Darwin-L Message Log 4:18 (December 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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<4:18>From mcglynn@cheshire.oxy.edu  Wed Dec  8 10:01:19 1993

From: mcglynn@cheshire.oxy.edu (Terrence Peter McGlynn)
Subject: yet another introduction
To: darwin-l@ukanaix.cc.ukans.edu (Darwin-l mailing list)
Date: Wed, 8 Dec 93 8:03:17 PST

Greetings! I just signed on a couple days ago, and here is the little
bit that you might want to know about me:

I'm inbetween my undergrad and graduate studies in evolutionary biology
and ecology.  My generalized research interests include biogeography,
the application of evolutionary theory to conservation practice,
plant-insect interactions, and the evolution of life histories,
especially eusociality.

My interests, as they relate to this discussion, are in the history
of the development of evolutionary theory - who, what, and especially
why.  For instance, in the tail end of the discussion that I had seen
about "drift", as biologists we see it as genetic drift, a more random
cause of evolution in smaller populations due to, basically, genetic
"sampling error" from generation to generation.  Anyway, Darwin never
said anything about drift, and couldn't because he did not even know
about the nature of heredity from one generation to the next.  He knew
it existed, but agreed to a "blending theory" rather than the mendelian
genetics that had been discovered, but only by one person.  However,
Darwin clearly emphasized that there may have been other such causes
of evolution that he was ignorant of, and speculated along the lines
of drift.

That was a tangent; don't worry, it's not a common occurrence.
I look forward to some good discussion!

-Terry
--
Terrence P. McGlynn      Associate Student of Biology
7925 Ellenbogen Street   Occidental College Biology Department (sort-of)
Sunland, CA  91040-2261  phone:(818)352-5242  internet: mcglynn@oxy.edu
"Take a page from the red book--and keep them in your sights" -Neil Peart

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