Darwinian and panbiogeographic frameworks

[Stuart G. Poss]

Carmine Colacino wrote:

> That is NOT the meaning orthogenesis had in continental Europe.
> For some strange reason, nobody went to check out what it actually means,
>

Well, this still doesn't explain to me what special properties of the European
definition of orthogenesis, should we choose to use that one instead, that are
relevant to the issue of how such a definition of orthogenesis, however
conceived, should in some way vitiate the central tenant of Darwinism, namely
that it is natural selection that is all that appears required to explain the
evident results of evolutionary history.

I am now told a discussion of molecular drive as it pertains to this specific
definition of orthogenesis can be found in Systematic Zoology.  Although I have
a complete set of this journal and have read many of these papers, I must
confess to not being familiar with the special definition of orthogenesis made
plain in SZ 34: 174-192, and perhaps I should be chided for looking at a
dictionary to establish the common meanings of words and perhaps being
insufficiently knowledgeable of the Italian translations, as to make the
mistake of only looking in an American dictionary.  Please forgive my bias, but
my comprehension of science is better done English and mathematics than in
other european languages.   When I don't know the meaning of a word, I tend to
use a dictionary, typically an English one when there is no widely accepted
mathematical definition.  I tend to use a dictionary definition of most terms,
unless there is a specific technical reason, so that I may utilize the
typically comprehended definition.  This has been most useful to me when either
my knowledge is inadequate or when existing useage does not easily permit
discussion via mathematical analogy, especially if ones mathematical skills are
limited.

However, it does strike me as surprising, that if orthogenesis is such a
powerfully explanatory theory, that I did not hear a great many other
scientists citing this work as a profound revolution in our understanding of
the organization of the natural world.   In any event, given that this paper
purports to establish the basis of the rejection of Darwinian theory on the
basis of the relation of molecular drive to panbiogeography and orthogenesis, I
must confess it may have been an oversight for believing some of the
immediately succeeding paper captured all the interest time gave me the luxury
to investigate..  Perhaps I didn't appreciate the profundity of the work from
its title.  In any event, as soon as I have the time, I look forward to reading
to discover how Darwin got it wrong.   In the meantime, perhaps others can
clarify how they view the signficance of the findings in SZ 34:174-192 in the
over-turning of Darwinian theory.  Perhaps the Kansas Board of Education got it
right after all and I am one of the few not to recongize it.

> CC
>
> --
> Dr. Carmine Colacino
> Herbarium Lucanum & Dept. of Biology
> University of Basilicata
> 85100 Potenza, southern Italy
> Tel. ++39/097-120-2216; Fax ++39/097-120-2256
> e-mail: colacino at unibas.it
> url: http://www.unibas.it/utenti/colacino/mediterraneo.html



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_____________________________________________________________________
Stuart G. Poss                       E-mail: Stuart.Poss at usm.edu
Senior Research Scientist & Curator  Tel: (228)872-4238
Gulf Coast Research Laboratory       FAX: (228)872-4204
P.O. Box 7000
Ocean Springs, MS  39566-7000