Life is a product of both chance and necessity from "summary" of Making Sense of Life by Evelyn Fox KELLER,Evelyn Fox Keller
Life is a product of both chance and necessity. Chance is the spontaneous, unpredictable element that introduces randomness and variability into the evolutionary process. Necessity, on the other hand, is the deterministic force that constrains and shapes the outcomes of evolution. Chance plays a crucial role in the generation of genetic variation through processes like mutation and genetic recombination. These random events introduce new genetic material into populations, creating the raw material for natural selection to act upon. Without chance, there would be no novelty, no innovation, and no diversity in the living world. Necessity, on the other hand, imposes constraints on the evolutionary process. Natural selection favors certain traits over others based on their adaptive value in a given environment. Differential survival and reproduction lead to the accumulation of beneficial traits and the elimination of deleterious ones, driving the evolution of organisms towards greater complexity and sophistication. The interplay between chance and necessity is what gives rise to the astonishing diversity and complexity of life on Earth. Chance introduces randomness and unpredictability, while necessity imposes order and direction on the evolutionary process. Together, they shape the trajectory of evolution, determining which organisms thrive and which perish in the struggle for existence.- Life is a delicate balance between chaos and order, between randomness and predictability. It is a dynamic and ever-changing process, driven by the interplay of chance and necessity. Without chance, life would stagnate and become stagnant. Without necessity, life would descend into chaos and disorder. It is the delicate dance between these two forces that gives rise to the wonder and beauty of the living world.
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