Dear List Members,
With regard to my statement regarding the current application of =
molecular clock hypothesis:
"it is important to remember that, whenever a technique or
hypothesis becomes detached from its theoretical underpinnings -- and
becomes instead girded by ad hoc explanations and situational laws --
one would be well remanded to Tacitus: For if it is true that "the
more corrupt the republic, the more laws multiply" -- perhaps it is
likewise true that the more corrupt the scientific hypothesis, the
more "explanatory mechanisms" multiply."
Mr. Stephen Jones relied:
"Agreed. This describes the "corrupt...scientific hypothesis" that is
Neo-Darwinism perfectly"
I respectfully submit that this is a fundamental misunderstanding of =
the context of my remarks. and of the self-correcting mechanisms of =
science.
As I have stated, with regard to molecular clocks a "cautious use =
policy" is a long way from the misguided criticism of molecular clocks =
put forth by Denton and Behe and very far from being worrying to =
evolutionary theory.
Behe contends that his results with yeast histones dispute the =
mechanism of functional constraints that is integral to the molecular =
clock hypothesis. Behe suggests although the histones as a class are =
highly conserved among widely divergent species that large parts of the =
histone molecule may be deleted without significantly affecting the =
viability of the organism. Behe argues, "that no direct experimental =
evidence has been obtained showing rigorously that histone function is =
especially sensitive to amino acid substitution..."=20
=09
Behe's conclusions are based on an erroneous understanding of =
evolutionary mechanisms.
Behe fails to account for the fact that proteins may not have had the =
same functional use and functional constraints in the past as they do =
now (and a good morpgological analogy could be drawn here to the recent =
posts on the "seemingly timely" development of "functionless" lungs). =
In addition, the critical or active portions of molecules or proteins =
are usually site specific and a fraction of both the total mass and =
spatial volume of the protein. In fact, one would expect to be able to =
alter large parts of a protein as long as the functionally critical =
portion remained conserved. Behe makes no effort to distinguish between =
the functional and non-functional portions of histones.
=09
Another popular, and often quoted critic, of the molecular clock =
hypothesis is Micheal Denton. Like Behe, Denton (a physician) also =
displays an errant view of evolutionary mechanisms. His assertions may =
be more easily dismissed because Denton makes the fundamental error of =
arguing the existence of extant primitive organisms (As was made by Mr. =
Chitwood in his recent post regarding "fishes"). For Denton evolution =
in proteins demands that protein-sequences exist in a series of =
intermediates. Denton, of course, found what was, to him, a dramatic =
absence of intermediates when he comparing the cytochrome C2 of =
eukaryotic organisms with bacteria and found that the all eukaryotic C2 =
differed between 64%-72% with bacteria. Denton concluded that no =
eukaryotic cytochrome was any closer to the bacterial cytochrome and =
that this lack of "intermediates" argued against both molecular clocks =
and evolution in general.
=09
Denton's data is, however, derived only from living species. =
Cytochromes from living organisms, no matter =
how primitive they may be by any characteristic, are not intermediates =
-- neither are their proteins. Because all eukaryotes have in common =
that their ancestor split at the same time from bacteria -- all =
eukaryotes have the same molecular distance to all prokaryotic bacteria. =
The molecular distance of any group to any other group is simply a =
measure of time elapsed since their separation.=20
=09
The molecular clock hypothesis -- as well as the handling and =
interpretation of data related thereto -- has played into often bitter =
public confrontations between scientists seeking to use molecular clock =
theory to delineate the phylogenic relationships between man, chimps and =
apes. More recently molecular clocks were at the center of a =
controversy regarding the origin, arrival time and differentiation of =
aboriginal Americans.=20
My criticism of the current use of molecular clocks should be regarded =
simply as a cautionary tale.
Best Regards,
K. Lee Lerner
Science Policy Institute
P.S. I can not think of anything more irrelevant to a cogent discussion =
of evolutionary theory than whether Popper "recanted" or not.
------ =_NextPart_000_01BD5E75.9C080DC0
Content-Type: application/ms-tnef
Content-Transfer-Encoding: base64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==
------ =_NextPart_000_01BD5E75.9C080DC0--