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I hear this kind of “it exists because it has to exist” thing from non-bioscience types a lot. Essentially, this is just a tautological statement.
by VeninVidiaVicii 3y ago
I hear this kind of “it exists because it has to exist” thing from non-bioscience types a lot. Essentially, this is just a tautological statement.
- morley 3y agoI don't read "it exists because it has to exist" in the parent's statement. They're saying that there's an advantage one way and a disadvantage another, and evolution favors advantages. I wouldn't characterize a statement like that as a tautology, and I don't think the author deserves your dig for it.
- VeninVidiaVicii 3y agoIn my opinion there’s a general fundamental misunderstanding on the purpose of theories. I see it all the time — attempts to explain why something is useful simply because it exists (re: popular science evolution). There are loads of suboptimal traits that are counterbalanced by something else.
- ars 3y ago> and evolution favors advantages The question was how, not why. Your answer is like saying "how does the eye focus light" and answering "so that you can see".
- bane 3y agoTautologies may be unsatisfying, but there's nothing specifically wrong with them.
- VeninVidiaVicii 3y agoIt is what it is.