Evolution responses

I don't mean to offend anyone who may read this, but I'm gonna play Devil's Advocate for a bit.
Some people have put out posts on the evolution readings that I would like to challenge.
As far as natural selection goes, wouldn't "survival of the fittest" refer to everything and anything that makes it easier for your species to survive? Just because it says "fittest" doesn't mean that it refers to strength or size, it refers to how "fit" you are in a given situation. One mutation could cause a physically strong organism to develop something that makes it more "fit" in social interactions with the opposite gender, thereby making it the "fittest" to survive and pass on genetic material. In short, both strength (or agility, hardiness, etc...) and sexual attraction play equal parts in the scheme of natural selection.
Next, while no one has posted about this yet but I know someone will, a "mutation" is not bad. That word has recieved very bad press in recent years and nowadays we take it as meaning something that makes us a freak or grow a third arm, etc... A mutation is any genetic change, good or bad. Whether or not it halps us survive determines the "good" or "bad" part.
Third, as far as the native american children going to schools and losing awareness of the "natural" world, that is a cultural change and has nothing to do with genetics. Cultures adapt, like genetics, in order to meet new challenges of life, but they are not caused by anything genetic; though it can be argued that a cultural change has brought a genetic change. As a nice little side note, the perception of what is a "freak" is determined by your culture.
Finally, I do not support prolonging life through medical advances in certain situations. For example cancer, mental diseases, brain damage, or certain diseases like down syndrome or most forms of mental retardation. Remember, I don't mean to offend, I just don't think it's a good idea. Allowing our weak, diseased members of the species survive is not an efficient system for survival, even in an urban world. It wastes resources and money keeping people alive when they should by all natural means be dead. People may say "that's not fair," because that person "didn't get a chance to live," but that isn't the way the world works. It isn't fair. It isnt right. It doesn't care if you loved them or hated them. It doesn't care if you "didnt get a chance". Sometimes it doesn't give you a chance to begin with. But we have to move on and accept that thats the way it is, changing it won't necessarily make it better and if we allow the weak and stupid (not necessarily retarded, just stupid) to breed then we will lose what evolutionary progress we have managed to gain.
If anyone would like to discuss any of these issues further, I would be happy to respond.

Ryan Casto

Plato; The Allegory of the Cave

This was the first time I had been exposed to Plato's Allegory of the Cave. While the reading was rich I felt that my time spent on this piece of literature was well worth it. The greatest thing I took form this article was the idea that the blessed individuals, already aware of reality, had a duty and a responsibility to expose the less fortunate to this reality. As the article said, every person has the capabilities within them to understand, they just need to be turned on. Turning this switch on is the responsibility of those already aware of reality. This process won't be easy either. "At first, when any of them is liberated and compelled suddenly to stand up and turn his neck round and walk and look towards the light, he will suffer sharp pains; the glare will distress him." This sentence exemplifies the struggle to free a fellow oppressed human and transform them over into reality. At first it's going to seem ridiculous but, step by step one can start to comprehend the bigger picture. "He will require to grow accustomed to the sight of the upper world."

While everyone has their own version of reality, many people today don''t want to take the time to understand each other's stance. It is hard work, as said in this allegory. It is much easier to stick to your own way of thinking rather than take time to wrap your mind around an idea that may seem so far out there. This allegory provides a solution to some greater misunderstandings of life but it is one of those concepts that is much easier said than done.

Stephanie S.

Evolution

The readings on evolution were very interesting to me. It informed the reader of the real meaning of the term evolution. It is not trying to explain the creation of human life. Religion is not a factor. Evolution and Natural Selection were explained in detail to the reader. An example was a type of white moths that lived in a city in New York. The city had many factories that released soot. The white moths were easily spotted amongst the blackened trees. Predators got many of the moths. As time went on, the species of moths turned dark. They were'nt as easily seen. Now the majority of the moths in New York City are dark to better match their surroundings. There was also the difference between microevolution and macroevolution. One is the creation of a new species. The other is a change in the genetics of a species.
Cody H

Reading Response: Freire and Gatto on the Public Education System.

While reading the Freire and Gatto, I enjoyed and agreed with the most of their discussion about the Public education system in America. In their article they criticized the public education system which is trying to make every individual a good citizen, but at the same time dull students. Somehow, If I think about the present system, It is true to some extent that our school’s are designed to teach the education as mandatory for every individual, but there real purpose is to make them servants for the society. Our teachers teach us the education which is already organized by the scholars and students are spouse to fill up all of that information which he considers as a true knowledge for them. Somehow, they are making students as a product, but not intelligent. The students should be taught beyond to the pre-designed education, they should not only given lectures, but also communicate with them, this could help them to establish good understanding and enhance their social skills because most of the individuals lack the social skills which are really important in their practical life. However, there should be a close relationship between a students and the teacher, by which they feel free to talk each other, so that the students can think creative and feel the independence. Meanwhile reading the Freire and Gatto, I came to the conclusion that education is the most important thing for every individual. They should not be made as a dull student, who goes to school, finish up with his studies and run for the job, but don’t know his aim in the life.

The Definition of Evolution

When reading the article What is Evolution?, I found myself being a little uninterested. I realized that evolution is the genetic changes that take place within a species over generations, having taken a biology class that taught me that several years ago. I did find one part a bit interesting and worth writing about however, however small it may be. I really liked how the author explains that when a species evolves, that does not mean that it becomes more advanced or better than what it was before the change. The author brings that point up frequently, almost to the point of irritation to the reader, but the point really is an important one. Although it may seem obvious and simple when thinking about it, as Moran went through several “incorrect” definitions of evolution extracted from several different dictionaries, a few even being dictionaries of science, it was made clear this was a crucial piece of the definition to clarify. Evolution is what happens when populations need to adapt to their environment. Those specific adaptations may be completely successful at one point, and completely unsuccessful at another, making the idea that the more species evolve, the better and more specialized they become very inaccurate. Chris Colby I feel explained this much clearer in his Introduction to Evolutionary Biology when he stated, “Evolution is not progress.” Although I am a firm believer that the definition of evolution is not yet perfect, since it has been constantly revised over several years, I do believe this is a large and significant part that must not be overlooked.

WhitneyS

Grr, Sniff, Arf

What I found most interesting in this article was how the different breeds are here to bring different things to our life. A pug is here to be "more companionable" while a dog with a long nose is here to hunt or herd. It was interesting to here that the pug is "more companionable" because they have retinas that are linked closer to humans, helping them see images closer to them. The observations that the author made were truly fascinating, I enjoyed reading the article "Dog Unwelt."

Courtney Timms.

Plato

I have read “The Allegory of the Cave” by Plato many times now, but it is one piece of literature that I never get tired of reading. I love the set up being in dialogue it almost makes it easier to follow then it would if it were in a continues one speaker set up. The dialogue also allows the things being disgusted to be questions and analyzed further which really helps with grasping this complex concept. I love the scene that Plato lays out for us, the men chained up never seeing the real would only those that are being played in front of them by the players, and they're only see shadows. That whole concept of never seeing anything real and with substance just sounds terrible and not a way to live a life, the enlightenment that one man receives, the real world, just seems like what everyone should have. I understand what Plato is getting at the being enlightened part, but I don't think that others shouldn't get to experience the world and the truth. Plato said himself “the upper world where they desire to dwell; which desire of theirs is very natural”, it is natural we're supposed to be exposed to all that there is to offer outside “holes” and “caves”.
Kylee w.