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Does the Darwinian theory require modification or replacement?

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Author Topic:   Does the Darwinian theory require modification or replacement?
Dr Jack
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Message 32 of 760 (609165)
03-17-2011 5:00 AM 		Reply to: Message 1 by shadow71
03-15-2011 4:03 PM

My purpose in this post is to discuss whether the Modern synthesis as it is know today should be modified?
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Of course it should.
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The "Modern Synthesis" dates from the 30s and 40s and predates even the discovery of DNA, yet alone the entire of modern molecular biology and genetics.
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Dr Jack
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Posts: 3514
From: Immigrant in the land of Deutsch
Joined: 07-14-2003
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Message 194 of 760 (610226)
03-28-2011 9:38 AM 		Reply to: Message 181 by Dr Adequate
03-25-2011 4:51 PM

The modern synthesis is not modern
I don't agree.
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The "modern" synthesis dates from the 30s and 40s. It includes nothing about genetic mechanisms because, back then, we didn't even know about DNA. The modern synthesis remains broadly correct in its overarching view, but its been wildly superseded.
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That current evolutionary thinking isn't exactly in line with a body of knowledge constructed a lifetime ago shouldn't surprise anyone.
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Edited by Mr Jack, : No reason given.
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Dr Jack
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Posts: 3514
From: Immigrant in the land of Deutsch
Joined: 07-14-2003
Member Rating: 8.3

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Message 198 of 760 (610238)
03-28-2011 2:38 PM 		Reply to: Message 197 by Dr Adequate
03-28-2011 12:20 PM

Re: The modern synthesis is not modern
Dr Adequate writes:
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Well, that depends on what you mean by "modern synthesis". I think that it should include stuff that is, y'know, modern. And that it should therefore include stuff that geneticists have known perfectly well since before I was born.
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The Modern Synthesis is a very well defined piece of evolutionary theory, and it does not include anything that geneticists have known. A good Evolution textbook (such as Futuyma's Evolution) will tell you what it is.
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If it doesn't, it's time to think of a less confusing name for it.
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I agree it's confusing but I think like "Modernism" and "Post-Modernism", we're stuck with it.
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I take "the modern synthesis"; "neo-Darwinism"; "the theory of evolution" to commonly denote Darwinism updated with knowledge of the genetic mechanisms that underlie it; not just those mechanisms which were known in 1930.
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Well, that's your choice but you should be aware that such usage is radically non-standard to a degree most pleasing to Humpty Dumpty.
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Dr Jack
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Posts: 3514
From: Immigrant in the land of Deutsch
Joined: 07-14-2003
Member Rating: 8.3

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Message 200 of 760 (610242)
03-28-2011 3:05 PM 		Reply to: Message 199 by Dr Adequate
03-28-2011 3:00 PM

Re: The modern synthesis is not modern
It was modern when it was named.
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