Dennets bad word and Johnson's question

From: Bertvan@aol.com
Date: Tue Mar 28 2000 - 16:36:25 EST

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    Cliff said:
    >Macroevolution need not occur in the simple way gradual evolution occurs.
    >Parabiosis or Siamese-twinning, genomic integration of symbionts, radical
    >loss of parts--all these are perfectly attainable through RM&NS. As to direct
    >evidence, one must either wait for a time machine, or wait for the unique
    >evolutionary mechanisms of half a billion years ago to start functioning
    >a new. I don't think those mechanisms are going to work in the present
    >well-evolved ecosystem; only in a more benign primitive environment
    >could such bizarre experiments gain a foothold.

    Bertvan: Hi Cliff,
    New biological systems and body parts due to parabiosis, Siamese twinning or
    integration of symbionts. While I don't full understand any of these, they
    sound like biological innovations whith the complex function already
    assembled and in working order. Why would they need "natural selection"?
    While it is true, they might all arise without ID, how DO they arise? How
    WOULD a duplicated gene turn around and suddenly start performing an
    entirely different function? I'm not trying to pick an argument. I really
    want to know.

    Bertvan



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