[lbo-talk] Evolutionary theory is tautological

[Shane Mage]

Wojtek wrote:
>
>As I already said in a previous posting, the idea of evolution of species
>involves two logically separate concepts or processes if you will: the
>appearance of new life forms, and disappearance of the old ones.  The
appearance of new form is explained solely by genetic mutations, 
whereas the disappearance is explained by natural selection....

This is to ignore the fact that many extinctions of species were caused
not by "natural selection" but by evolutionarily random large-scale
catastrophe.  The disappearance of the dinosauria is a now generally
accepted instance.  Far more recent is the experience of the American
continent, where perfectly adapted horses, camels, and elephants
(but not bisons) were all wiped out.

Shane Mage

"Thunderbolt steers all things...It consents and does not
consent to be called 
Zeus."                                                         

Herakleitos of Ephesos