Biology Assignment: A Critical Comparison of Biological and Cultural Evolution

Running head: BIOLOGY
BIOLOGY ASSIGNMENT
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1BIOLOGY ASSIGNMENT
Introduction:
Evolution can be defined as the recurrent changes that occur in life-forms with the
progression of generations. However, there are multiple perspectives of validating the
concept of evolution. This paper would critically compare and contrast the existing
similarities and dissimilarities between biological and cultural evolution.
Discussion:
Biological as well as cultural evolution is governed by the process of selection,
variation and hereditary transmission and exclusively operates on the basis of the
evolutionary algorithm which is a recursive and an iterative process. As mentioned by Portin,
a stark similarity has been noticed between cultural and biological evolution in terms of the
process of operation. The components of cultural evolution, such as ideas, processes,
religious beliefs and language operate on the guidelines of the evolutionary algorithm which
ensures ‘survival of the fittest’. This refers to the fact that, an environment inhabited by
diverse population, when subject to environmental stress would differentially select the fittest
organisms that can adapt to the change and deselect the poorly adapted organisms. For
instance, an offspring with a poor genetic constitution is likely to either be born disabled or
be stillborn because natural selection would not favour the baby with genetic defect. In the
same way, close-knit communities with limited cultural and linguistic diversity are likely to
succumb to environmental stress and be eliminated in the process of evolution. For instance,
the extinction of the cultural community of Taino can be studied as an example of natural de-
selection (Rozin, Paul and Jonathan). Also, cultural and biological evolution models are open
systems and do not merely involve permutation and combination. In addition to this, it should
also be noted that research studies have invariably treated the biological hereditary subunits
Genes homologous to the cultural subunits Memes and it is believed that evolution