In his article “The Columbian Voyages, the Columbian Exchange, and Their Historians,” Alfred W. Crosby argues that the overall impact of the Columbian voyages was detrimental to various cultures, particularly the Native Americans. Crosby supports his viewpoint by highlighting factors like the slave trade and the conquest of Native American tribes.
One significant consequence of this exchange was a drastic decline in the Native American population, as explained by Crosby. He attributes this decline to multiple factors: European conquest, cultural disruption caused by European attempts at converting Amerindians to Christianity, and the introduction of new and deadly microorganisms into their ecosystem. These microorganisms or viruses had devastating effects on a population with no prior exposure to them. According to Crosby, Europeans played a role in reducing the Amerindian population through this means. However, he fails to acknowledge that introducing new viruses and diseases into a culture is an inevitable occurrence.
Disease is a necessary component of an ecosystem for several reasons. Firstly, it serves as one of nature’s natural mechanisms to maintain balance and control population. By acting as a check, disease helps regulate the population of humans, who occupy the top position in the food chain. Without natural predators in the wild, humans would experience unchecked population growth. This phenomenon would result in increased consumption at the top of the food chain and the subsequent elimination of predators at the lower levels. Consequently, this would lead to the overpopulation of creatures lower in the food chain, causing irreparable harm to the delicate ecosystem.
Thomas Malthus suggested another justification for the need for disease. As per his Malthusian Law, the population will expand quickly while the food supply will increase at a slower pace. Essentially, the population will surpass the food supply, resulting in famine and mortality. Nevertheless, disease functions as a natural regulator that prevents this situation from happening. By restricting population growth, disease enables the food supply to match up with the expanding population, thus sustaining a harmonious ecosystem. The implementation of the Malthusian Law would undoubtedly occur if there were no diseases constraining population growth.
Exposure to viruses can have benefits for future generations, such as increased longevity and productivity. While diseases are not solely caused by the need to control population growth, being exposed to a specific virus can enhance the next generation’s ability to combat it. This is because all living beings, including humans, undergo an ongoing evolutionary process that allows them to adapt to their changing environment. Adapting to diseases is one aspect of this progression.
When an individual encounters a virus, their body produces antibodies for defense. Weaker individuals may initially succumb to the virus, but survivors develop natural resistance through these antibodies. These antibodies are then inherited by subsequent generations, contributing to humanity’s overall survival by increasing natural resilience towards that particular virus.
Viruses contribute to the advancement of science by prompting a rush in medical science to find cures with each new virus discovery. Furthermore, every new epidemic provides valuable insights and progress in understanding and treating diseases. The Bubonic Plague, for instance, was crucial in realizing that bleeding as a treatment for diseases was ineffective. Numerous breakthroughs in medical science have stemmed from researchers or doctors seeking cures for specific diseases. As long as there are diseases and viruses that doctors cannot comprehend or cure, medical science will continue its pursuit for answers.
Although sickness and disease cannot be completely eradicated from society, they play a natural role in the world’s ecosystem. As medicine advances to combat viruses, they continue to become more lethal and alarming. Despite being horrifying and deadly, Ebola and AIDS are still part of this natural cycle.
