Chicken or the Egg, a classic dilemma

• By: Bob Mutascio
• On: 03/23/2009 01:05:10
• In: General
• Comments: 0

THE CHICKEN OR THE EGG

The causality dilemma commonly stated as "which came first, the chicken or the egg?"

An Analysis of the Classic Conundrum

     This timeworn cliché has always puzzled me. On first hearing it as a child, I was probably as puzzled as everyone else. I didn’t know any better. But after classes in biology, chemistry and it child biochemistry, and the study of evolution, mutation, fertility and reproduction, I do not understand why it is still considered a dilemma. I submit that modern science has rendered the question moot.

     The egg came first.

     It seems obvious, that an egg hatched and the first chicken came out of it.

     But the chicken-first group says that only a chicken can lay a chicken egg. Or something to that effect.

     So where did that chicken come from?

     It wasn’t born from an egg, hence the dilemma.

     Did some prehistoric chickasaurus (as I like to think of it) morph into a chicken and then lay that proverbial first chicken egg? Of course not. There’s no scientific proof whatever for the morphing of species, as adults capable of reproduction.

     But there is a plenty of proof for eggs (both the hatched and of mammalian origin) morphing upon hatching and then fertilization. Only we now call it the science of genetics. New variations of species are constantly being created by the mixing of genes. I’m half-French and half-Italian, with characteristics from both of my parents. MY mother was 100% French. My own dog was a combination of Collie, German Shepherd, Beagle, a little Setter plus who knows what else. Her mother was half Collie and half-German Shepherd. No one would suggest that she morphed herself into a dog having that other genetic heritage, or that my mother morphed inot having Italian features. No, they came from the combination of genetic material from both mother AND father. There is also the possibility of genetic mutation from other sources, such as cosmic rays, radiation or other environmental factors causing changes in DNA.

     These can only occur in vitro.

     Ergo, the egg came first.

     It astounded me that this dilemma should actually be a dilemma. I’m happy to say, I actually found a couple of sources that had also thought the problem. The first comes from CNN. Click here to read the article. Also, the web site ‘How Stuff Work?’ has a page on the dilemma here.

     Conundrum solved.

Copyright © 2009, Bob Mutascio, All rights reserved.