Mutations, bad not good (Introduction)

by Balance_Maintained , U.S.A., Friday, July 22, 2011, 23:54 (4873 days ago) @ dhw

TONY: The problem of innovation and speciation, however, which to me are separate but related issues, are far more relevant to, not only the creationism, but also to the definition of evolution and the progress of that scientific method. If scientist KNEW that speciation could or could not occur, they would be better able to focus their research.->As I've said before, we know that some creatures are radically different from others and cannot interbreed, so I don't think anyone would question that speciation has occurred, no matter how we define "species". -Actually, and I hesitate to say it because it is really knit-picking language, one of the differences between the Fundamentalist and Evolutionist is exactly about whether speciation 'occurred'. And this is one of the points I have been trying to hammer on with my incessant rambling about speciation. Did speciation occur, or are the fundamentalist right, and speciation was instituted from the beginning. In order to answer or argue that question the definition of 'species' and the mechanism by which it occurs MUST be defined. -
>As for a definition of evolution and its progress, my own view is that we should stick to the simplest possible formulation, e.g. "the process by which living organisms have developed from earlier forms". -Can we modify that to say, "the process by which living organisms change over the course of generations." I think this more neutral definition does not presume a process or mechanism that we have not defined. ->Once that is accepted, we can discuss all the details, like gradualism, innovation, adaptation, heredity, distinguishing between varieties and species, the role of NS etc., concerning all of which I share your curiosity. I'm also immensely grateful to you, David, Matt and everyone else who keeps us up to date with the latest findings on these subjects, including DragonsHeart, who has drawn our attention to "new insights on the brain".-And I am likewise grateful to all of you. I had actually considered starting a thread the other day just to say thank you, but real life pulled me away. AG.web, and all of its contributors have definitely been appreciated by me, not just for the information that's shared, but for the enlightened conversation and arguments that help me refine my own views.