Evolution (Evolution)

by David Turell , Friday, April 04, 2008, 02:53 (6076 days ago) @ whitecraw

" But, during Morris' Gifford Lectures, I was reminded of the classic problem with the doctrine of predestination generally, whether in its religious or secular forms. It is essentially retrospective. Prospectively, however, the future course of history is indeterminate. Wandering aimlessly in the hills, I can stop and look back on the route I have taken and see how it inevitably leads to where I stand. But that does not make my wandering any less aimless. Retrospectively, it may seem that evolution has inevitably led to us; but it will hardly end with us, and prospectively who can tell what future changes there will be in the physical properties of populations of organisms? In hindsight, history may appear an inexorable march to where we happen to be, but as it unfolds the story is literally unpredictable." - I envy whitecraw's chance to be at a lecture with Morris, but I don't view the evolutionary process (joining with Morris) as aimless, as whitecraw does. But certainly the future is unpredictable, although I am aware vaguely of a book that predicts evolution ends with us. Unless we blow ourselves up in atomic war, I doubt that comment.