Re: Progress schmogress (was Re: competition)

["Tim Williams" <twilliams_alpha@hotmail.com>]

Eriuc Lurio wrote:


> There are twenty thousand teleosts and two celocanths, which group is 
> better
> at being fish?

I would say teleosts are better at being teleosts and coelacanths are better 
at being coelacanths.  Apples and oranges.

I'm guessing that you wish to imply by your statement that "more species = 
more successful = more progress".  How about this then; the family Hominidae 
has only four living species (and three of those are not doing so well these 
days), while there are over 1600 species of mosquitoes (Culicidae) in the 
world today.  Did skeeters therefore undergo more "progress" than naked 
apes?

Rather than attemptying to define what "progress" might mean in an 
evolutionary context, it may be better just to discard the term altogether.  
The word misleads more than educates.


Tim

------------------------------------------------------------

Timothy J. Williams

USDA/ARS Researcher
Agronomy Hall
Iowa State University
Ames IA 50014

Phone: 515 294 9233
Fax:   515 294 3163




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