Re: Evolutionary evidence (ala homology, etc.)

Asst Prof Clarence F Sills Jr (sills@norfolk.nadn.navy.mil)
Thu, 6 Jul 1995 13:50:09 -0400 (EDT)

Kevin, I concur heartily with your general point about the difference
between "speculation consistent with evidence" and "knowledge which is
virtually certain" (if you accept these shorthand re-statements.)
But I think Terry is justified in saying that nested patterns and
evolution are mutually reinforcing. Would it help if he said, instead of
"evidence for evolution", "evidence consistent with evolutionary
assumptions?" This I think would respond to your concern that
evolutionary theory be clearly labelled as such and also his concern that
evolutionary theory retain the same
right for speculative inference which any still fruitful theory must have.