Re: Increasing Complexity

Bill Hamilton (hamilton@predator.cs.gmr.com)
Wed, 02 Sep 1998 13:55:52 -0400

At 03:17 AM 9/2/98 -0700, Cliff Lundberg wrote:
>The only quantifiable aspect of complexity I know of is number
>of parts. In this limited sense segmented organisms (such as
>vertebrates) are decreasing in complexity. Of course complexity
>in every other sense may be increasing; but even so, this apparent
>pattern brings a non-Darwinian implication of finitude to the process.
>

My understanding is that the theory of evolution says that organisms that
are better adapted to their environment produce more copies of their genes.
Depending on environment, either an increase or a decrease in complexity
could give a population a reproductive advantage. I don't see that there
is any required tie-in between evolution and complexity. I know that the
young-earth creationists disagree, and I would like at some time to know
what are the sources in the evolution ltierature that lead them to this view.

Bill Hamilton
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William E. Hamilton, Jr., Ph.D.
Staff Research Engineer
Chassis and Vehicle Systems, GM R&D Center
Warren, MI
hamilton@predator.cs.gmr.com / whamilto@mich.com (home)