2. Alternative Theories
Introduction Evidences for The Missing Irreducible Alternative
Conclusion
& History Darwin’s Link Complexity Theories
Alternative Theories to
Darwin’s Evolution
Cambrian Explosion Punctuated Equilibrium
(Punk Eek)
2
3. Cambrian Explosion
Introduction Evidences for The Missing Irreducible Alternative
Conclusion
& History Darwin’s Link Complexity Theories
• Cambrian explosion is the sudden appearance of complex, multi-
cellular life
• Only primitive one-celled organisms were known to exist
• A multitude floral and faunal species, including higher-order molluscs
and arthropods evolved rapidly
• Independent of common ancestors or precursors
3
4. Cambrian Explosion
Introduction Evidences for The Missing Irreducible Alternative
Conclusion
& History Darwin’s Link Complexity Theories
The Debate
• These organisms should have appeared last in the fossil record, after a
long accumulation of differences in a large number of transitional
forms
• This sudden explosion of life is a phenomenon that Darwin's natural
selection would be unable explain
4
5. Cambrian Explosion
Introduction Evidences for The Missing Irreducible Alternative
Conclusion
& History Darwin’s Link Complexity Theories
The Debate
• Earlier notions of Cambrian explosion unsupported
• Explosion rate equivalent to animal species
differentiation at other periods
• Famous radiation not so rapid
• Pace more often measured than believed
5
6. Cambrian Explosion
Introduction Evidences for The Missing Irreducible Alternative
Conclusion
& History Darwin’s Link Complexity Theories
Evidence Against Cambrian Explosion
• Trace Fossils
- Proof for presence of fairly complex animals before
Cambrian period
- Constitute animal burrows, fossilized waste remains and
feeding traces
- Founded earlier than what was believed
6
7. Cambrian Explosion
Introduction Evidences for The Missing Irreducible Alternative
Conclusion
& History Darwin’s Link Complexity Theories
Evidence Against Cambrian Explosion
• Small Fossils
- Wall-like structures
- Architarchs
- Appeared 2 billion years ago
- Evolved from increasingly spiny forms
- Evidence of the protections to combat predators before
Cambrian period
7
8. Punk Eek
Introduction Evidences for The Missing Irreducible Alternative
Conclusion
& History Darwin’s Link Complexity Theories
• Evolutionary change as abrupt, rapid
divergence,with periods of stasis between the
formation of new species
• Divergence process is negligible across evolutionary
history of most species, and only during
cladogenesis
• Opposes the Darwin’s theory of evolution, whereby
observable change within lineages is due to gradual
transformations among populations
8
9. Punk Eek
Introduction Evidences for The Missing Irreducible Alternative
Conclusion
& History Darwin’s Link Complexity Theories
Why Punk Eek
• Scarce number of fossilized transitional forms between species that
could be found
• Occurrence of a new genus in the fossil records is more abrupt than
that of a new species
• Contradicts the theory of evolution, which predicts that— the more
distant the species, the more transitional forms would exist
9
10. Punk Eek
Introduction Evidences for The Missing Irreducible Alternative
Conclusion
& History Darwin’s Link Complexity Theories
Evidence Against Punk Eek
• “Species of different genera and classes have not changed at the same
rate, or in the same degree”
• Differing rates of evolution at different time intervals would explain
the appearance of a temporary state of stasis
• Yet these periods of stasis, followed by rapid divergence itself does
not discount evolution as a phenomenon
10
11. Punk Eek
Introduction Evidences for The Missing Irreducible Alternative
Conclusion
& History Darwin’s Link Complexity Theories
Evidence Against Punk Eek
• Detractors often fail to note the process of fossilization is a biased
process
• More closely related species would preferentially preserved
• The “gaps” between more distantly related organisms would appear
more obvious
11
12. Punk Eek
Introduction Evidences for The Missing Irreducible Alternative
Conclusion
& History Darwin’s Link Complexity Theories
Evidence Against Punk Eek
• Punctuated equilibrium would not disprove evolution
• Merely describe differing rates within the process
12
14. Conclusion
Introduction Evidences for The Missing Irreducible Alternative
Conclusion
& History Darwin’s Link Complexity Theories
Darwinian Theory
•Controversies surrounding this theory despite
compelling evidences
•Much of the claims are often unsubstantiated
through scientific analysis
•Evolution is indeed an actual phenomenon
14
15. Introduction Evidences for The Missing Darwin’s Alternative
Conclusion
& History Darwin’s Link Black box Theories
15
