Re: Evolution predictions and data

From: tikeda@sprintmail.com
Date: Fri Oct 12 2001 - 16:35:10 EDT

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    Moorad wrote:
    >You can use the word evolution in everything you say and do.

    In this conversation, I've tried to be very careful in my use of
    the word, "evolution". And I've tried to identify, address, and stick
    to the topics.

    >The challenge is to relate the evolutionary theorIES to the practical
    >sciences and I am sure that there is none! Moorad
    [...]

    <Hmm... The Practical Sciences... That's an interesting distinction.>

    Moorad, you're simply wrong about this point.

    As mentioned by James, there are practical applications in conservation
    biology and ecology. And I previously mentioned applications to
    economics, engineering and computer science (game theory, genetic algorithms
    & etc.), and also drug design and bioengineering. I've a friend now at
    Johns Hopkins U. who used "evolutionary walk" techniques to find neuron
    receptor homologs in different species during his post-doctoral work.

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    In a related reply to James:

    Moorad wrote:
    >Talk is cheap. What is the evidence that one came from the other,
    >or that both came from a common descent. Moorad
    [...]

    Comparative molecular biology? Comparative biochemistry? Fossil
    data? Correlation with times of divergence? What have you heard?

    UNCW has a library. UNC certainly has resources. How about calling
    J.Craig Bailey, Steven Emslie, or Michael McCartney in the bio dept
    at UNC-Wilmington? Start somewhere.

    Up I-40 at UNC you've even got a graduate program for evolution,
    ecology and organismal biology. See:
    http://www.bio.unc.edu/graduate/EEOB/facresearch.htm

    I'd be happy to discuss the Mayr or Sober references wrt theories
    of science & biology when you've had the chance to read them.

    Until then,

    Regards,
    Tim Ikeda (tikeda@sprintmail.com)

    Q. for Dave Campbell: Maybe your packed-away book in this list of refs?
    Any books that look familiar?
    http://phylogeny.arizona.edu/tree/eukaryotes/animals/chordata/mammalia/carnivora/carnivora.html#TOC3

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