Charles Darwin, photographed by Julia Margaret Cameron (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Charles Robert Darwin is to Natural Science what Isaac Newton is to Physics and Einstein to Relativity. According to Darwin all species relate back to common ancestor. The same species become different due to the compulsions created by nature. He called this process ‘Evolution by natural selection.’ He compared this process to selective breeding. The only difference being the absence of human interference and presence of challenges posed by nature which compelled the species to change, to adapt to the challenges. So far it seems logical. The problem arises when Darwin calls this process of adaptation as evolution. The term ‘evolution’ is capable of two or may be three different meanings.

Meaning of Evolution

All languages on earth are divided in two parts. One is the labels. Second is time of action i.e. past, present or future. This is true of all languages. Now the labels are given to everything from people to actions to places, objects or creatures. Evolution is an action and its antonyms are revolution and devolution. Revolution refers to fast paced change. Devolution means change which decreases the quality. Now the Evolution being the opposite, it is presumed to have opposite quality of both which would mean slow-paced change for better. But did evolution really happen in this manner? Continue reading →