Naturally Artificial Selection
Instinctive behavior in animals drives behaviors that assist them in the process of survival and reproduction. By these mechanisms, each species, according to its own order, will tend to adhere to optimal solutions for shelter, food, and propagation of young. While humans are born with some instincts for survival during infancy (such as the ability to root for food, suck, and grasp), we are sorely lacking in other areas. Rats, for instance, will select a balanced diet when available; if lacking a certain nutrient they will seek out close substitutes (Feldman 257). Many other animals follow this trend of eating based on instinctive internal cues as well. As a result, it is quite rare for animals to become obese or suffer diet-related birth defects. Humans, on the other hand, lack this instinctive drive. Many suffer from diet-related health and birth defects (such as heart disease and obesity) even in the presence of an adequate food supply (Feldman 256). Without instincts to prevent such problems, humans must rely on the use of their brains to explore and learn the best eating solutions, and then to teach others to apply them. Pregnant women, thus, are urged to follow certain prescribed dietary recommendations, such as taking folic acid to prevent Spina Bifida (March of Dimes). Thus, we help overcome our lack of internal eating sense by educating ourselves in order to help prevent birth defects among our offspring.
Other instinctive mechanisms help non-human species to prevent birth defects which could mar their genetic futures. Through the choosing of genetically superior, strong mates, animals give their young the best fighting chance. In a pride of lions, for instance, there is a “king” or dominant male so chosen for being the strongest in the group (he must have challenged, and defeated, the prior leader to achieve this honor). When mating season comes around, only this dominant male will mate with the pride’s females, and thus, the genetics of resulting cubs will contain those of the pride’s best. Similar behavior is seen among sea lions, where a territory’s dominant male will assemble a “harem” in order to reproduce (Pulse Planet). Humans, while selective about their mates, will often choose partners possessing known genetic disadvantages. In fact, social criticism is commonly doled out to those who admit to choosing partners based largely on positive physical or genetic traits. Instead, efforts are made to reduce the chance of defects in offspring by controlling genetic factors. Scientists are in a constant struggle to understand and pass on information on how to eliminate undesired defects. Mothers are warned to avoid substance use before and during pregnancy. Inter-family marrying is strictly illegal in many localities in order to avoid reinforcing possible negative traits, and blood tests are commonly required prior to marriage in order to check for possible incompatibilities. After conception, fetuses are tested in utero for certain defects, and the option to terminate such pregnancies has been set in place. Those found to have a high risk of passing on problematic genes are often urged not to attempt conception at all, as in the case of Project Prevention. This multi-state private organization pays money to drug addicts in exchange for being rendered unable to conceive by way of long term bith control (Hornblower 441). This approach helps decrease the number of offspring possessing drug-induced genetic malformations, as well as the genetic trait for addiction itself. In turn, this reduces the chance of these traits being passed along to future generations. Deliberate measures such as these are helping makind to filter the gene pool and balance the evolutionary books in humans’ favor, and so the struggle to find ways to give ourselves every advantage continues on.
As both the private sector and scientific communities alike move ahead with research and application of genetic assistance, criticism over ethics has been fierce. How much and what type of genetic manipulation is appropriate has been an issue of volatile debate. Yet it cannot be ignored that we are a race with large gaps in instinctive survival traits. In response to this seeming oversight, nature has seen fit to provide us with alternate means of ensuring our perpetuation. We are endowed with an aptitude for thinking on a level more complex than possibly any other life form on our planet, along with the ability to fashion and use tools above that of any other species. With these resources so generously bestowed upon us, it is virtually requisite for man to take them up and follow the natural order of life in contributing to our own species’ success. Indeed, our technological advances are not an artificial means to control nature, but rather our answer to nature’s drive, calling us to carry on.
