Early embryology; clockwork construction plan (Introduction)

by David Turell , Monday, October 17, 2011, 15:35 (4574 days ago) @ dhw
edited by unknown, Monday, October 17, 2011, 15:46

DAVID: There is a philosophy of science KEY point here: if under Darwin theory evolution is a chance free-flowing process, advanced by variation, guarded by natural selection, why is there a mechanism in the genome to protect so assiduously the existing form of the species, seemingly not allowing the variation the Darwin theory needs?

dhw: You have always said you believe that evolution happened, which can only mean that new species developed from existing species by means of heritable variations caused by innovations and/or adaptations.

Of course evolution happened. But you are stuck with Darwin's explanation. Open your mind. Shapiro is touting epigenetics. Darwinists are horrified. Gould trumpeted punctuated equilibrium. Gould was such a powerful figure, Darwinists could only wince. Jeffrey H. Schwartz produced "Sudden Origins", but few Darwinists noticed. And then we have the Darwin-Theory-totally-unexplained Cambrian Explosion, preceded by Edicaran and Bilateran fronds and bags, seemingly organless. The 'trade secret' to resurrect Gould is fits and starts.

The point, which is in my book, is the mechanism by which evolution progressed is very much in doubt, and for those of us with doubt, the fits and starts, the huge gaps, are both fascinating and troubling. No one really knows, as yet, how evolution proceeds. My guess is that it is already coded in the genome, but not yet discovered. Epigenetics is a portion of it. But exact preservation of a species is also a part of evolution. Here is another new finding of such protection:
http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-10-reveals-role-rna-chromosomal-replication.html

Epigenetic changes don't always survive. but some do. And that is where natural selection fits in, late to the party, passive, but a necessary component.