natural selection and evolution deal with genetic changes that either make something more likely to reproduce or more likely to survive. they then pass on their own genetic make-up to their offspring. if having a longer index finger makes you better at working on computers, making you more money, and thus more attractive, then yes, possibly we would get longer fingers over a period of time, but that's not likely to happen. our fingers won't just grow longer because it makes it easier to click on the mouse.
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Does the environment influence genetic mutations?
- Thread starter justin h
- Start date
I hear people say that we shall soon evolve to have longer index fingers because of clicking on computer mouses, but if evolution is influenced by natural selection, how can this be possible? If genetic mutations are random then why will we evolve something that doesn't really help with survival at all?
What you are describing is Lamarckism, or the acquisition of new characteristics because of adaptation to the environment. It was once very popular, more popular than Darwinism. You are assuming that if a longer index finger is adaptive to the environment, then it will evolve. Lamarckism has been disproved since the 1930's, when geneticists showed that Lamarckism does not work. Genetic mutations occur by pure chance, so even if a feature is adaptive, it may never arise. Only if a mutation arises by chance can natural selection act upon it.
We wouldn't evolve longer index fingers just because of mouse clicking. But we might envision a hypothetical situation in which those with longer index fingers tended to do better at computer work and thus make more money. With more money they might do better at competing for mates and providing for offspring, thus causing the genes for longer index fingers to increase their representation in the next generation.
But since that pretty clearly isn't the case, we can be pretty safe in assuming we aren't evolving longer index fingers. (At least for that reason.)
But since that pretty clearly isn't the case, we can be pretty safe in assuming we aren't evolving longer index fingers. (At least for that reason.)
orAnGE jULiuS
New member
Mutation occurs when a new kind of species comes from a different kind of species.
The example you have given pertains to the development of a part of human body.
The example you have given pertains to the development of a part of human body.