalented families should stop reproduce
