Discussion on My Views on The Theory of Evolution

In this paper, I will be arguing in favor of the theory of evolution. This will be done with the use of the Scientific method, evidence of a common ancestor, natural selection, vestigial structures and the evidence of a transition animal.

The theory of evolution has been in discussion since the early 19th century in early Greek writings. Even though it was not allowed to be taught within schools due to the strong influence of the church within the schools. In order for these theories to be remotely accepted they had to have certain credentials established. One of these was the use of the scientific theory, which is certain stipulations put in place to ensure that the laws regarding regularities existing in objects and events both observed and posited are discussed in a scientifically logical way. A hypothesis which is a statement that tries to explain why a large group of scientific observations put together into one state (a law) are true needs to be formed. To do this, most scientists applies the principle of parsimony which is the scientific principle that all things are usually connected in the simplest or most economical way especially with reference to evolutionary pathways. This can be applied to scientific problems because usually, all scientific problems are something you don't understand but can do experiments to better understand. So the best way to understand is to connect it in its simplest form. After all of this is done and you've written up your theories it doesn't just get published it still has to be read by and looked over by what is called a "peer review". This is where scientists communicate with each other about their findings and make sure that this is true. The paper is scrutinized by a third party usually someone who is considered a peer, which is often someone in the same field of research or discipline. Someone or many persons going through the paper thoroughly, asking about the raw data, their findings, their references, repeatedly analyzing the paper to make detailed suggestions for improvement. After all of this, your paper is ready to be published and your theory is also published and made public to actually be considered a theory, which is the procedure every evolutionist must follow, which makes their research credible and true, as opposed to creationists.

The family tree of life is brilliant and is common in most species found today. Let's take for example the horse, which has a very detailed and complete fossil record. The oldest of the horses, Hyracotherium, had four toes on each forefoot and three toes on each hind leg. It had stubby teeth with simple molars and very small premolars. This was during the Eocene period where it was mostly tropical forest with soft leafy vegetations and most surfaces. So its body, like that of a small dog and other features were very suited for such a time period. However, when the climate started to change and there wasn't much tropical forest for the small animal to hide. It began evolving or adapting to the cooler, drier grassland with more abrasive vegetation by changing its features. Such as its teeth which became more adaptable to the abrasive grass, feet, skull, etc. This was the Orohippus, that was a little larger than its predecessor.

Then came the Mesohippus which was about thirty million years old, which had premolars that grew to resemble that of its molars. The Miohippus had a complex pattern of bumps and ridges about twenty million years ago. The Parahippus to Merychippus which allowed a cementation to grow around the crowns of the teeth filling up all the bumps and ridges allowing it to grow even bigger. Leading up to the Philippus that made way for the modern horse we know today, the Equus, which have very tall and strong teeth that grow into the skull which come down as they wear away from eating the abrasive grass. Throughout its evolution from oldest to modern horse, it had many adaptations. Like the shape of the skull which changed to accommodate the large teeth. Also changes in the position of the eye socket which moved from above the teeth to behind. Its feet changed from a flexible paw suited for the moist forest floor to the sturdy hoof for running on hard grasslands. The middle toe increased in size to bear most of the weight, while the side toes decreased. In living horses, the side toes are completely gone and the foot bones before, they are reduced to slender remnants on either side of the foot. Elongation of the foot bone produced animals with longer strides, this combined with physiological changes gave horses their speed and endurance for fleeing predators in a habitat where hiding was no longer a means for surviving. This is the overall adaptation of the horses for their evolution.