Lisa B.'s blog

The continual adoption of new fashions among the many styles of available clothing is similar to Darwin's theory of natural selection.  The driving force for fashion change is the need for social groups to express their unique identity through clothing, which fostered the rise of the fashion industry in the Industrial Age. Fashion culture has always been defined by change, its constant search for the newest design, which gives it a formal similarity with other systems that rely on continuous innovation (Purdy 1). Clothing, and more generally, style, can be important non-verbal representations of an individual's status in society.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia, and an important secondary cause of death in many industrialized nations. In the United States, it is estimated that 2.4 million to 4.5 million people currently have AD (Alzheimer's Disease: Unraveling the Mystery). Although AD is still incurable, within the past decade, researchers have focused on music therapy as a beneficial palliative treatment for geriatric patients who have AD, as well as a variety of other neurologic disorders.

As a theory of evolution, the origin of instinct by means of natural selection was one of Darwin's most significant theoretical challenges. The narrative of how Darwin articulated this role combines his understanding of the advancements of other scientists with his own observations and research, leading to his development of the concept of group selection. In The Descent of Man (1871) Darwin defined group selection as selection that produces characteristics that help others, including non-relatives, in an individual's group (Ruse 36).