ANTH 120 -- Evolution (3) From a scientific view, evolution itself simply means ?change over time," and it is an observation of the world, not a theory. Charles Darwin hypothesized that the change in species he saw was caused by ?natural selection." His ideas shook the scientific and religious world, and this upheaval continues today. In this course, we will explore the origins of evolutionary thought, the ways evolution occurs, and how natural selection and the other evolutionary forces have shaped the world around us. Gen Ed: SB credit.