Re: The Summers Theory: Time, Again, and Most Certainly NOT Overlooked

[Stephen Faust <smfaust@edisto.cofc.edu>]

I am not a paleontologist, but I would view your theory with some concern 
if I was. Please don't assume a defensive posture at this point. I think 
it's neat when somebody attempts to view things in a new way instead of 
sticking to old established patterns ( like all too many people do ). 
Even if your wrong, your approach may expose flaws in systems thinking no 
one ever thought of or engender new concepts.

But to the point of this missive: I believe that you are suggesting that 
dinosaurs were the first to colonize the world and that all later life 
forms ( at least those of a higher order ) evolved from them. There's a 
problem here. Correct me if I am wrong, but I was under the 
impression that the amphibians diversified considerably, colonizing both 
wet and dry environments before the dinosaurs appeared on the scene. 
Originating on the Old Red Sandstone continent before the formation of 
Pangea during the Devonian, didn't they later extend to many parts of the 
world and doesn't their structure strongly suggest a connection between 
fish and all tetrapods on earth, to include the dinosaurs and man?

The two great linages: true reptiles and highly diversified mammal - like 
reptiles most certainly enjoyed a world wide distribution. And, isn't it 
true that the trend toward mammals and man can be traced pretty clearly 
from Dimetrodon through the cynodonts ( i.e., formation of the inner ear, 
evolution of solid jaw, limited tooth replacement, occlusion of the 
teeth, etc. )? Is it not also true that refined mammalian features appeared 
during the Triassic, just as the dinosaurs appeared? And, would it not be 
easier to attempt to trace skin replacement in man back to the reptilian 
ancestors of dinosaurs than to dinosaurs? Though, I must admit, I don't 
know how this could be done.

These are a few of the questions I would ask you. Hope I have not done so 
on the basis of too little knowledge. I havn't read your book and have 
only read sumaries of your theory on the Internet.

Steve.

Stephen Faust                   smfaust@edisto.cofc.edu

On Sun, 29 Jun 1997, The Frederick Family wrote:

> I have been receiving a large dose of critique on the Summers Theory, some
> constructive, and some totally senseless (note to one person out there
> calling themselves "Butthead": Knock it off. You can't even present me with
> a decent attempt at an argument.). In light of this, I'd like to make some
> finer points.
> I am a paleontologist just entering the field, so I am apt to make
> mistakes. I regret at overlooking the celluloid and mammalian stages of
> life, but I am trying to stake comparison ground with humanity and the
> dinosaurian kingdom. True, humanity may have branched off the mammalian
> sector of ancient life as well, but at this basic time I was comparing the
> celluloid, microscopic, germ-esque life, the flora, and the dinosaurian
> kingdom. However, I am sticking with my theory at this time, and if there's
> anybody out there willing to help me get started and fill in some of the
> gaps in my research, I'd really appreciate it.
> 
> Brittany Frederick, paleontologist and author
> "The age of the dinosaurian kingdom....an age of fantastic events lost,
> destroyed by extinction....yet there is still so much we can learn."
> 
>