Darwin-L Message Log 1:51 (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.

<1:51>From basil@ovisun.ovi.ac.za  Tue Sep  7 05:51:07 1993

Date: Tue, 7 Sep 93 12:52 EET
From: basil@ovisun.ovi.ac.za (Basil Allsopp)
To: darwin-l@ukanaix.cc.ukans.edu
Subject: Order and evolution

To consider evolution as ordered change surely implies that the observer
decides what constitutes order?  Think about all those flightless birds which
evolved on isolated islands.  From the point of view of saving energy when
flight was "unecessary", given the absence of predators, it was an ordered
change.  Enter men/rats/snakes and the point of view alters drastically.

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Basil Allsopp                       |  E-mail basil@ovisun.ovi.ac.za
Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute  |
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