Re: Re: Defining Intelligent Design

David Campbell (bivalve@mailserv0.isis.unc.edu)
Wed, 28 Jan 1998 11:46:15 -0400

>In a message dated 1/27/98 4:34:11 PM, bivalve@mailserv0.isis.unc.edu (David
>Campbell) wrote:
><<Microevolution and macroevolution are not the best terms in this
>context, since the biological and paleontological use of the terms is
>different.
>>>
>Dave,
>
>I was not aware that "the biological and paleontological use of the terms is
>different". Would you be willing to explain the difference?
>
>Thanks,
>
>Bob

The statement was not clear, as I re-read it now. "Microevolution" and
"macroevolution" are widely used by people with young-earth, intelligent
design, etc. views. In that context, "microevolution" is "biological
evolution I believe in" and "macroevolution" is "biological evolution I
don't believe in", generally above a vaguely defined taxonomic level. In
the biological and paleontological contexts in which I've encountered the
terms, "microevolution" is the standard gradual evolution we observe at
population levels, and "macroevolution" is anything that happens only at
species-level and above. Some believe that this "microevolution" is
adequate to explain all biological change from abiotic molecules to the
present diversity of organisms; thus, they do not believe in macroevolution
but they believe that all life evolved without any gaps. The picture is
muddied a bit by ardent advocates of macroevolution, who may claim that all
higher-level biological evolution is macroevolution and thus make
definitions that sound rather like the first definition above. I would
suggest a phrase such as "I believe in limited evolution" rather than "I
don't believe in macroevolution" to convey the meaning of the first
definition.

David C.