When children are intrigued by the concept of time travel, others often warn them of the danger of killing a butterfly when visiting the past. A child’s favorite animal could become vastly genetically different or even extinct, catalyzed by the untimely killing of that one particular butterfly. This is a common science-fiction motif, aptly named the “butterfly effect.” The butterfly effect can be generally stated as “small changes can have large consequences,” but has been applied to many scientific fields, but is of utmost importance in a species’ evolution (Dizikes). While a child traveling to a former time is simply a naive whim, modern science has made altering nature’s evolutionary means a glaring reality, which exhibits the same dangers
…show more content…
While some unnecessary parts of organisms are discarded through the evolutionary process, reproductive organs will never evolve out because they are needed to allow a species to continue evolving. Fertility is described as a “nuisance” in Brave New World, and most women are sterile due to doses of male hormones delivered to their embryos (Huxley 13). Polygamy, as discussed above, is actually a phenomenon Darwin associated with higher-class organisms, stating that many wild mammals and some birds are polygamous, but lower-class animals have no evidence of practicing polygamy. However, polygamy is evolutionarily important in wild animals because one male can reproduce with several females, which will help the species proliferate. While this is important for the survival of less populated species, it can be hypothesized that humans may have lost their polygamous drive due to the threat of overpopulation, or the implications associated with a population’s genetic variance. Interference with evolution in Brave New World made humans lose that evolutionary quality, because the average person in the novel’s society has no qualms with frequent, promiscuous intercourse. Also, males are hormonally expected to be competitive over partners; Darwin’s theory of sexual selection “depends...on a struggle between the individuals of one sex, generally the males, for …show more content…
As Linda lies dying in the hospital, John rushes to visit her because he wants to know whether or not she may survive. The nurse he interacts with is shocked by his concern with his mother’s condition; when he is hysterical because the nurse said his mother will certainly die, she asks “Why, whatever is the matter?” (Huxley 199). Obviously, this nurse is not accustomed to people caring about death, even when someone watches a companion die. Furthermore, while John weeps at his mother’s bedside, a group of death-conditioning students are brought into the room. John, like most grieving family members would, wants the obnoxious children to be removed from the hospital room so he can mourn in solitude. The nurse, rather than compassionately dismissing the children, admonishes John for potentially interrupting their education; “They’re being death-conditioned...if I have any more of your interference with their conditioning, I’ll send for the porters to have you thrown out” (Huxley 203). During this scene, Huxley shows the stark dichotomy between John’s more natural life, and the engineered society wherein death is not considered a loss. While there is not a specifically stated reason why John is upset, a reader can easily infer that John cares for his mother because she conceived and nurtured him, and he feels that he owes her his gratitude. This progression of thought is the main
While some unnecessary parts of organisms are discarded through the evolutionary process, reproductive organs will never evolve out because they are needed to allow a species to continue evolving. Fertility is described as a “nuisance” in Brave New World, and most women are sterile due to doses of male hormones delivered to their embryos (Huxley 13). Polygamy, as discussed above, is actually a phenomenon Darwin associated with higher-class organisms, stating that many wild mammals and some birds are polygamous, but lower-class animals have no evidence of practicing polygamy. However, polygamy is evolutionarily important in wild animals because one male can reproduce with several females, which will help the species proliferate. While this is important for the survival of less populated species, it can be hypothesized that humans may have lost their polygamous drive due to the threat of overpopulation, or the implications associated with a population’s genetic variance. Interference with evolution in Brave New World made humans lose that evolutionary quality, because the average person in the novel’s society has no qualms with frequent, promiscuous intercourse. Also, males are hormonally expected to be competitive over partners; Darwin’s theory of sexual selection “depends...on a struggle between the individuals of one sex, generally the males, for …show more content…
As Linda lies dying in the hospital, John rushes to visit her because he wants to know whether or not she may survive. The nurse he interacts with is shocked by his concern with his mother’s condition; when he is hysterical because the nurse said his mother will certainly die, she asks “Why, whatever is the matter?” (Huxley 199). Obviously, this nurse is not accustomed to people caring about death, even when someone watches a companion die. Furthermore, while John weeps at his mother’s bedside, a group of death-conditioning students are brought into the room. John, like most grieving family members would, wants the obnoxious children to be removed from the hospital room so he can mourn in solitude. The nurse, rather than compassionately dismissing the children, admonishes John for potentially interrupting their education; “They’re being death-conditioned...if I have any more of your interference with their conditioning, I’ll send for the porters to have you thrown out” (Huxley 203). During this scene, Huxley shows the stark dichotomy between John’s more natural life, and the engineered society wherein death is not considered a loss. While there is not a specifically stated reason why John is upset, a reader can easily infer that John cares for his mother because she conceived and nurtured him, and he feels that he owes her his gratitude. This progression of thought is the main