"Evolutionary theorists", the study of the history of life, and practical applications in medical biology

[Rumraket (Mikkel R.)]

I give up.

[John_Harshman]

@scd

why not? if about half of the protein sequence was under selection pressure we could see a nested hierarchy. and you assume that the non-coding regions are non functional.

Because neither of the things you say here is true. Selection doesn’t produce nested hierarchy, and you don’t have to assume anything is non-functional. And of course you are confusing “non-coding” with “non-functional”, which nobody equates, even though most non-coding regions are indeed non-functional.

@scd

take this instance:

If you actually examine the data, that “morphology” tree isn’t based on much and wouldn’t stand up very well to any test of hierarchical structure. In fact it’s just tradition, not based on a rigorous analysis at all. You probably shouldn’t base your ideas on class presentations. Look at the actual scientific publications behind them.

[thoughtful (Valerie (non-scientist))]

@scd

my point to Rumraket is that even if evolution is false, we can still make medicine. so evolution is irrelevant for making a medicine

My point was analyzing and even theorizing about phylogenies is useful to science and adds knowledge that is useful to making medicine. I’m not sure how that’s not clear with the OP and Covid?

Maybe that’s not what you’re even arguing. Idk.

[Faizal_Ali]

@scd

they indeed existed, if all creatures were almost identical in their initial creation state, which is not so different from the current state (chimp and human for instance have almost identical genomes).

Which means they are the same “kind” in your worldview, correct?