Re: Evolution of Separate Genders in Animals


"rmj" <glenna@xxxxxxx> wrote in message news:uy2Hh.6944$PL.1839@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Perplexed in Peoria" <jimmenegay@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:FO0Hh.463$yW.438@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"r norman" <r_s_norman@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:e85pu2h8hhqoosdk1fpfcl0leddcn8cj6s@xxxxxxxxxx
On 5 Mar 2007 12:09:35 -0800, "hersheyh" <hersheyhv@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

On Mar 5, 12:35 pm, "derdag" <der...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
On Mar 5, 5:46 am, "SJAB1958" <balf...@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Can anyone help me out with a query? I know that the swapping of
genetic material between organisms arose before the formation of
separate genders, but did separate genders come before
hermaphrodites
or was it the other way round? Any website links that would help
here
would be greatly appreciated.

When evolution decided ...

"Evolution" does not 'decide' anything. That would be ignorant
anthorpomorphism. Unlike our dear Prez, evolution is not the
'decider' of anything. Local environmental conditions, OTOH, are the
the dumb, unintelligent decider between variants based on how well
those variants reproduce.
<snip>

When normal people say that evolution "decides" or "chooses", it is
simple anthropomorhic shorthand, a common practice among the
cognoscenti. When derdag says it, it is plain ignorance, not
specifically anthropomorphic ignorance.

And, lest derdag think we are picking on him, notice that he did
write: 'A couple of them had the same idea at the same time.' A couple
of what? A couple of species? No evidence that it would have been
at the same time. A couple of individuals? Individuals don't 'decide'
in any sense in the ToE.

How about suicide?

Well, OK. Or the decision to have a large family. Or the decision to
migrate. Individual decisions can influence the direction in which
population gene frequencies go. However, they cannot result in heritable
genetic mutations.

Well, OK. The decision to become a worker in a nuclear plant or an
airline pilot. But individuals in a population of asexual reproducers
don't 'decide' to reproduce sexually instead and pass that trait on to
their children. Which is what I think derdag was suggesting.

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Evolution of Separate Genders in Animals
    ... separate genders, but did separate genders come before ... "Evolution" does not 'decide' anything. ... 'decider' of anything. ... When derdag says it, it is plain ignorance, not ...
    (talk.origins)
  • Re: Evolution of Separate Genders in Animals
    ... separate genders, but did separate genders come before hermaphrodites ... "Evolution" does not 'decide' anything. ... 'decider' of anything. ... When derdag says it, it is plain ignorance, not ...
    (talk.origins)
  • Re: Evolution of Separate Genders in Animals
    ... separate genders, but did separate genders come before hermaphrodites ... "Evolution" does not 'decide' anything. ... 'decider' of anything. ... When derdag says it, it is plain ignorance, not ...
    (talk.origins)