Outline the processes of evolution and explain how either theory of Essay

Outline the processes of evolution and explain how either theory of mind or altruism is an adaptation resulting from the selective forces that have operated dur - Essay Example This is also the rationale behind the arrival of variations in the species of organisms through time. The genius of evolution lies in the fact that although organisms have obviously changed though time, a lot of their features remain strikingly comparable to something from a different age. (The University of California Museum of Paleontology, Berkeley, and the Regents of the University of California, 2008) Simply put, evolution is one of the major factors that cause different life forms to continue to exist in the universe. Evolution is a complex process that makes use of several mechanisms or sub-processes. These evolutionary mechanisms are responsible for affecting change in population.. (The University of California Museum of Paleontology, Berkeley, and the Regents of the University of California, 2008) The basic mechanisms of evolution that affect change include natural selection, genetic drift, migration or gene flow and mutation. (The University of California Museum of Paleontology, Berkeley, and the Regents of the University of California, 2008) Natural selection is the course of action by which inherited characteristics that are pertinent to continued existence and reproduction become more prominent. In natural selection, the traits that are detrimental to one’s survival become less prominent in the next generations. (DOBZHANSKY, 1955) According to the ‘Understanding Evolution’ website, genetic drift can be simply described as an â€Å"evolutionary equivalent of a sampling error†. Another way to describe genetic drift is that the genetic material from one generation does not go on in the same proportions in the next generations for due to a lot of indiscriminate reasons. Genetic drift can be likened to a lottery where a â€Å"winner† is determined by sheer luck or in this case, chance. Genetic drift affects the process of evolution in three ways. First, genetic drift causes a reduction in variations. This causes a population to be