Question

In evolutionary terms, can one organism be considered more evolved than another? Why is this concept largely meaningless in biology?

A) More evolved is a relative term indicating increased complexity in organisms' evolutionary history, although it holds limited significance in biological contexts.
B) Evolution does not equate to increased complexity, and more evolved lacks scientific basis due to its implication of linear progression in evolution.
C) Comparing generations or divergences between species may suggest relative levels of evolution but remains a qualitative measure.
D) More evolved is used to describe features appearing recently in the evolutionary record, yet the term lacks specificity and conflates morphological change with overall evolution.

Answer 1

The concept of one organism being more evolved than another lacks scientific merit in biology because B) Evolution does not equate to increased complexity, and more evolved lacks scientific basis due to its implication of linear progression in evolution.

Step-by-step explanation:

The concept of one organism being more evolved than another is largely meaningless in biology. Evolutionary processes do not inherently lead to increased complexity, and the idea of "more evolved" implies a linear progression in evolution, which is not scientifically supported.

Evolution is a branching and diverging process, and each species has its unique evolutionary history.

Therefore, considering one organism as more evolved than another oversimplifies the complexity and diversity of evolutionary pathways. Option B accurately reflects the scientific understanding that evolution does not necessarily equate to increased complexity, and the notion of one organism being more evolved lacks a valid scientific basis.