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Author Topic:   Is there anything up with the "Altenberg 16"?
Wounded King
Member
Posts: 4149
From: Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
Joined: 04-09-2003


Message 3 of 47 (468912)
06-02-2008 10:54 AM
Reply to: Message 1 by randman
06-02-2008 1:19 AM


who recognize that the theory of evolution which most practicing biologists accept and which is taught in classrooms today
Anyone who thinks these two things are the same is probably deluding themselves. I would hope most practicing biologists would have a quite substantially different understanding of evolutionary theory to what you might expect to have at the end of high school, which is presumably when it might be taught in a classroom.
The reason it probably appears 'a done deal' is because modern evolutionary theory has been continuously moving on since the modern synthesis was formulated. The idea that currently practicing biologists are adhering to a 70 year old formulation is ludicrous.
Science doesn't work by cabals, however illustrious, getting together and declaring a new paradigm as if it was some sort of religious article of faith. We aren't all sitting at our lab benches waiting for Massimo Pigliucci to issue a papal bull.
The research into evo-devo and epigenetics and all the other things which are bandied about as 'alternatives' to darwinism has been ongoing for the past couple of decades. You don't need to go to Altenberg to see the future of evolutionary theory you just need to read the current literature.
TTFN,
WK

This message is a reply to:
 Message 1 by randman, posted 06-02-2008 1:19 AM randman has replied

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Wounded King
Member
Posts: 4149
From: Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
Joined: 04-09-2003


Message 22 of 47 (469079)
06-03-2008 5:14 PM
Reply to: Message 21 by bluegenes
06-03-2008 1:42 PM


The benefit of real meetings.
I wonder if physical meetings are as important as they used to be.
I think the main benefit of real meetings nowadays is not the papers presented but the socialising afterwards. Not so much the formalised scientific discussion as the freeflowing informal exchange of ideas. So maybe Altenberg isn't significant as far as round table discussions of evolutionary theory goes but maybe something productive will come out of their late night boozing sessions.
TTFN,
WK

This message is a reply to:
 Message 21 by bluegenes, posted 06-03-2008 1:42 PM bluegenes has replied

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 Message 23 by bluegenes, posted 06-03-2008 6:53 PM Wounded King has not replied

  
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