Guy Hoelzer  wrote:

> > MR:-
> > The Modern Evolutionary Synthesis AKA neo-Darwinism combines Darwin's
> > theory of the evolution of the species by natural selection with
> > Mendelian inheritance. Don't you consider that an example of natural
> > selection transmitting information to gene pools, of natural selection
> > being linked to inheritance?

> GH:-
> The framework of the Modern Synthesis explicitly separates the
> processes of
> natural selection and inheritance.

JE:-
Yes, however this separation remains heuristic
(only separated within over simplified models).
Unfortunaletly these models have been consistently
misused for over 50 years within evolutionary theory.


> GH:-
> I can only agree with the last part
> suggesting a link between the two processes.  Reproduction and
> heritability
> are necessary, but insufficient, conditions for natural selection to occur
> under the neo-Darwinian paradigm.

JE:-
However they are sufficient conditions
for natural selection to occur
under the Darwinian paradigm as long
as total Darwinian fitness has a
heritable componant.

The unresolved question: is Darwinism
a subset of Neo Darwinism or the reverse?
Is Neo Darwinism a step forward or a step
beckwards compared to Darwinism?

> > MR:-
> > The brief article states, "Evolution consists primarily of changes in
> > the frequencies of alleles between one generation and another as a
> > result of genetic drift, gene flow and natural selection."
I'm astounded
> > we apparently take opposing views on this matter.

> GH:-
> I think that this quote is an accurate and concise statement of
> neo-Darwinian paradigm, and I am quite comfortable thinking about
> evolution
> in these terms.  We apparently do not take opposing views here.


JE:-
the view that "Evolution consists primarily of changes in
the frequencies of alleles between one generation and another
as a result of genetic drift, gene flow and natural selection."
cannot be tested, i.e. it does not even meet a minimal
standard.

In the quoted view ANY change "in the frequencies of
alleles between one generation and another" are defined
as "evolution" forcing evolution to now become a iron
man (an irrefutable concept). Because it is impossible to
exclude irrefutable gene freq. changes via random processes
e.g. drift (but I argue non random gene freq. changes can
be excluded by a simple selection experiment) evolution
today has become reduced to yet another non testable
belief. This is _not_ the case for Darwinian evolution
only via _non_ random processes, e.g. Darwinian
natural selection. The hard reality is, Neo Darwinism
cannot replace Darwinism.


Regards,

John Edser
Independent Researcher

PO Box 266
Church Pt
NSW 2105
Australia

edser{at}tpg.com.au
---
þ RIMEGate(tm)/RGXPost V1.14 at BBSWORLD * Info{at}bbsworld.com

---
 * RIMEGate(tm)V10.2áÿ* RelayNet(tm) NNTP Gateway * MoonDog BBS
 * RgateImp.MoonDog.BBS at 8/23/04 1:12:10 PM