More about how evolution works; stasis (Evolution)

by David Turell , Monday, October 19, 2015, 18:12 (3321 days ago) @ dhw


> dhw:I interpret the higgledy-piggledy comings and goings as evidence that there is no overriding purpose: only individual purposes, as organisms seek to survive and/or improve. This is mirrored by the evolution of human society, in which each individual also seeks to survive and/or improve, and innovations for improvement lead to colossal transformations: new species, ways of life, natural wonders in the animal world; new ways of life and technological wonders in the human world.-So you seem to have solved the mystery of speciation by speculation. Using humans, who can think deeply as an example. Poor choice. Even we cannot explain for species, only modify by selective breeding.
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> dhw: I am trying to distinguish between adaptation, which leaves the species intact, and innovation (new structures) which leads to new species. I am suggesting that the same autonomous “brain” of the cell community is responsible for both processes.-Fabulous speculation, with no evidence for the ability to plan for the new complexity of new species.
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> dhw: The whale series is a wonderful example of how my hypothesis works. Each step takes place in existing organisms that innovate in accordance with what the environment allows. And of course the cell communities must adjust so that the new parts are coordinated.-And I view the jumps as impossible leaps without planning. You are forgetting there are no intermediate testing steps to steer the right transformations. de nova leaps. Sure!