Life as Evolving Software... (Chaitin) (Humans)

by David Turell , Monday, December 26, 2011, 18:21 (4715 days ago) @ xeno6696

On page 289 in Denton's book, Evolution, a Theory in Crisis, is this quote: " comparing the amino acid sequences [of hemoglobin] it is impossible to arrange them in any kind of evolutionary series". I know Denton believes in purpose as I do. See his second book. What is your reference for gradualism, especially since we see these jumps in species?

My reference is a genetics lab I worked on when I was still a biotech major. We created a pedigree sequence based on hemoglobin differences of 28 primates, and as would be predicted, the sequences match when fossil diversions between new-world and old-world primates began. The differences between a rhesus and us is much more drastic than a Gorilla and ourselves, or to Chimpanzees. (Which if I recall have identical hemoglobin.) I don't know another way to say it: If Denton said that he is absolutely wrong.

You are looking at closely related primates. You are quoting work in one genus. Denton was comparing much larger gaps in the tree in the evolutionary record.