From: bivalve (bivalve@mail.davidson.alumlink.com)
Date: Thu Aug 21 2003 - 12:56:11 EDT
>Conversely, teachers of evolution so often teach it as proof that there is no God and the Bible is a pack of lies.<
Although this happens far too often, the number who disagree is surprisingly large. Bear in mind also the converse of public ignorance of science; most scientists are relatively ignorant about religion. For that matter, most scientists are relatively ignorant about evolution; only those specialized in paleontology or evolutionary biology are likely to have given it much study. Even those in other fields within biology or geology may be quite ignorant about evolution; paleontology is not always available, much less required, for geology majors.
>Perhaps a definition of "evolution" is in order.<
This is indeed a significant issue. Modern definitions of biological evolution generally focus on something like a change in gene frequencies over time. Such a definition leaves aside the question of how extensive a role it has had.
We can observe the natural or experimental creation of new species and genera. Given the somewhat arbitrary definition of taxa, especially higher taxa, it is hard to claim that something is a new family, etc. However, no particular barrier is evident to prevent larger changes, comparable to those considered to distinguish major taxa. For example, the major groups of arthropods (subphyla or classes) are distinguished based on the number, position, and kind of body regions and appendages. E.g., insects have six legs, in the middle, two antennae and jaws on the front, and no jointed appendages on the back end. However, a mutant fruit fly has been made with legs instead of antennae, thus disqualifying it from the basic characters of being an insect. Likewise, the morphological and genetic differences between higher taxa appear quantitatively rather than qualitatively different from those at lower levels (in fact, a major difference in one group may be a minor difference in!
others).
Dr. David Campbell
Old Seashells
University of Alabama
Biodiversity & Systematics
Dept. Biological Sciences
Box 870345
Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0345 USA
bivalve@mail.davidson.alumlink.com
That is Uncle Joe, taken in the masonic regalia of a Grand Exalted Periwinkle of the Mystic Order of Whelks-P.G. Wodehouse, Romance at Droitgate Spa
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