Author:
Wade A. Tisthammer
|
[
Next Thread |
Previous Thread |
Next Message |
Previous Message
]
Date Posted: 02/20/02 2:09pm
In reply to:
Damoclese
's message, "Punctuated Equilibrium talk" on 02/18/02 7:09pm
>Often it seems the media hypes the differences between
>Punctuated Equilibrium and the more gradualistic
>version of evolution as proffered by Darwin. Many
>people in the creationist camps have seized upon this
>fact as an obvioius contradiction against gradualistic
>evolution, but are as usual, arguing against the wrong
>idea.
>
>If we were to ask Darwin "Hey Darwin! As a general
>rule how would you say species change?" Darwin would
>say "Species change very gradually over the space of
>lots of time."
>
>However, if we were to say to Darwin "Hey Darwin, how
>would a species change if the world turned six degrees
>cooler globally tomorrow?" Darwin would say "More
>quickly than they might otherwise, because if they
>failed to change more quickly, they would die." If we
>were to follow up that question with "What do you mean
>by quickly?" Darwin might say 10,000 years, or 100,000
>years as opposed to millions, which still doesn't
>sound too quickly.
If I recall correctly, the concept of punctuated equilibrium was formed well after Darwin’s death, and Darwin himself espoused only gradualism, not such rapid evolution. Even so, I must confess that, either way, I'm not much in the business of predicting what dead men might have said. Are you Damoclese? ;)
[
Next Thread |
Previous Thread |
Next Message |
Previous Message
]
|
Feedback: 