As a student, I was taught and so have come to believe, that evolution emphasizes changes in organisms in response to environmental change. The selection for and expression of certain traits would lead to higher survivability and therefore more frequent or more successful reproduction given the current set of conditions and resources (e.g., the evolution of camouflage). In the case of sexual selection for apparently non-functional traits (e.g., the evolution of peacock tail feathers), the more sought after traits would still indicate higher fitness and produce individuals more robust to living in the present environment. When I say "current" and "present," I mean to include the recent past and recent future as well, but not the distant future.
I was not taught (other than seeing those "ascent of man" drawings) that evolution was unidirectional or that there was some ultimate goal of evolution to produce a perfect organism. I think this is misleading. That would imply there was a divine plan, which may exist, I simply have not seen any evidence of this in the scientific literature. ~ Frank > Date: Sat, 19 Sep 2009 22:03:45 -0700 > From: [email protected] > Subject: [ECOLOG-L] Evolution Progressive or Adaptive? Re: [ECOLOG-L] > Intelligence Who is the greatest of them all? > To: [email protected] > > Ecolog: > > Many people seem to be greatly influenced by the long-famous drawing of the > "ascent" of "man" that depicts a small and quadripedal primate at the rear > of a line of increasingly upright and bipedal individuals, with Homo sapiens > in the lead. Do you think this concept is accurate and this example is > factual or misleading? > > Does anyone teach a concept of progressive evolution? > > Does anyone teach a concept of evolution that emphasizes change in organisms > that is in response to environmental change? > > How would you best summarize your approach to teaching evolution? > > If you are not a teacher, how would you summarize your own concept of > evolution? > > WT > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Bill Hilton Jr. (RESEARCH)" <[email protected]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Friday, September 18, 2009 11:40 AM > Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] Intelligence Who is the greatest of them all? > > > > It's amazing how many folks don't even accept that humans are animals, > > in that "we're" supposed to have dominion over "them." > > > > BILL > > > > ========== > > > > On Sep 18, 2009, at 2:06 PM, Warren W. Aney wrote: > > > >> I agree with Tom: I don't think we can generalize. > >> > >> Some religions do profess the superiority of humans over the > >> animals, end of > >> story. However, many religions now agree that any such superiority > >> carries > >> with it a divinely directed duty to act within creation as care-taking > >> stewards rather than outside of creation as exploiting overlords. > >> > >> And some evolutionary scientists might ask how you define "most > >> advanced" -- > >> in terms of species' specialization, Malcom's bovine might be > >> considered > >> more advanced than humans, e.g, hooved instead to toed feet are > >> better for > >> running, a complex digestive system is better for processing a wide > >> variety > >> of plant materials, a better sense of smell and hearing, more > >> efficiently > >> spaced estrus cycles, etc. > >> > >> Warren W. Aney > >> Senior Wildlife Ecologist > >> Tigard, OR > >> > >> -----Original Message----- > >> From: Ecological Society of America: grants, jobs, news > >> [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of malcolm McCallum > >> Sent: Friday, 18 September, 2009 08:55 > >> To: [email protected] > >> Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] Intelligence Who is the greatest of them all? > >> > >> Do Hindu's believe this? > >> I thought the bovine was the top of the caste system? > >> I am reminded of an east asian religion (which one I do not remember) > >> that believed humans > >> were lice on God's head..... Not sure where that fits in. > >> > >> On Fri, Sep 18, 2009 at 7:23 AM, Tom Cuba <[email protected]> > >> wrote: > >>> Please consider the number of humans on the planet, their wide > >>> variety of > >>> both stereotypical and highly personal beleifs and ask if a > >>> generalization > >>> such as this is even properly posed. > >>> > >>> Tom Cuba > >>> > >>>> > >>> Ecolog: > >>>> > >>>> Would you please assess the following > >>> statement for its veracity and > >>>> completeness? Is it misleading in > >>> any way, especially with respect to > >>>> evolutionary biology? > >>>> > >>>> "Humans consider themselves to be above 'the > >>> animals,' believing that they > >>>> are superior, either chosen by > >>> 'God' or are products of an evolutionary > >>>> process in which they > >>> are the most highly developed example of that > >>>> process, the most > >>> highly 'advanced' species." > >>>> > >>>> > >>>> > >>>> WT > >>>> > >>> > >> > >> > >> > >> -- > >> Malcolm L. McCallum > >> Associate Professor of Biology > >> Managing Editor, > >> Herpetological Conservation and Biology > >> Texas A&M University-Texarkana > >> Fall Teaching Schedule: > >> Vertebrate Biology - TR 10-11:40; General Ecology - MW 1-2:40pm; > >> Forensic Science - W 6-9:40pm > >> Office Hourse- TBA > >> > >> > > > > > > RESEARCH PROGRAM > > c/o BILL HILTON JR. Executive Director > > Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History > > 1432 DeVinney Road, York, South Carolina 29745 USA > > (803) 684-5852 > > > > Please visit our web sites (courtesy of Comporium.net): > > Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History at > > http://www.hiltonpond.org > > "Operation RubyThroat: The Hummingbird Project" at > > http://www.rubythroat.org > > > > ================== > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 8.5.409 / Virus Database: 270.13.105/2380 - Release Date: 09/18/09 > 07:49:00 _________________________________________________________________ Bing™ brings you maps, menus, and reviews organized in one place. Try it now. http://www.bing.com/search?q=restaurants&form=MLOGEN&publ=WLHMTAG&crea=TEXT_MLOGEN_Core_tagline_local_1x1
