From: Xela@yabbs
To: Xela@yabbs
Subject: evolution as metastable
Date: Sat Jun 25 01:40:17 1994

I agree that evolution is a metastable equilibrium.  However,
when zoologists use Linnaeus' system of classification, they assume that, 
relative to the human lifetime, "species" are stable enough to survive 
classification.  There are approx. one million species of insects, and 
etymologists [I believe that is the correct word] speculate that there are 
millions more which have not yet been given a genus species yet.  This 
speculation in and of itself assumes that environmental conditions are 
stable enough for current species to exist [removing for the moment our 
involvement with altering our thermodynamic systems].