The theory of Evolution! (simple)

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Originally Posted by Iain Sparrow

Why can't you have both?

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The punctuated equilibrium pattern and the neo-Darwinian continuous, random mutation pattern contradict each other. So, you can't be rational and have both. The data, however, supports punctuated equilibrium.

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Originally Posted by Iain Sparrow

Where the rubber meets the road, for Evolution at the molecular level, there are mechanisms we don't yet understand. In fact that branch of evolutionary exploration is just hitting stride. Paleontologists have had their time in the sun, it's time to step aside and let the Physicists take a stab at it.:)

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That's a view I have not heard before. I suspect the paleontologists would say that the molecular biologists are the ones who should step aside.

Although I think that neo-Darwinism has been falsified, that is not enough. We need a paradigm shift as well. The old neo-Darwinian paradigm is reductionist, that is, it attempts to reduce everything to the level of the genes within a single cell of an organism. That is too restrictive. The focus should be switched back to the group of organisms or the species level. Then more than sexual reproduction can be part of evolutionary theory.

Hmm. This shows it's not simple, exceedingly dogmatic, liable to be turned on its head anytime and the non-scientific folk of this site have discovered the missing link - it's a dead duck. Which is less satisfying than a flying f@&$.

I wonder if there are have been any new species at the dodo (dead duck) level of complexity since the dodo went extinct.

It recently occurred to me that maybe we are the new species. The other species are making adaptations or dying out because of the environment that we are more or less intentionally creating. This would require that cultural changes be part of species evolution.

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Originally Posted by YesNo

It recently occurred to me that maybe we are the new species. The other species are making adaptations or dying out because of the environment that we are more or less intentionally creating. This would require that cultural changes be part of species evolution.

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I would agree with that.