Re: Evolution in reverse gear

[evelyn sobielski <koreke77@yahoo.de>]

> There is no such thing as "reverse" or
> "forward" in evolution.


There is arguably *only forward*, insofar that time tends to move strictly in 
one direction above the meso scale (and even there it already has to be coerced 
with heavy-duty equipment to move anywhere else than forward). But in that 
sense of "forward", "upward" and "down" - the ways in which "progress" in 
evolution is vulgarly perceived - are automatically invalidated.

And regardless of whether the flow of time can be considered "forward", the 
alternate direction does not exist at all. It may seem to come close, as it did 
in _Anas_ x _oustaleti_ for example, but the result is still novel in some 
respect or another - even without considering that everything around these 
ducks had moved too.


Eike


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