i was wondering what how evolution accounts for aging? i’m sure there must be some theory.
Evolution is concerned with survival and successful reproduction. Once an organism has reproduced successfully, and its offspring are viable away prom the parental units, evolution doesn’t come into play for the parent organism. It’s free to enjoy the effects of free radicals and entropy on its cellular repair structure; i.e. aging.
As is often the case, this has been asked before. See the thread Evolution question - why does everything die?
if i get the just of it, the explanation is we age becouse we would die of calamity before old age in nature, so aging is not something to worry about. interesting, i don’t belive evolution, but i still like to learn these things. i’ll see if i can track down a copy of the book.
sorry about the repost of a question and thanks for the link to an answer.
Just for the record – whether you “believe” in it or not, evolution is a fact. If I stop “believing” in gravity I will still hit the ground if I jump out the window, and if I don’t “believe” in germs I can still get the flu. The only debate among true scientists is over the details of the mechanism.
If we dont die, then we cannot evolve with each new generation, as there will be no new generation. Evolution is necessary to adapt to surroundings and changes in circumstance.
Just thought I’d mention that this is exactly what my father studies. Actually, he focuses more on the mechanincs of aging (at a genetic level) than the evolutionary perspective, but they’re pretty close. It’s a fascinating field, but unfortunately, I’ve never thought to take notes during my conversations with my dad, so I can’t add much myself.
a lot of people said things were facts, but that does not make them true. some belived the earth was flat. a flate earth was a fact for these people. unrefutable evidence these people had that the earth was flat. man, as history shows, is far from invinceble to error. gravity and germs i do not dispute. the Bible contridicts nether. nor the way evolution would happen. i just don’t belive it has had time to happen. any way i don’t feel like getting in to an argument. faith and science arguements just end up flustrating both parties.
any way i try to keep up to date on evolution amoung many other things (some of which i also disagree with) because i like to look ar things from other points of view in addition to my own. i think if everyone tried that the world would be a better place.
Read some of the books by Richard Dawkins - all is explained in this respect.
Not to get too distracted, but…
Huh? If we didn’t die and we didn’t reproduce…maybe…nope…I still don’t get what you’re trying to say.
Evolution is an effect, a process by which life changes in response to a suite of factors. I’m not to sure that thinking of it as a requirement will give much insight. But hey…I’ve been wrong once or twice…
Back to the OP and the search for Evolution’s explanation of aging…
Again, I think that things might make a little more sense if you think about it from a different angle. (Libras represent! :p)
I think it would be safe to say that the concept of “aging” can be taken, to some degree, outside of the realm of “life”.
A mountain “ages” into sand over time.
Since the phenominon of change and decay over time occures outside of the phenominon of “life”…because of the fact that it also happens to the environment in which life on earth came to be…an assumption can be made that aging is as much of a enigmatic given as gravity.
And like gravity, it is what evolution does and has done with the phenominon of aging as a given that I believe netscape 6 might be interested in reading about.
To continue with my “aging is as gravity” line of thought…
Gravity and evolution’s collaberation can be seen in the inner ear. (I’m going to butcher this, but the details can be hashed out by those more in the know…). Inside the human ear is a chamber full of fine hairs and a fluid. The fluid moves around in the chamber, as the chamber moves in 3D space. Depending on which direction gravity is pulling, the fluid will move toward that force. The hairs lining the inside of the chamber register the changes in this fluid, and our nervous system interprets that data so that we know which direction is up. Using fields like comparative anatomy, we can see how this structure has evolved over time.
Aging and evolution’s collaberation might be seen in a similar fashion in gorillas. Silverback males are the primary harem herders and reproducers in gorilla populations. Among other things, the very presence of the “silver” hairs on the male’s body…the grey hairs of maturity…are a factor in his success as a harem leader and reproducer…and therefor higher chances of success in his offspring, etc. Gorillas have evolved a behavioral acknowlegement that a silverback male is old enough to be functionally reproductive and experienced enough in life to benefit the group. Being able to determine a more aged male from a juvenile of questionable virility is a good thing.
These are just a couple of really really simplified (ie gutted) examples. I really tried to think of a better example of how evolution and aging intersect, but it is kinda late…and I dig gorillas…
My point was, that if we were immortal, there would be no reproduction.
Or rather, there wouldnt NEED to be…hang on I’m gettin lost here…nevermind :dubious:
Time for bed.