Andy;
Good stuff again.
Ref punctuated equilibrium.
Quote:
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It is a theory which Darwinian scientists,in particular the late Stephen J Gould,proposed to explain the apparent evolutionary spurts over a comparitively short period of time which certain species have undergone-it doesn't in any way challenge the idea of natural selection.
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It's worth remembering that when Gould originally put forward his ideas and the debate began with Dawkins et al as to the significance of punctuated equilibrium in the grand scheme of things, creationists world wide got the wrong end of the stick and started publishing headlines like "Evolution in disarray!" "Scientists Discredit Darwin"
AS I remember it Gould was claiming it as a new idea and Dawkins reckoned it was such an integral part of existing Darwinist thought that it didn't merit all the hullabaloo, and that was the extent of the argument.
I still meet creationists who cite that debate (when was it? fifteen? twenty years ago?) as an illustration of cracks in evolutionary theory.
They do insist in clutching at straws!