People often view themselves as a product of an evolutionary process that is progressing toward increased complexity and consequently a more evolved species. Biologists are no exception.
Although it is not intentional, biologists still imply through their publications that evolution moves directionally, with humans beings being an endpoint. If the idea of evolution being a nonlinear process is so key to the theory, then why do so many scientists still hold this directional bias?
When using alternative models for cell research, literature suggests that it is most common to find explanations of genes being conserved “from species X, to humans”, which implies moving from a “lower” to “higher” level organism. Complexity may result from evolution, but it is not directly correlated to the level of evolution the species resides in.
This deep rooted bias is a notion that is not backed in either scientific significance, or reality. It’s rather a remnant of past ideologies in which all living things are in a progression of perfection toward the divine.
This article discusses the directional bias that is still held among the scientific community and how dismantling the idea could open the doors for further research into seemingly simple models.
