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Most layman I have talked to think of evolution as having a fitness function selecting for perfection. Most of these type of arguments end up being about enviro
by trapper 18y ago
Most layman I have talked to think of evolution as having a fitness function selecting for perfection. Most of these type of arguments end up being about environmental pressure selecting non-desired traits rather than evolution per se. It's a terminology problem. The arguments are correct if you ignore this.
I like "descent with modification" when explaining what evolution is to layman. They find it easier to understand as the term isn't so loaded.
- gravitycop 18y agoI like "descent with modification" when explaining what evolution is to layman. What, then, would devolution be?
- deleted 18y ago[deleted]
- kaens 18y agoDevolution is a nonsense concept.
- gravitycop 18y agoSo, then, are higher mammals and higher animals misnamed? http://www.google.com/search?q=%22higher+mammals%22 http://www.google.com/search?q=%22higher+mammals%22 http://www.google.com/search?q=%22higher+animals%22 http://www.google.com/search?q=%22higher+animals%22 The Encyclopedia Britannica mentions plants that are more highly evolved than others: http://www.google.com/search?q=%22highly+evolved+plants%22 http://www.google.com/search?q=%22highly+evolved+plants%22 http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/463192/plant http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/463192/plant for example, the most highly evolved plants reproduce by means of seeds, and, in the most advanced of all plants (angiosperms), a reproductive organ called a flower is formed.
- kaens 18y agoI'm confused as to what you think the term higher mammals or higher animals has to do with the term devolution. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devolution_(biological_fallacy) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devolution_(biological_fallacy)
- gravitycop 18y agoThe existence of higher mammals and higher animals implies the existence of lower mammals and lower animals, and therefore possible devolutionary directions.
- kaens 18y agoI suggest you read the wikipedia link? The terms higher and lower are, as far as I understand, mostly just there for classifying the amount of complexity present in an organism - there's not some "these organisms are better than these other ones" thing going on. Unless you mean something entirely different than what most people mean when they say "devolution", what you are referring to is just evolution. The same way that "reverse racism" is just racism.
- gravitycop 18y ago>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devolution_(biological_fallacy) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devolution_(biological_fallacy) I suggest you read the wikipedia link I read it before you gave the link. The discussion page conflicts with the current state of the main page. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Devolution_(biological_fallacy)#Supposed_non-existence_of_de-evolution http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Devolution_(biological_fal... evolution can be both 'progressive' and 'regressive'. [...] if a population deteriorates genetically it certainly is something like 'devolution', and this article completely ignores this issue. [...] deterioration, misconceptions aside, is a real thing, and we need to stop giving people the impression that it is only a 'fallacy'.
- kaens 18y ago