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| JaneBennet |
 Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 4:55 pm Post subject: Evolution: 24 myths and misconceptions |
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Forum Junior
Joined: 06 Apr 2008
Posts: 219
Location: UK
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Most of us are happy to admit that we do not understand, say, the string theory in physics, yet we are all convinced we understand evolution. In fact, as biologists are discovering, its consequences can be stranger than we ever imagined. Evolution must be the best-known yet worst-understood of all scientific theories.
So here is New Scientist’s guide to some of the most common myths and misconceptions about evolution.
http://www.newscientist.com/channel/life/dn13620-evolution-24-myths-and-misconceptions.html?DCMP=ILC-hmts&nsref=top1_head_Evolution
Now, you may or may not accept the theory of evolution – it’s all up to you – but whether you believe it or not, I’m sure you’ll agree that it’s best to harbour as few misconceptions about the subject as possible if you’re taking part in any debate for or against evolution. 
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| paralith |
| Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 7:53 pm Post subject: Re: Evolution: 24 myths and misconceptions |
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Forum Ph.D.
Joined: 06 Jun 2007
Posts: 959
Location: Washington, DC
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| JaneBennet wrote: |
| Now, you may or may not accept the theory of evolution – it’s all up to you – but whether you believe it or not, I’m sure you’ll agree that it’s best to harbour as few misconceptions about the subject as possible if you’re taking part in any debate for or against evolution. |
There is no debate against evolution. There is outcry by people who do not desire it to be true and because of that they do not believe it to be true, despite the overwhelming fact that any and all arguments against it have long been tried and falsified.
Sorry for the soapbox moment. Thanks for the link, Jane.
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| Bunbury |
| Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 8:15 pm Post subject: |
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Forum Masters Degree
Joined: 26 Sep 2007
Posts: 531
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| Interesting reading. Thanks. |
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| KALSTER |
| Posted: Fri Apr 18, 2008 3:39 am Post subject: |
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Forum Professor
Joined: 08 Sep 2007
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Location: South Africa
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Great link! 
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| Ophiolite |
| Posted: Fri Apr 18, 2008 4:19 am Post subject: |
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Forum Radioactive Isotope
Joined: 25 Jul 2005
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I am an avid fan of New Scientist and buy a copy most weeks, which I read from cover to cover (except the job advertisments). I was disappointed in this edition with their treament of several of the myths. Either this online version is more detailed, or I need to get my head examined, for I found the linked material as good as others have commented.
Strange.
New Scientist is to be complemented in making all (and perhaps more than all) of the printed text freely available. This is in line with their declared policy of seeking to educate non-believers in evolution, but it is nice to see what could have been editorial rhetoric backed up by commercial commitment.
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| spuriousmonkey |
| Posted: Fri Apr 18, 2008 1:31 pm Post subject: |
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Joined: 12 May 2005
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Everything is an adaptation
Apparently everything isn't according to new scientist.
Duh, everything is.
It's just that our understanding is limited and we can't figure out all adaptations.
Male nipples no adaptation? fuck yes it is. Without them you wouldn't have lactating female nipples. It's based on the principle of evolutionary constraint and limitations of developmental regulation of form. Since when is lactation NOT an adaptation? The whole mammalian group is based on this adaption.
Honestly, I didn't read past this one even. If the rest sucks this much it is a big waste of time.
What a quacks. Pffft. Journalists.
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| Ophiolite |
| Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 1:38 am Post subject: |
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Forum Radioactive Isotope
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Whilst Spurious is a practising biologist, unlike most of the posters on this forum myself included, it does not follow that his views on biology are necessarily correct.
The consensus view as I understand it is that some/many features arise by chance (as do all features) and if they are beneficial they will tend to remain/spread in the gene pool (and we will call these adaptations), if they are neutral there will be no particular pressure for them to disappear and so they may remain - these are not adaptations.
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| marnixR |
| Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 2:42 am Post subject: |
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Forum Cosmic Wizard
Joined: 10 Apr 2007
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it's a bit of a borderline case, isn't it ? does correlation in development and growth represent adaptation or is it just a constraint of the organism ?
whilst i agree with Ophi that not every explanation needs to be adaptationist, sometimes a closer look discovers adaptation where the initial investigation had missed it - e.g. initially people couldn't believe that a matter of a fraction of a millimetre in beak depth made a difference between life and death for Galapagos finches
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biology without evolution is but stamp collecting |
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| Ophiolite |
| Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 2:58 am Post subject: |
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Forum Radioactive Isotope
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It is also worth noting that the New Scientist comments on this related especially to evolutionary psychologists who seem to try to relate every observed feature of present day psychology (normal and aberrant) to behaviours acquired on the African savanna.
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The Universe is not only weirder than we imagine it is weirder than we can imagine. J.B.S.Haldane. |
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| marnixR |
| Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 4:17 am Post subject: |
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Forum Cosmic Wizard
Joined: 10 Apr 2007
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Location: Cardiff, Wales
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this type of just-so-story explanation is really the bastard offspring of Spencer's social darwinism, which apart from the name has very little to do with real darwinism
as such it isn't a critique of adaptionism but of simplistic thinking in the mould of finding genes for homosexuality, crime or any other social pattern - when examined more closely, social behaviours DO have a genetic underpinning but how they are expressed depends on a complex interplay of genes, environmental factors and cultural influences
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biology without evolution is but stamp collecting |
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