isms are specialized in order to perform certain tasks in response to environmental conditions. Those organisms able to adapt to changing conditions and to develop a new functional use for an organ or body part will survive better than those that do not make such adaptation. The adaptation can be singular and minor or can involve the entire organism as it changes from one function or environment to another. A species is able to adapt in the Darwinian view when it has sufficient genetic variance to have what amount to a lot of "choices" so that some adaptations will be successful and will be passed on to subsequent generations. Darwin explained the idea of specialization by examining the facts as observed and developing theories to explain those facts.
Earlier in this century, Social Darwinism took an almost mystical and religious belief in the forces of natu
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