<<"Analysis of evolutionary changes in a 10-million-year long Late Neogene
lineage of planktonic foraminifera..."
...This is NOT an experiment!>>
Professor Clark responds:
<<Depends on how you define experiment. I define it as testing an
hypothesis>>
Experiment has a specific definition. Scientists, at least those outside of
Wisconsin, define experiment as an *observable operation* undertaken to
discover some unkown principle, or test some suggested hypothesis. "You can
look it up" (Casey Stengel, professor of baseball sciences, Univ. of Yankee
Stadium).
But analysis of past events is something different altogether.
You cannot observe what has already happened, can you? Your answer: ____ Yes
_____ No. (Hint: The answer is No).
You and Tom just are not appreciating the difference between causal science
and historical science, IMO.
<<It can also be restated as "rapid continuous change." Gradual means
continuous, and says nothing about how fast. You can have rapid and slow
changes that occur gradually as opposed to incrementally. I don't see the
problem with the language here.>>
Actually, gradual means "proceeding or changing by steps or degress made or
effected by SLOW, easy...stages."
This is from Websters New Collegiate, considered by careful writers to be one
of the best dictionaries extant (see Zinsser, "On Writing Well.")
Gradualism is slow, albeit incremental, change. That's why "relatively rapid
gradual morphologic change" makes no sense.
You know, words have meanings for a purpose. You can't go around changing them
or people will not know what you're talking about. "Experiment" can't mean
whatever you want it to mean. "Gradual" cannot be absconded with in order to
support your peculiar wants. Your students will get out in the real world and
be confused, or end up as talk show hosts. Either scenario is bad.
Jim