Evolution quotes 28 Apr 2010 We can allow satellites, planets, suns, universe, nay whole systems of universe of man to be governed by laws, but the smallest insect, we wish to be created at once by special act, provided with its instincts its place in nature, its range, its — &c &c: — must be a special act, or result of laws, yet we placidly believe the Astronomer, when he tells us satellites &c &c The Savage admires not a steam engine, but a piece of coloured glass & admires is lost in astonishment at the artificer. — Our faculties are more fitted to recognize the wonderful structure of a beetle than a Universe. [Charles Darwin, Notebook N, p36, 1838-9] Evolution Quotes EvolutionQuotes
Evolution Carnival of Evolution 2 May 2010 The 23rd edition of the Carnival of Evolution is up. It includes two of my posts, so you know that it can only get better. Go check it out. Read More
Biology More on David Hull 4 Dec 20104 Oct 2017 There’s a special issue of Biology and Philosophy in the wings on the late David Hull. So far, the editorial introduction by Kim Sterelny and a fair summary of his work by Peter Godfrey-Smith have appeared Online First. Springer appear to be making these open access. Update: Michael Ruse’s memoir… Read More
Biology My presentation on Mercier and Sperber’s Argumentative Theory 11 Jul 201222 Jun 2018 During my recent trip to Berkeley, I was asked to give a discussion starter about Mercier and Sperber’s recent Behavioral and Brain Sciences article on the function reasoning has been given by evolution. They broadly argue that reasoning is not an internal process and evolved with its “main function” as convincing others of what… Read More
It interests me that creationists stay interested in the structure of individual living things, while ignoring all of the discoveries of the structures of relationships among living things: ecology, biogeography, taxonomy, and so on. Has anybody ever appealed to the “design” of the fossil record as evidence of a “designer”? Or the “design” of homologies?
The beetle was subject to an act of divine retribution that changed it’s anatomy as a result of it’s low moral’s. A special act that took away it’s eyes and left it blind. It gave away Jesus’s location to Roman troops shortly before the crucifixtion and from that day and for evermore until the end of Eternity it is blind and “has no eyes of any description. That wis his punishment fir tellin on Jesus.”
That story is the product of a classicaly educated mind rather than a savage one I think; the intent is in maintianing control and shaping narrative and the structure of society in a particular path rather than due to some burning interest in the structure of individual living things.