Re: the definitions of evolution

From: Howard J. Van Till (hvantill@novagate.com)
Date: Mon Oct 08 2001 - 16:04:13 EDT

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    Uko,

    Thanks for the response. Let me try again to get these distinctions clear in
    my head.

    I had asked:

    > 2. Where would genetic relationships among extant and recent species fall?
    > Would that be counted as evidence that there was a (2) process of evolution
    > that occurred, even if details re (3) mechanism are not fully known?

    To which you reply:

    > I would consider genetic homology and other molecular and morphological
    > homologies to be evidence for evolution as pattern. They all contribute to a
    > picture of phylogenetic relationships, but they do not give us and
    > understanding of how such relationships came to be.

    OK, but then I'm led to ask 2 more questions:

    1. What kind of empirical evidence would contribute toward a knowledge of
    process?

    2. Does mechanism have to be known before process?

    Howard



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