Resolved, THAT MAN ORIGINATED FROM APE

I. INTRODUCTION

The issue about the origin of man has been argued for many years. There are two general
concepts or schools of thought regarding the origin of man.

A. It is admitted that the church as written by the Evangelists who were said to be
inspired by God and later supported by the Christians, preach the following
beliefs:
1. That in the Biblical concept, the first man was created by God out of
clay.
2. That, man was created into the image & likeness of God .
3. That, the first woman was created by God out of the ribs of man.
4. That, this first couple became the Father and Mother of the whole human
race.

B. These beliefs are opposed to the scientific concept which is supported by theories,
discoveries, observations, and experiments which teach the following:
1. That, our ancestors evolved from the apes.
2. That, man originated from the apes through evolution.
3. That, apes gradually took the physical and behavioral features of man
due to genetic variation.

The issue is: Where did man originate?

C. This question must be decided by considering the following points:

1. Does evolution directly explain the origin of man?
2. Are there indications that man originated from ape?
3. Which appears to be nearer to the real truth, as to the origin of man- the
Biblical or Scientific Explanation?

The affirmative proposes to prove its case by establishing three facts.

A. Evolution directly explains the origin of man.

B. There are indications that man originated from ape.
C. The scientific explanation appears to be nearer the real truth as to the origin of
man.

\
II. DISCUSSION

A. Evolution explains the origin of man.

First, let us define evolution. Evolution is the changes that occur generation by
generation in the genetically controlled characteristics of organisms. The study of
evolution is fundamental to the understanding of any field of biology. No serious
biologist today doubts the fact of evolution, the development of all living organisms from
previously existing types under the control of evolutionary process, an understanding of
the manner in which evolution takes place should provide all the evidence necessary to
convince men with open minds of the reality of this phenomenon.

Man ,like other organisms, has undergone gradual changes that resulted to major
transformations. In the course of evolution, man passed through many changes. There
were evolutionary forces that made man evolved from the apes- gene mutation, natural
selection and genetic drift.

The genes contain the reproductive cells which transmit the traits of the parents to
the offspring but due to mutation, this gene mutates and as time progresses this gene will
continue to vary. Genetic variation is the basis of evolutionary change, without it
evolution must necessarily stop.

Natural selection on the other hand, was encourage to eliminate those individuals
least fitted for survival it favored the features of an organism that brought it into a more
efficient adaptive relationship with its environment, and accounted for the fact that every
living creature is constructed to live in a certain environment. Evolution through selection
brings about improvement in adaptive relations between organisms and their
environment. Selection has been the principal force operating over millions of years to
facilitate the development of new adaptations to the worlds environment and is
responsible fir the evolution of the present diversity in life the characteristics thus,
favored by selection are passed on to the next generation. Strong positive selection for all
the characteristics essential to man’s dominance of his environment explains the rapid
shift from ape to man during the last one million years.

B. There are indications that man originated from ape.

When the issue that man originated from ape was revealed, there were many critics that
raised their questions and doubts. In answer to this questions, biologist develop the most
generally accepted theory of evolution as supported by the material evidences, observations, and
theories of basic evolutionary process.
 An important body of evidence for human evolution is provided by an extensive array of
fossil remains. It has been obvious to the majority of biologist for 200 years that men and apes
are close allies. The rather recent funds of premature fossil apes indicate an even closer affinity
than was originally suspected. The similarities between man and the manlike apes have led to a
general theory of a common ancestry of the 2 groups, a theory enhanced by the similarities
between primitive fossil apes and human species. It has only been recently, however, that the
crucial fossil evidence of man’s origin has been in a series of exciting discoveries in Central &
South Africa. Although the similarities in many features between man & apes were obvious,
there were also some differences. These differences provided some basis for doubt as to the
evolution of man from higher apes. Then a series of extremely important funds gradually field in
the gap between the 2 groups. The 1st was made by Prof. Dart in 1923. He called it
Australopithecus, consisted of a single skull that combined a number of human & ape
characteristics. In 1959, Dr. Leabey found a human skull. He named it Zinjanthropus,
Zinjanthropus that fool-making ability appeared in human evolution before the enlargement of
the brain. It was estimated that Zinjanthropus lived around 1,750,000 years ago. Among the
significant figures of Zinjanthropus is the fact that it combined certain features found to
distinguish between later species of man. For ex. , certain skull characteristics link the near-man
to the very primitive Java & Peking men which were categorized as Homo Erectus.

In the study of Mary C. King and A.C Wilson, such comparison of ape & human nuclei
and show that only 1.17 % of human DNA(deoxynebonucleic acid) differs from that of ape .
Other studies revealed that ape has 48 chromosomes and man 46. The chromosomes of man &
ape have similar genetic content. Human and ape have identical amino acid sequences in at least
5 proteins, including 3 of those found in Hemoglobin molecules.

Despite striking anatomical & behavioral differences between human & apes at the
genetic level we do not differ very much from them. These differences may not even appear if
there is no genetic variation but if there will be no more genetic variation, apes will remain apes
and man will not exist.

C. The Scientific Explanation appears to be nearer the real truth, as to the origin of man.

The early speculations of man’s origin was based on Biblical explanations. It is purely
based on faith, Its facts were made facts only through faith but not through evidences of proofs
wherein the scientific explanation lies on educated and careful analysis of science. It gives a
vivid and detailed information about man’s origin. It is supported by scientific theories,
discoveries and studies. It also shows the role of evolution on man’s origin which is the primary
factor that explains how man evolved from apes.
III. CONCLUSION

The affirmative has proved its case by establishing the following:

A. Evolution has something to do with man’s origin because through its evolutionary
forces man became a descendant of apes.
i. Through gene mutation, there were gradual changes that resulted to
major transformation.
ii. Through Natural Selection, all the characteristics essential to man’s
dominance of his environment resulted to rapid shift from ape to man.

B. There are indications that man originate from the apes, because
1. There are fossil remains that show the similarity of man & ape.
2. At the genetic level, we do not differ very much from the apes.

C. The scientific explanation is nearer to the real truth as to the origin of

man, for
1. It gives a vivid and detailed illustration of evolution.
2. It is based on educated and careful studies.
3. It is supported by scientific theories and discoveries.

We, the affirmative side, therefore maintain that through evolution man originated from the
apes.