Natural And Artificial Selection In Charles Darwin's On The Origin Of Species

In Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species, Darwin identifies two different methods of adaptation that take place amongst organic species: natural and artificial selection. Instinctually, one may declare something as “natural” when it has not been tampered by direct human interference, and “artificial” when human intervention has changed the physical condition of that original characteristic. When comparing the two, many tend to favor the ease of efficiency that artificial selection has to offer. Natural selection – on the other hand – takes hundreds of years before an actual adaptation becomes a competitive advantage. In addition to quicker results, artificial selection allows for the manipulation of that specific species that satisfies the modifier, whether that be in a physical, psychological, or emotional way. Regardless of the positives of artificial selection, Darwin urges humans to delve deeper and uncover the plethora of flaws that exist within the framework of the unnatural. In fact, despite the glamorous potential of artificial selection, humanity …show more content…
Without struggle, one never learns to strengthen and develop their own organic traits. Furthermore, this reliance dwindles down to a multitude of species, which eventually cannot cease to exist within the realm of artificial conditions. In return, artificial selection increases the extinction rate of organic species and drastically alters individual variation. If certain species are modified to perform a certain task outside of their natural ability, then variation among species is reduced. In nature, natural selection accommodates the universal truth and variation, producing a world infinitely more suited for the complex conditions of life. Henceforth, artificial selection ignores the complexity of nature and removes individual variation among organic