Darwin and IE

X99Lynx at aol.com X99Lynx at aol.com
Wed Jan 27 01:06:46 UTC 1999


In a message dated 1/26/99 12:33:18 PM, M. Hubey wrote:

<<and I am not saying that it is only me. "The survival of the fittest"
has no predictive value; it certainly isn't even close to Saussure's or
Maxwell's work. The only thing we have now alive are those who survived and
therefore they must have been the fittest. That sounds like two words meaning
the same thing because they are equivalent.>>

I have a feeling that you may not be thoroughly familiar with this particular
subject.  "The only things we have now alive are those who survived and
therefore they must have been the fittest," I believe is the official theme of
the NFL playoffs.  And although it may have some semblance to evolution, they
are not quite the same.  For one thing, a great many of the subjects studied
by evolutionary science are quite dead, and have been for a long time.
"Survival of the fittest" is a term of limited application that hasn't really
been at the core of evolutionary study for about 130 years.

Evolutionary science focuses on proof and processes that must be totally
confirmed by hard sciences, particularly geology and biochemistry.

I think that, with your appreciation of mathematics, computer sciences,
probability theory and the scientific method, you will be pleasantly pleased
by such studies as "Late Precambrian and early Cambrian Metazoa: statistical
evidence of periodic extinctions,"  "Statistical influence of siphonophore
behavior upon natural diets:  Evidence for agressive mimicry," "Cortical
cytoplasm and evolution," and my favorite, "The gall wasp genus Cynips: a
study in the origin of a specie," by none other than A.C. Kinsey (of the
Report fame) 1930.

It would be interesting to know what serious scientists today consider
evolutionary science vague or tautological.  I suspect there aren't too, too
many.

BTW, a great introduction to this science is contained in the books of Stephen
Jay Gould.  "Hen's teeth and Horse's Toes" is a good one.

Regards,
Steve Long



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