Date: Wed, 22 May 1996 10:18:46 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: Re: TREE - reply to Terry's of 4-19, part 2 -Reply


Lisa writes,

> BTW, "flying pigs" suggest to me that my intended point was entirely
> lost.  Sorry if I was unclear. 

The flying pigs example was used by Richard Dawkins in a newspaper 
interview.  It stems from a popular expression of skepticism "and 
pigs might fly!"  Dawkins was deliberately using this unlikely 
example to emphasize a strong version of the adaptationist position.
 
> 
> However powerful in the short run [say 10 gerations or less] are the
> constraints of present structures upon the slight variations that can
> possibly succeed, in the very long run [half to one billion years]
> 5-fingered primates descended from critters that had _no_ fingers at
> all.
> 
> So if you want to invoke inherited constraints upon possible future
> developments, it may be helpful to be clear about what time scale you
> are talking about.  It's a sensible concept only within a relevant
> context.  [Well, that's what they taught me in school.]

Agreed.  The relevant time periods are less than a billion years.

Terry


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