Darwin-L Message Log 1:39 (September 1993)

Academic Discussion on the History and Theory of the Historical Sciences

This is one message from the Archives of Darwin-L (1993–1997), a professional discussion group on the history and theory of the historical sciences.

<1:39>From robg@fossil.Berkeley.EDU  Mon Sep  6 17:48:56 1993

Date: Mon, 6 Sep 93 15:49:51 PDT
From: robg@fossil.Berkeley.EDU (Robert Guralnick)
To: darwin-l@ukanaix.cc.ukans.edu
Subject: Re: Evolution and Change

	A great question has been raised!!! Is evolution somehow
different from change over time?  Are these terms synonymous?  It is
something that I hope generates lots of discussion.  Here is my
own take on the matter.  Evolution implies more than change over time;
it implies some kind of ordering of change.  In weaker moments, I
consider evolution a necessary outgrowth of information systems.  Does
evolution imply direction?  For example, we have no notion, even in
Biology, where it has been studied best, of de-evolution, while
change in time implies that we could go back to primitive states.
Well, more on this later.

Robert Guralnick
Dept. Of Integrative Biology
Berkeley, CA