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I watched a program once that said that one of the reasons they are so big is to allow them to communicate over large distances. Is there any truth in that? It

• dredmorbius 9y ago
  A problem with any such rationalisation is that evolution is not teleological. Animals don't seek to become anything, evolutionarily. But characteristics and traits offer fitness advantages over alternatives. It's also difficult to disambiguate primary vs. secondary effects and consequences.
  • emiliobumachar 9y ago
    Gp's claim does not imply teleology of any kind; it's entirely plausible in terms of increasingly larger animals being selected for their hability to communicate over increasingly larger distances. Finding mates in a larger volume of ocean comes to mind.
    • dredmorbius 9y ago
      It has causality backwards. Teleology itself is ... complicated. It likes it that way.