@rms - Damn, I really wish I had the time to analyze this further, as im currently trying to pack for my trip to MDF. To be completely honest with you, I avoided the discussion of epigenetics in the previous discussion for a few reasons; one, it adds further complication to a debate already rife with confusion. Two, the depth of epigenetic control is still not fully understood. Three, the depth of what is understood is a bit esoteric and hard to explain. Im not exactly an "expert" on the topic, but I did do graduate level work at a research lab that was involved with epigenetic mechanisms for a number of years, so I do have a thorough understanding of a fair amount of the known science.
havent read his original piece nor anything but the excerpt but none of that seems to counter or address either of our points. in fact, I think EternalMetal and I agreed more than you and I did, as I do not agree with your framing of evolutionary history. Maybe this is all wrong, havent thought about that conversation since the last reply and had finals week after it
I think the points of agreement varied among the three of us, but I was in agreement with EM on several of the points he was trying to convey to you (which you readily agreed with, although you seemed to think that I believed differently).
This in bold tbh. Im still unsure as to exactly where rms's opinion stands.
QUOTE="Einherjar86, post: 11378547, member: 85498"]
Our main point of contention is the degree to which environment directly influences mutation. I believe that environment shapes evolution only to the extent that it provides the conditions in which mutations can flourish; it cannot infiltrate the genome and engineer future mutations (and I don't think Harris would try and make this claim, but maybe I'm wrong). It seemed, at times, like you were really insisting on this.[/QUOTE]
Yes. I still stand behind traditional evolution theory when it comes to the idea that the environment drives selection. Just because there are environmental feedback mechanisms intertwined with the genetic code does not change this. As a white man my skin still tans, but I am clearly not as adapted to a tropical environment with lots of sun as someone with naturally dark skin. Epigenetic mechanisms such as the ones proposed by Mukherjee simply prove that genes can be resilient, but there are still limitations (which is why evolutionary theory still reigns supreme).
