Science by a Scientist: Competition or Cooperation

Those of you who follow my blogs or get my newsletters will know that, under the guise of Science by a Scientist, I’ve been working my way through how living beings are constructed. I began by explaining how tiny atoms work, then moved on to molecules, wrote about macromolecules, and finally discussed cells. Some life is made of cells. Arguably, we could stop there. But we are not.

Specialization is where it’s at

Unlike the cells of single-celled organisms, our cells are specialized. That is, they don’t perform all the functions of life. Liver cells do livery things; brain cells do brainy things; skin cells do skinny things. In more scientific terms, our cells are organized into tissues (epithelial, muscle, connective, and nervous), and these tissues are organized into organs, which in turn are organized into a body. This is accomplished through communication and cooperation.

For example, muscle cells contract as a single unit in response to a signal because they communicate with one another. The digestive system contains many types of cells and tissues, but they all work together to transform what you eat into usable nutrients and waste. Your cerebellum sends messages to your leg muscles, allowing you to walk. Even though you’re not aware of what is happening, it’s complicated. And it’s done through cooperation.

People Cooperate

Amazingly enough, the communication and cooperation don’t stop there. Think about families. There, the members also specialize in their roles. Grandparents spoil the kids, parents try to undo the damage, and kids love it. You get the picture. The families are part of small groups, such as clubs, workplaces, or churches, and the communities are part of a city. In our country, even the states communicate and cooperate to some degree. Iowa produces corn, Florida oranges, and Wisconsin cheese, but everyone eats the products.

I wish I could say that counties cooperate instead of compete, but we know that’s not true. However, if biology has something to teach us, perhaps they should. Enough politics. Back to biology.

Evolution by Competition or Cooperation

When Darwin proposed his theory of evolution, he hypothesized that the fittest survive; therefore, there is competition. No doubt, there is. I can see that when I look at the birds fighting for the seeds in my bird feeder. But does it make sense that competition should be the only mechanism whereby evolution progresses? After all, cells, tissues, organisms, families, communities, and so on are healthiest when their members cooperate. This theory is explained by the Templeton Foundation here.

Be Nice!

Of course, more questions need to be answered, such as how the variety originated. Although Darwin was unaware of DNA, genetics, or mutation, some scientists believe that variation arises through mutation. The mutations that are beneficial make the organisms fitter for their environment, thus they survive and compete out the others. Personally, I don’t see how what are essentially typos in DNA would lead to a better book (they never do in my case!). For now, let’s stick to what seems obvious. Cooperation is where it’s at. So, go be nice to your neighbor!