Re: [FRIAM] random v stochastic v indeterminate

But none of this seems to indicate that *selection* or survival to mating age *creates* the new attribute. Survival to mating age only preserves whatever phenotype was constructed by the genes and ontogeny. Whether you call genes and ontogeny random or not is irrelevant. We could easily call it

Re: [FRIAM] random v stochastic v indeterminate

Incidentally, the life-increases-entropy hypothesis I first stumbled upon an excellent statement of that in Comparative Psychology: A Handbook (1998). It was by Rod Swenson, who has some other interesting stateme

Re: [FRIAM] random v stochastic v indeterminate

Nick, "Natural selection can /preserve/ innovations, but it cannot create them." and "The idea of evolution groping blindly through morphology space is absurd." Not trying to get into a tussle with you, 😊 but Jeremy England would t

Re: [FRIAM] random v stochastic v indeterminate

Well, I am not sure the weight of Wagner's presentation supports that conclusion. N Nicholas S. Thompson Emeritus Professor of Psychology and Biology Clark University http://home.earthlink.net/~nickthompson/naturaldesigns/ -Original Message- From: Friam [mailto:friam-boun...@redfish.c

Re: [FRIAM] random v stochastic v indeterminate

Heh, so you *agree* with Wagner that natural selection can preserve innovations, but it cannot create them? On 08/22/2017 11:21 AM, Nick Thompson wrote: > Wagner seems to support utterly my intuition that what the genome offers up > is not random mutations but hypotheses for good living. The id

Re: [FRIAM] random v stochastic v indeterminate

Wagner seems to support utterly my intuition that what the genome offers up is not random mutations but hypotheses for good living. The idea of evolution groping blindly through morphology space is absurd. "inadequate," my tush. (};-)] N Nicholas S. Thompson Emeritus Professor of Psycholo

Re: [FRIAM] random v stochastic v indeterminate

Well, Dave promised to give us a gist of Wagner. And Grant has chimed in regarding the stochasticity of crossover, which provoked an inadequate response from Nick, if I remember correctly. Since you're actively reading Wagner now, Nick, perhaps you could give us a summary of what he might hav

Re: [FRIAM] random v stochastic v indeterminate

Eric, I have been trying to get somebody to tussle with me over this claim since it was first made. I think it’s nonsense, but I am not sure. Nick Nicholas S. Thompson Emeritus Professor of Psychology and Biology Clark University

Re: [FRIAM] well..so much for watching the ecipse in person

You wouldn't have seen much, even if the clouds parted. I'm on my way back from Oregon and totality, which is 1,000,000 times darker than watching the eclipse at any percent of partial totality. Totality is simply a completely different experience. And yes, it was worth the trip! On Mon, Aug 21