Alt-BEAM Archive
Message #03041
To: "Burken" burken@hotbot.com
From: rdraycott@CPL.co.uk
Date: Thu, 6 May 1999 12:54:00 +0100
Subject: [alt-beam] Re: Evolution
>> Now, the fundamenental aspect of a creatures evolution is only partially
>> its behaviour. Real world animals developed their anatomical differences
as
>> a result of the environment they where in.
>In terms of long term evolution this is true, but short term (faster)
>evolution seems to favor modifying behaviors. Some (of the most
important?)
>anatomical advances are dedicated to providing behavioral adaptability
>(like brains).
>short tearm behavioral changes didn't trigger the >development of a brain
>the anatomical mutations dictated physical >development on the basis of
the
>fittest for the enviroment, those physical mutations
>dictate behavior not visa versa
Ah, but is not entirely true. A famous example that comes to mind is one of
the Galapagos finks that use tools (twigs, branches etc.) to fill the
ecological niche of a woodpecker without having the physical means to do
so. This increases it's survival ability greatly, without any physical
modification.
You didnt quite get it did you SO I WILL AKE IT NICE AND S L O W
you are telling me that a bird has a behavior and is not physically
equiped to do so , well is it using the tool or not! and this long term
behavior had triggered no anatomical changes OH I see you mean short tearm
behavioral changes don't trigger the development of a physical changes
the anatomical mutations dictated physical development on the basis of the
fittest for the enviroment, those physical mutations dictate behavior not
visa versa
the emphasis being on the enviroment as I understand it the Galapagos
islands are an evolutionry dead end no preditors so the fink aint changed
much in XXXX years COS IT DIDNT NEED TO its current layout is the fittest
for its enviroment.
LIKE I SAID
>ie entity A has a slightly bigger brain and more >synaptic links so can
>remember more of what is benificial and whats not, >entity A survives
longer
>has more prodgeny etc. etc
>entity A's actual behavior is the result of that >knowlage base ( the
>physical changes give the advantage).
>Individuals change behavior on the basis of their >physical circumstances
,
This is not completely accurate either. There is an example of, again,
birds on the isolated Coco island.
These birds are members of the same species, but because they have no
competition they have been able to radiate and fill all niches on the small
island. Some birds prefer eating seeds, other insects, but they look exacly
the same and breed without discrimination.
========================================
here we go again
they have such a varied diet to fill the untaped recources of their
ENVIROMENT ie the X entitys eat X fruit while Y entity eats Y insect
besides the biologists ar discovering that birds apparently of the same
species are in fact a seperate species, but at this point we get in to the
hole ball game of species definition and species divergance point
Also why the hell do you think tha Crocodiles havent changed much in XXXX
years
Because the are optimised for their enviroment!!!!!!
====================================================
>it would not reflect the population if you only >tested amputees, who
>ignoring the socialogcal behavirs adapt their >behavior to suit their
>physical condition .
>Selective breeding can pick up on some core behaviors >(agressiveness,
etc)
>but those exist as a result of the initial physical >evolution of the
>entity.
>Rob D
>Aka "Powerbuilder"
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