From: Jonathan B. Marder (jonathan.marder@newmail.net)
Date: Tue Sep 16 2003 - 07:31:33 BST
Hi Sam, Dave M. and all,
JONATHAN before
> >Evolutionary Theory predicts that you have more in common with a gorilla
> >than with a locust - MOLECULAR GENETICS CONFIRMS THIS.
SAM
>Please could you break down that last point for me. I can see how the first
ones are genuine
>predictions, but it isn't immediately obvious to me why evolutionary theory
would *predict* that I
>have more in common with a gorilla than a locust.
JONATHAN
Let me first apologise for sloppy phrasing. What I meant to say that
similarities/differences between species were widely studied before Darwin's
time and formed the basis of Linnaean classification. Based on the empirical
evidence (appearance etc.) it is obvious even to the most ardent creationist
that humans are more similar to gorillas than to locusts. Now along comes
Darwin and says that humans and gorillas share common ancestors (locusts do
too, but you have to go a few generations further back!). This is already
not just observation but theorizing. The prediction would be that Linnaeus's
phylogeny tree on 18th century biological knowledge would be similar to the
20th century phylogenetic tree produced by analyzing DNA sequences. This is
the case.
DAVID M.
I would like the Darwinian
fan club to explain to me how Darwin is compatible
with teleology?
JONATHAN replies:
Teleology has no place in Darwinism. It is Lamarckian.
DAVID M. continued:
My answer would be that it onlt tells
a small part of the evolution story, we need to seek
a new MOW context, unfortunately Darwin sits in a
SOM context, hence it cannot talk about purpose
without reducing it to half of the SOM dualism, the
matter half.
JONATHAN
You may interpret Darwin in whatever metaphysical context you choose. If you
choose an inappropriate one, you will make Darwinism look ridiculous.
I suggest that you look at my Causality essay on the MoQ website (
http://www.moq.org/forum/marder/jonathanmarder1.html (
It's already been there a while (since 1998), but it's farily short and
(IMHO) still as relevant to the MoQ as ever.
Regards to all,
Jonathan
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