Darwin-L Message Log 1:238 (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.

Note: Additional publications on evolution and the historical sciences by the Darwin-L list owner are available on SSRN.

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<1:238>From sketters@acpub.duke.edu  Tue Sep 28 15:51:46 1993

From: sketters@acpub.duke.edu (Scott Carson)
Subject: point mutations
To: darwin-l@ukanaix.cc.ukans.edu (Darwin-L)
Date: Tue, 28 Sep 1993 16:55:22 -0400 (EDT)

John Langdon's most recent post reminds me of a question
that has been nagging at me for some time, but it has little
to do with the current thread, and for that I apologize...

With respect to drift, I'm wondering whether anyone out
there is familiar enough with molecular biology to give
me some idea of how likely it is that quantum phenomena
could play a role in point mutations--i.e., can the low-
level interactions of subatomic particles contribute a
meaningful degree of randomness to drift of a sort that
is ontological and not merely statistical? Can we build
a case that evolution has a genuinely random component
that is not attributable to such statistical phenomena
as the propensity interpretation of adaptedness? What
is the secondary literature on this topic--on the quantum
stuff, not drift? Thanks in advance for any help.
-------------------------
Scott Carson
Deptartment of Philosophy
Duke University
201 West Duke Building
Durham, NC  27708
(919) 684-3838
sketters@acpub.duke.edu

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