Different in degree or kind: Egnor's take (Introduction)

by dhw, Thursday, September 29, 2016, 12:47 (2978 days ago) @ David Turell

DAVID: No, species had to appear with the anatomic changes first. All the fossils we have show jumps in the changes from earlier to later forms. With the new modifications the new species would then learn to use them. First anatomy, then more advanced speech.-dhw: You say this great authority, but I do not follow your logic. Why should the anatomy not have changed as early humans strove to find new sounds with which to express new observations and thoughts? -DAVID: You are missing the point of punctuated equilibrium. If the gaps are true and we have no other evidence, the new species arrives with the new speech apparatus and the new species then learns to use it. You are still accepting the gradualism of Darwin, while I don't.-How gradual is gradual, and how sudden is saltation? How many generations count as sudden? For all we know, once humans found the need to make new sounds, the anatomical changes could have perfected themselves within what, three, four, five generations? Peanuts in geological time. I would call that saltation. You have ignored my analogy of fins evolving into legs and the question I raised: do you think God equipped fish with fully developed legs before they ventured out onto dry land? Or is it possible that first they ventured forth, and then over just a few generations the fins became legs? As I said before, I see no reason why you should reject the possibility that the need for something (or the quest for improvement) can generate change, as opposed to your God making the changes in advance and then the organism learning how to use them.