by EdenOne 10 Replies latest social current
This article, published on the Huffington Post by Stuart A. Newman, shows that modern science has found that there are other mechanisms at play in nature that disprove certain tenets of the Darwinian evolutionism based solely on natural selection. I've spoken before about the mechanisms of hybridization and their potential to introduce lasting changes, but this article speaks of other mechanisms as well. Interesting read:
Eden
good article edenOne and definitely worth thinking about.
The problem, as I see it, that neo darwinism presents is that it so wedded to neo liberalism that unless a person is very successful and productive financially, that person is setting himself up for becoming very disappointed and resentful of life. The market language itself can generate these feelings. In contrast the language of developmental biology intimates that life is a much more complex journey of relationships and interdependence. This theory is definitely worth looking at. Mind you I am not suggesting that it is TRUTH.
Ruby - I have absolutely no idea what your comments have to do with the article. Did you read it?
Interesting article Eden. Evolutionary Developmental Biology - Evo Devo - has long been understood as the mechanism for major changes in organisms. This is quite different from appealing to "hopeful monsters".
Once you grasp evo-devo and the function of genetic switches it is easy to see how major changes in a phenotype can result from small mutations in the genotype.
The author is creating a false dilemma. Changes can and do happen more quickly than Darwin proposed but these fields do not replace Darwinism, they explain in greater detail how Darwinian evolution works. It has opened up "Darwin's Black Box".
Ruby, social darwinism has caused as much damage to mankind as religion. Although it has fell into disfavor among the scientific community, it still survives and it's deeply engrained in neoliberal economics these days. I personally never felt Darwinism was the end-all theory of life, and these new researches open new alleys of knowledge that appear to be much more in tune with reality - or at least fill the gaps that "natural selection" couldn't explain.
Eden
social darwinism has caused as much damage to mankind as religion
And has absolutely nothing to do with anything Darwin ever said.
Agreed, Cofty. It was an extrapolation of his ideas applied to social sciences.
Eden
thanks for replying edenOne and cofty. I am always motivated by what avenues and modes of thought can be fruitful for ex-jws and this article has attracted my attention as one of many modes by which xjws can enter a more fruitful engagment with political and social life. edenOne thanks for understanding this and cofty thanks demonstrating that this is a contested space - ideas are never neutral although we might like to think that science is-
modern science has found that there are other mechanisms at play in nature that disprove certain tenets of the Darwinian evolutionism based solely on natural selection - Eden
Perhaps you could add some detail to what you mean by this? What has been disproven exactly?
Can't stay for long now, but what has been disproved was Darwin's intransigence regarding the existence of other mechanisms beyond natural selection that would be at play in the development / evolution of life. In his model, it was all about small gradual adaptations and "natural selection" would weed out the weakest strains and ensure the survival of the fittest. That explanation is simplistic and very incomplete, we know that now.
Eden
