A Brief History of Evolutionary Thought

Flashcards covering key vocabulary from Dr. Cavanagh's lecture on evolutionary thought.

Scientific Theory

A well-substantiated explanation acquired through the scientific method and repeatedly tested and confirmed through observation and experimentation.

Scientific Law

A statement based on repeated experimental observations that describes some aspects of the universe.

Natural Selection

The process through which species evolve, characterized by the survival and reproduction of individuals with favorable traits.

Fixity of Species

The idea that species, once created, can never change; opposed to biological evolution.

Binomial Nomenclature

A formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, typically Latin, consisting of the genus and species.

Catastrophism

The theory that the Earth has been affected by a series of sudden, short-lived, and violent events.

Uniformitarianism

The viewpoint that the geological processes observed in the present are the same as those that occurred in the past.

Inheritance of Acquired Characteristics

A discredited biological hypothesis that physiological changes acquired over the life of an organism may be transmitted to offspring.

Geographical Isolation

A condition in which a population of organisms is separated by a physical barrier, leading to the formation of new species.

Genome

The complete set of genes or genetic material present in a cell or organism.

Evolutionary Myth: Evolution denies God

The misconception that evolutionary theory negates the existence of a deity.

Theory of Evolution

The scientific explanation of the origin of species which posits that evolution occurs through natural selection and other mechanisms.