Evolution vs. Adaptation (On Darwin's DNA)

I am having trouble distinguishing between evolution and adaptation. Am I wrong in assuming that the term evolution refers to biological changes, including, but not limited to DNA, genetic mutations etc. while adaptation refers more to behavioral modifications that may aid in natural selection? Animals evolve new features to improve their chances of reproductive success and survival (spots or stripes or the ability to camoflauge oneself on any backdrop prove to impart an advantage for attracting mates, hiding from or confusing predators, or gaining access to food- as Carroll explains) which are preserved as small changes in DNA.
In David's diary entry on page 25 he states that If you can imagine without real consequence, then you have a better chance of living if you have already played out competing strategies. Ha! and I always thought that thinking too much was a bad thing! It turns out it is my evolutionary advantage!We do not see the world as it is, we see the world as We are.Again, we discuss how the brain lies to us as a survival mechanism. Consciousness has arisen as an evolutionary defense in order for us to imagine all of these possibilites before actually having to make a decsion in the real world that could affect whether we live or die. For example the drowning man who has been saved and has time to reflect on what he could have or should have done, what he would do differently the next time etc. So, if consciousness can be reduced to neurofunction, it seems that it would be theoretically possible to create a machine or computer that replicates human behavior using probability programming and eliminative functions. However, I believe that the complexity of human consciousness lies in the ability to observe, learn and experience different stimuli as it is presented to us in the world. If all three of these are necessary components then the trouble in creating artificial intelligence lies in replicating all three of these vital points in a cumulative fashion in order to re-create consciousness.
If there is such a thing as a soul, then cloning would raise questions regarding whether the newly cloned creature (Dolly the sheep for example) has a "soul" and where Dolly's "consciousness" comes from. If we are able to clone a human, does the clone have a soul? where does it come from? Will this clone be inferior in any way; biologically, intellectually, emotionally, spiritually to its "original" counterpart?
As children develop, gaining most of their understanding of the world from the first 5 years of their life, we can literally observe neural connections being made regularly. We tend to make the same mistakes repeatedly until we finally learn the lesson, after that the chances of making the same mistake diminish greatly.