Metaphor Of Natural Selection

Natural selection is a scientific principle, commonly used in biology, to describe one of the processes in which organisms evolve. When used a metaphor for knowledge, the organisms become ideas, or pieces of knowledge. The development of knowledge within any discipline develops along the same lines as organisms may evolve, making this metaphor extremely useful. For the purpose of this essay, a “useful” metaphor is one which provides a clear comparison between the metaphor and subject, and which accurately describes that subject through metaphor.

On the surface, natural selection has three core principles, which will be discussed in this essay. These principles are that organisms produce more offspring than can survive, organisms evolve

Individuals and groups in our society are constantly coming up with new ideas, or making claims about knowledge. So many of these ideas are produced that it is impossible for all of them to take hold, and become more widely accepted by society. Within certain disciplines, this phenomena also occurs. As individuals in a discipline work and research, they will hypothesise, or theorise on certain ideas. Most of these ideas are never successful. Examples are extremely common in literature. When we look at a literary work as a knowledge claim, it shows how only very few become mainstream and accepted by a wider society. What comes from this phenomena is literature that fits into the current society being the most popular, and thus inspiring new literature. The theory of post-modernism suggests that most literature is un-original, or at least based off of the same outline as past works. Within the discipline of literature, the metaphor is evidently useful. No matter how many works of literature are produced, not all will become mainstream, or stay relevant. Those that do end up remaining will inspire future works, just as the organism that survive will produce more offspring. This part of the metaphor gives knowers perspective on the body of knowledge which they use. Understanding that the knowledge we use, and that is widely accepted is only a small fraction of all knowledge,

If society’s current perceptions do not accept a new knowledge claim, the knowledge cannot survive. We often see this happen with political parties whose platforms do not fit with the majority’s opinions. These parties, though they may have valid ideas, are often rejected by society, and the claims that they make go with them. Much like how an organism cannot survive if it does not fit with its environment, the same happens with knowledge. As society progresses, knowledge must evolve, and if it fails to do so, the knowledge is left behind, and does not fit into the new society. Examples are often found in scripture, or other religious writing. Some ancient rules of particular religions are seen by modern society as archaic, or discriminatory. Looking to the Christian bible, we find an example. "If there is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman, both of them have committed a detestable act; they shall surely be put to death. Their bloodguiltiness is upon them," (North American Standard Bible, Lev. 18:22) This passage suggests that homosexuals should be killed, because they have committed a sin. While this interpretation of the bible was socially acceptable until quite recently, society has come to reject this law. Many Christians today are accepting of homosexuals, and society has moved on, in many areas from the