This refers to the changes in the physical characteristics of an organism caused by deliberate human intervention in its genetic makeup. Volitional evolution is made possible by recent advances in the science of biotechnology which allows human beings to engineer the genetic composition of various organisms according to their own desires. This is in contrast to the predominant form of evolution throughout history, facilitated by the process of natural selection. The term was coined by American biologist Edward O. Wilson who warned about the ethical problems posed by the deliberate manipulation of genes by human beings.
