Evolutionary theory explains the history of life from "summary" of The Structure of Evolutionary Theory by Stephen Jay Gould
The central concept of evolutionary theory is its ability to elucidate the history of life on Earth. Through the lens of evolution, we can trace the intricate pathways that have led to the diversity of species we see today. This explanatory power stems from the fundamental premise that all organisms are connected through a common ancestry, with modifications accumulating over time through the process of natural selection. By studying the patterns of similarity and difference among species, evolutionary biologists can infer the historical relationships between organisms. These relationships are often represented as branching diagrams known as phylogenetic trees, which depict the evolutionary history of a group of organisms. Through the analysis of these phylogenetic trees, scientists can reconstruct the sequence of events that have shaped the...
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