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             It’s a really interesting subject to think that random variation is random.  I believe in it and I believe it applies to the random variation between individuals in a species.  However, I wouldn’t go as far as to say that all of our life’s accomplishments are random, as Laura posted.  I just believe it means our variations are random, and with that variation, we each create a sense of self and purpose and choose what to be, see, believe etc, and who we become, our accomplishments in life etc. form as a result of that and are not technically random to ourselves.  I hope that made sense. 

            Also, I don’t think it is necessarily less comforting to know that evolution is random because we can not control the outcome. In fact, I don’t think that is true.  Yes, evolution does happen randomly, but once we are, i.e. once we become who we are, the rest it in our own hands.  Unless we are predisposed to having a chronic illness, we basically control our own health, we make our own decisions and we essentially control our own lives, is there nothing comforting about that???

            To continue, I liked the passage Hayley pointed out…that our brains have not changed much since the beginning.  Genetics has also shown us that our DNA (between human beings and even between some different species) is so similar! So, my question is, what has evolved, what is that a result of? And what are we really looking for when looking at evolution?  I have a feeling we are missing a bigger point….It seems that what has been evolving is mostly a result of human beings’ impact on the world and society, so maybe we ought to stop looking at the biological explanations and more at the humanistic ones?  Why and how are we interacting with each other, influencing each other, and changing the environment in which we live, which will change the evolutionary process?  Thus, we all, essentially, cause evolution.