Is evolution a theory or just imagination?. This is the most popular evolutionary question in the world. To answer this, see this article to the end.
In biology, the meaning of evolution has undergone development. According to Darwinism: Evolution is a gradual change over a very long period of time (macro evolution).
With the development of molecular genetics, scientists developed a comprehensive evolutionary theory that combines Darwinism with Mendelism. Which is then known as the modern synthesis (modern synthesis).
According to the modern synthesis: evolution is a change in the frequency of alleles of a population at a certain time (micro evolution) (Iskandar, 2008).”
Talking about evolution always leads to Charles Darwin. But Darwin is only one of the evolutionary scientists, not the only one.
There are still many other evolution theories that are commonly used by naturalists and biologists to see the changes in a living creature.
Evolution is mostly used in biological or zoological terms, but it is also used in culture. One scientist who uses evolution in the cultural world is a Muslim scientist named Ibn Maskawai (Abu Ali bin Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Yakub bin Maskawai).
What Is Definition of Evolution?
“Evolution is a word that comes from the Latin language meaning “to open a roll” or “to open a layer”. Then that language is absorbed into the English language “evolution” which means gradual development.
The definition of evolution by scientists is mostly too difficult to understand. And too complex in its explanation, which can even create controversy. This is because every scientist who creates the meaning of evolution is based on their own beliefs
. So the next researcher can only choose which one suits the research they need. Is evolution a theory or just imagination?
According to Waluyo (2010), discussing evolution, especially in the field of biology, is not only seen based on genetic factors alone. But also supported by other multidisciplinary sciences such as:
- Ecology
- Systematics
- Embryology
- Molecular
- Comparative anatomy
- Geographic distribution
- Natural selection, and others.
Famous Theory of Evolution
According to Aisyah Latun Ummiah (2017), there are 4 famous and widely used evolution theories until now, which are:
1. Fixism Theory of Aristotle
Famous scientists who believed in the theory of evolution were Aristoteles, Plato, Leeuwenhoek, Cuvier, Linnaeus, Hook, and Buffon. This theory was first proposed in the years 348-432 BC, they believed that “organisms were not perfect but were moving towards a better state and a type of organism created by God was fixed (remained the same).
If there were any deformities or body defects, it was caused by genetic mutations or a curse from God.” Until the 18th century, there was no disagreement between one theory and another.
Fixism and Creationism (by Cuvier, 1769-1832): “Until the 19th century in the West, the most widely believed theory was fixism. Species were always as they were since they were created. They remained the same and never changed because the world was created by God.” This theory is similar to creationism.
Fixism is a theory about the diversity of life on Earth that states that current species are identical to past species and have already adapted to the environment without changing.
Fixism opposes evolutionism because evolutionism is the idea that current species emerged from gradual transformations that were experienced by ancestral species and extinct species. The religious version of fixism is called creationism.
There are many different forms of creationism found in the mythology of various religions. Modern religious interpreters teach creationism as a metaphorical wisdom and not as an opponent of evolutionism.
Aristoteles also had a statement that “I believe that living things exist because of dead things (come from dead things) and everything appears spontaneously.” So from his statement, the term ‘Generatio Spontanea’ emerged.
2. Theory of Lamarckism (A Period of Adaptation and Transformation)
The Lamarckism theory was proposed by Jean Baptisme de Lamarck (1744-1829), he was a botanist and the first person to come up with a theory of evolution that explains how and why changes occur. He believed that living things have a natural tendency to evolve and have the ability to pass on useful traits that develop during their lifetime.
According to Lamarck, the environment can change the body parts of living things including their characteristics, properties, and personalities.
If a body part of a living thing is always or frequently used, then over time, it can change to be more suitable for use in that environment, similarly if it’s not used that much it will change accordingly.
Is evolution a theory or just imagination?
Lamarck used the example of the length of the giraffe’s neck. According to him, the giraffe’s ancestors had short necks. At one point, there was a severe drought and giraffes could only obtain food by reaching the leaves on trees. Because they often reached for leaves on trees to eat, over time, the giraffes’ necks stretched and became longer.
As a result, the new acquired trait of a long neck was passed down to the following generations so that giraffes now have long necks. According to Graebner (2008), the changes that occur in living things are caused by the influence of nature or human engineering (hybridization).
3. Mendel’s Laws (Modern Theory of Genetics and Evolution)
The founder of this theory is Gregor Johann Mendel (1865), he was an Austrian monk who proposed that certain traits can be inherited with accurate precision.
Mendel successfully conducted careful analysis and interpretation of the results of experiments on vegetable plants in order to find superior seedlings.
Mendel proposed that certain traits can be inherited by observing the pattern of inheritance of traits, thus making it easier to follow (Andi Burhanuddin, 2016). This theory is more commonly known as the crossbreeding theory.
Eggplants are known to have several modifications in shape. Some are round and green, while others are elongated and purple. Even though both are the same species. The following is an estimate of the origin of eggplants. Is evolution a theory or just imagination?