RE: 'Directed' evolution?
Pim van Meurs (entheta@eskimo.com)
Sat, 19 Sep 1998 18:18:25 -0700
Howard wrote: <<Given this concept of a formational economy with a built-in directional system, the outcome of the evolutionary process would not have the radical unpredictability that Gould argued for in *Wonderful Life,* but is essentially assured to lead to something like Homo sapiens--not necessarily
identical, but in the same general genomic territory. Play Gould's radically contingent "tape of life" and nothing like us would likely appear. Play Denton's directed "tape of life" and something very much like
us is sure to arrive. >>
Is this what Denton argues ? A system 'directional due to the properties of atoms etc" can still be unpredictable. Just not necessarily totally random but restricted to the laws of physics.
Pim