Re: [asa] Evolution - A Biological Law, a Social-Cultural Assumption

Gregory,

I am one ASA TE (recently converted from PC) who has no problem separating biological evolution from sociological evolution. I have absolutely no trouble "admitting that there are things that do not "evolve." In fact, I recently learned the hard way from this List to add "biological" to evolution whenever that is what I mean.

Perhaps what is needed is a new word to describe forms of "evolution" other than biological, ideally a word that would work for the inorganic sector as well as the cultural realm.

Along with Jon Tandy, I would like to urge you to write a paper on the influence of evolution (or lack thereof) on the social sciences for PSCF or some other suitable forum, assuming that it hasn't already been done. Has it already been done?

Holmes Rolston III touches on the subject in his "Science & Religion: A Critical Survey," where he says (p. 94): "When natural selection moves into the cultural realm, what is selected is no longer merely genetic mutations, but, more importantly, selection is of acquired and learning-transmitted traits, a notion more Lamarckian than Darwinian."

Paul Bruggink (ASA Member)
Clarington, PA

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Received on Fri Jan 11 12:04:39 2008