From: cbcox-AT-rs6000.cmp.ilstu.edu (Carrol Cox)
Subject: Re: Darwin and Malthus [was "analogy"]
Date: Mon, 8 Jul 1996 20:58:57 -0500 (CDT)


    Just one note; I don't have my own text on analogy just now, but
I am pretty sure I did not say that "Malthus inspired Darwin's
theory" or whatever. That would be absurd.

    I said something like AFTER the hypothetical researcher had
been collecting information and poring over it, *then* he/she reads
something that is quite irrelevant, but that allows him/her to lookk
at his/her material afresh. "Trigger" would be a far better word
for this than "inspire." It happens all the time--for "ordinary
folk" as well as "supreme geniuses." In fact to say that Malthus
"inspired" Darwin's work would be contrary to what I intended
anyhow to be the thrust of my posting.
        Carrol


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