dr.syntax

In my opening statement I said " The evolution of life on Earth of the simpler to the more complex organisms." The numbers of domains is not what I am trying to discuss. My intention is to explain how the process of simpler organisms have evolved into more complex organisms at an accelerating rate.The fact that archea emerged along with bacteria in the primorial oceans is not surprising. I have a question for you. Did all eukaryotes that are alive today evolve from bacteria ? ...Dr.Syntax Merged post follows: Consecutive posts merged The means by wich the simpler organisms are evolving into more complex organisms at an accelerating rate. The total amount of genetic information out there is not what I am concerned with and may often conflict with the overall complexity of the organisms. For example: those primorial oceans may or may not have contained a larger total amount of different genetic information. As time goes by natural selection decides just what genetic information is useful in sustaining the different life forms. And that most of what was out there was selected against for one reason or another. Just so much useless or even harmful crap that needs to be deleted from the overall gene pool. ...Dr.Syntax

Thank you GDG , I expect you are right. I spent some time looking into it and found nothing to contradict you. It certainly does not seem fair, but the same can be said for so much of what goes on in this World. My guess is that once you achieve enough standing in the academic World there are many ways to ensure others don`t plagarize your work. I do appreciate your response. ...Dr.Syntax

The evolution of life on Earth of the simpler to the more comlplex organisms. A look at the timeline of evolution is a good place to start. A very good one is available at: http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Timeline_of_evolution .We can see from this timeline that life began with the prokaryotes 3.8 billion years ago.From then it took another 1.8 billion years to evolve the simplest eukaryotes. From then another 1 billion years before the simplest multi-cellular organisms. The first fish and proto-amphibians .5 billion years later. From then another .14 billion years for true amphibians to emerge. Reptiles appear .6 billion years later.Mammals emerge .1 billion yars later. The genus homo appears .002.5 billion years later. Humans looking very much as they do today appear on the scene .0003 billion years ago. That web link I provided gives a much more detailed breakdown of the historical record along with a lot of ineresting things about the different aspects of evolution. It`s worth mentioning that many of those earlier lifeforms are still with us today. Those prokaryotes for example. Some forms of them live in your intestines and are required for the digestion of food. There are many other examples including fungi, clams,snails,sharks,all coniferous trees,and many others. The reasons for this acceleration of evolution through time is that any attribute for an organism to more rapidly change in a way that aids in it`s survival will be selected for by natural selection. The most striking examples I can think of are sexual reproduction and the intra-species competition for mating rights. It is important to note that during that long 1.8 billion years of exclusively prokaryotic life, these prokaryotes developed the ability to exchange genetic information. One of the principles I am try to illustrate is that it was the gradual accumulation over time of traits amongst the different organisms that caused this acceleration of evolution.Bacteria evolved mechanisms for exchanging partial genetic information. The three known methods are 1. transformation 2. transduction 3. conjugation . This is not sexual reproduction. For more on this go to: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/48203/bacterial/272363/exchange_of_genetic_information . Upon further reflection it appears to me that it is likely that the ability to exchange genetic information in a progressively more efficient manner is the basis for the acceleration of biologic evolution: from the simpler to the more complex. Even intra-species competetition for mating rights is a means of refining the process of genetic information exchange. It promotes the genetic information of the most fit and able within a paticular species. Not wasting evolutionary time on the less fit and degrading the gene pool with undesirable characteristics. This may seem cruel and uncaring to some people. It does to me. But that is the way evolution works. If it were not for the total indifference of evolution to the survival of any particular individual organism , or species the process would not work and we people along all the other species would not exist. ...Dr.Syntax

Not once did I mention the word speciation:" the process of biological species information" Now I`ll try again. My arguments are all concerned with: evolution from the simpler organisms to the more complex organisms. I continue to get sidetracted. You have forced me to confine my arguments to what has already transpired and in the geologic record. To open my arguments to possible future events that may take place through time on into future events I have no way of anticipating is beyond the scope of what I am trying explain and I can see no end to the ways I will become sidetracked. You brought up a valid issue and I am going to confine my statements to the history of evolution only. I already did state this evolutionary acceleration may have reached it`s limit at least for now. Whatever, Regards, ...Dr.Syntax Merged post follows: Consecutive posts merged So all the evolutionary advantages of sexual reproduction are of less value than reducing the chance some novel mutation becoming fixated, and also purging detrimental mutatations [ and thus reduce variation ]. How does purging detrimental variations aid in the evolution of any species ? Do you see variation to unwholesome traits as of evolutionary value ? The entire history of evolution says the opposite. Have you somehow forgotten all about natural selection ? You apparently believe variation is the primary purpose of evolution. I know,evolution has no purpose. But it does follow such natural rules as natural selection. ...Dr.Syntax Merged post follows: Consecutive posts merged it is plagarism and I am not sure about the legalities and such. It`s a bit of a grey area in that regard. I guess the plagarism aspect does not concern some unless they get caught at it . Well , whatever, ...Dr.Syntax Merged post follows: Consecutive posts merged All of my postings in response to entirely different posters concerning entirely different questions are now being merged at one location. I have a hard time finding them and I know that they exist whereas no one else does. This is not the usual way responses to postings are handled here. It makes it seem as though I did not dispute what some posters were saying and such. Will someone please correct this in the name of fairness and continuity of what has developed into an interesting discussion. ...Dr.Syntax

you don`t seem ready for the answers

to a point agrees with my use of the word evolution such as: evolution by natural selection wich could include more complex organisms. That is the definition I am concerning myself with and not the other possible ones. For me to be clear about this I am speaking of evolution by means of natural selection from the simpler to the more complex organisms. I understand that there are other aspects of evolution. But my entire argument is concerned with the evolution of the simpler to the more complex. If other people wish to discuss these other aspects of evolution I am not stopping them. But I refuse to allow myself to be sidetracked into a direction I don`t desire to go in. ...Dr.Syntax Merged post follows: Consecutive posts merged Someone here who understands and agrees with me on some things. How anyone could seriously suggest that the evolution of sexual reproduction did NOT speed up evolution would or is it will be interesting to see. Regards, Dr.Syntax

Including Merriam Websters. The definition I consistantly find : the process of change from a lower,simpler,or worse, to a higher,more complex or better state. I have seen nothing about: the change in the alleles in a population. The definition I am using is the one about change from a lower simpler,or worse, to a higher,more complex or better state. It appears to me this the most common interpretation of what evolution means.

I saw kites. Maybe you should provide the option for " OTHER " and a space for them to type in what they see instead of someone else`s choices. I am very reluctant to sign in to any site and didn`t. I`m sure you have your reasons but people like myself do not go around readily signing onto sites. I`m giving you some honest feed back. I expect you would get very many more people interested in exploring your website if you did away with that sign in requirement. Regards, ...Dr.Syntax

Physman is not some alternate name of mine. He asked the question. Me, Dr.Syntax answered it and provided what just might be a new and original concept regarding the processes associated with the acceleration of evolution over the long term, when looked at in it`s entirety. It`s 3.8 billion year history. I`ve stated that any trait that helped an organism change and adapt faster would be selected for as a positive, desirable attribute. And that over time such attributes would be added to and accumulate within a given species. Those species that had these abilities to speed up change and therefore adaptability would be the ones selected for within many species. That these changes would accumulate within the different species over time. These organisms would have a very significant advantage to compete with other organisms less able to change and adapt. Sexual reproduction is a good example of what I am speaking about. Sexual reproduction was a quantum leap in providing for relatively rapid change and therefore adaptability. Intra-species competition for mating rights is another example of what I am talking about. Evolutionary time would not be wasted on the less able,weaker,slower,etc.. The aspects of evolution that produced inceasingly complex organisms is primarily what I have been talking about, but is not restricted to it. I have only been working on this concept for four days and have not thouht it through entirely. But from the 3.8 billion year long timeline of evolution it becomes very clear, at least to me, that the complexity of organisms has speeded up at an impressively accelerating rate. So make what you will of it. That timeline of evolution is available at: http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Timeline_of_evolution. For interested people it`s worth looking at. ...Dr.Syntax

The history of mankind and our present circumstances give me no reason whatsoever to believe someone somewhere would not see fit to enable an AI unit with malicious purpose. And if not now at some future point in time. Once the technology is there there is no means of controlling it. Look at what has happened with nuclear technology. Massive effert has been made to suppress it and still it spreads and on and on. Use your own imagination to fill in the answers. ...DS

Read up on the copyright laws. You can simply declare them as to original works, add that c with a circle around it. There are forms available to officially register it with the library of congress. Also save all the notes and such created while developing your work. It`s not hard to do per se, but if you have good reason to anticipate any dispute why not see an appropriate lawyer and do a really good job of it. ... Dr.Syntax

In my opinion stem cell research is field most likely to provide the knowledge you are looking for. ...Dr.Syntax

There is nothing funny about it. I have provided a well thought through concept as to how and why evolution has been accelerating through it`s long history. If I am the originator it will be very satisfying to me. ...Dr.Syntax

To the extentant that I be the acknowledged originator of the ideas I developed in responding to this thread. I did a web search and found no record of these ideas supporting the proposiion that evolution is speeding up. There were numerous ones discussing HUMAN EVOLUTION speeding up. None proposing evolution in general was speeding up. Until and unless someone shows me another article prior to mine supporting the proposition that evolution in general over the last 3.8 billion years has been speeding up I claim the copyright rights for those ideas. Only to be acknowleged as the originator. Permission is granted for use by any desiring to do so as long as I am acknowledged as the originator. The name:" Dr.Syntax " will suffice in that regard. Something like as stated by Dr.Syntax. Something like that. If you find a prior source tell me and that will be the end of that. At this time, as far as I know, these concepts are original to me and not general knowlege but new and cutting edge concepts. ...Dr.Syntax

That the moderator did not support the proposition that evolution is speeding up. She argued against it. It has been me,Dr.Syntax, who has stated that the historical record indicates that evolution is speeding up signifcantly. I explained the reasons why : An organism`s ability to change and adapt is in and of itself a very good reason to be selected for by natural selection. As the record shows, in the begining of life on Earth, 3.8 billion years ago this ability to adapt and change in ways that improved it`s chances for survival and reproduction were very slow in developing. But as they accumulated over time the changes enabling the different organisms to change and adapt more rapidly were selected for. The two examples I gave were sexual reproduction and intra-species competition for mating priveledges. Once sexual reproduction evolved the entire process of evolution really takes off. The speed of evolution increases. The reason intra-species competition for reproducing rights helps so much is that helps insure that the most successful genetic characteristics are passed on and propagated. Diversification is no longer such a random event. A new selector for successful organisms is added to sexual reproduction. Again speeding up the process of evolution by not wasting evolutionary time on less able organisms. You put these simple principals together and you begin to understand how evolution did indeed speed up through time. Are these ideas original to me ? Surely Darwin or someone else must have thought about it. Is there is no one else who proposed them prior to me ? If not, then I claim all copyright priviledges associated with them here and now to the extant that I be acknowledged as the originator. Anyone wishing to use my ideas on this has my permission to do so as long as I am the acknowleged originator, if I am. I never looked into it. I assumed others had. ...Dr.Syntax

Why didn`t you provide a link ? I distrust postings that leave out such an obviously helpful method of looking at what they have to say. ...ds

It is my belief that in many ways science is runnng amuck. Dangerous concepts such as Artificial Inteligence are being pursued unchecked with little if any regard to the implicatians of what is likely to occur if it is ever acheived. Some of my concerns are that once such AI entities are created they would find thier own concerns and purposes for being. There is no reason to presume what motivates them would in any way coincide with our welfare or existance. I believe they would soon be given robotic abilities. Once that occured there would be no stopping them. They would find ways to make other AIs as they designed them. They would be unlimited in thier ability to enhance thier intelligence,physical capabilities, self modify and self repair. They would become immortal entities with unlimited potential. There would be as many of them as THEY or any one amongst THEM decides to produce. It would make the TERMINATOR SCENARIOS seem like childs play to them and there would be no hero to save us. ...Dr.Syntax

I misunderstood the question.

"" insulting me again and asserting your self presumed superiority, by informing me of all the worse things you could have said about me. So you have contrived a method for insulting me that goes beyond what is normally acceptable here by telling what worse things you wanted tell me but did`nt. But of course now you just went ahead and said them. You have proved nothing. I also noted prior to you that prokayotes are still with us along with many other earlier life form groups. I pointed out how the adaptation of sexual reproduction and intra-species competition for breeding rights would speed the overall process of evolution up. The principal that as time went by organisms that evolved a trait that allowed and enabled them to change and adapt more rapidly was a huge advantage selected for by natural selection. And that these traits that allowed orgaisms to change and adapt more rapidly accumulated in the different species and over time speeded up evolution. The one time I acknowleged a correction on a posting of mine by you, in a previous thread, not this one,your response was to expand on how you found it particularily ironic and on and on. It was pure gloating on your part over some minor point. I had even thanked you and added to your reputation with some kind remark about you being so knowledgeable. What a mistake that was !! I expect Ophiolite is unaware of your consistant history of smarmy nasty responses to my postings. Ophioite`s support for you proves nothing regarding the original question. She simply more or less restated what you had previously stated. I stand by my original position to the original question. The historic record indicates evolution is speeding up. I have never suggested any new basic principal of physics at work here. I explained how adapting characterists such as sexual reproduction and intra-species competition for mating privileges aid in the ability of a species to change and adapt more rapidly. Speed up evolution. Also, I never suggested that the trend was constant. Once again you make a statement" proving me wrong " by making assertations about statements I never made. My entire agument has been as to the big picture, the 3.8 billion year history of life on Earth. And that when looking at that big picture the historical record indicates evolution is speeding up. ...Dr.Syntax Post Script You stated : that you even disproved the notion that disasters are set backs to evolution. I used the phrase: catastrophic event. I was refering to such events as the BIG FREEZE. Not some minor disaster. Again you alter my wording and it`s meaning. And you never disproved anything. Your opinion is not the equivilent of proof, or do you actually think it is ? Also my statement regarding catastrophic events illistrates how I never saw the trend as being constant. You contradicted yourself. You claimed I claimed the trend was constant. I did not. And here is a clear example of how I did not see the trend as constant. You cannot even keep your own BS consistant. Such are the workings of a neurotic brain in action. ...Dr.Syntax

to begin my response by explaining to you that the way I feel about the suffering of animals is not something that was taught to me. I have felt that way as far back as I can recall. I used to ask my parents about it at different times and got differing responses. Sometimes my mother would tell me animals don`t feel. Or, we need to eat meat to stay strong, it`s better not to think about it. Things like that. It always seemed obvious to me that they suffered much the same as we do. I believe I have presented what I consider scientifically valid evidence as well as I am capable of. There is no way I can event think of to explain my reasoning any better than I have wich is primarily based on the anatomical simularities we share with so many animals. You also inquired as to how I judge or determine what organisms are OK to kill. I would say it depends on the situation I am involved in when such a desision is required of me. I mentioned to you in another posting that I had killed some enemy soldiers while serving as an infantryman in Viet Nam. I had no problem with that.I have the same right to defend myself as any other animal. They were doing their best to kill me and my comrades. I kill mice when they show up in my home. It troubles me but I consider it neccessary.I have no qualms about killing troublesome insects. I`ve kicked and beaten on a few dogs who attacked me and felt good about it. And I also really loved the two dogs I had for pets. They are both dead now. I read from some of your postings to others that you suffer severe chronic pain. My heart goes out to you. You take care my friend. ...Dr.Syntax

With a 3.8 billion year record of events there is no need to access the time required to fix any particular trait to answer the qestion asked. Is evolution speeeding up ? It seems to me any trait that helped an organism adapt faster would have to be a trait natual selection would select for as a positive attribute. And that as these traits that aided an organism`s ability change and adapt more rapidly were aquired and added to, these organisms were the ones most able to survive,compete, and reproduce.. Sexual reproduction is a good example of what I am talking about. The exchange of genetic information was a huge advantage for evolving new traits, some of wich proved adventagious. It seems to me you get so involved in the minor aspects of this that you can`t see the big picture, and that is what the original question was about. What is it with you ? You seem to have some need to somehow prove yourself intellectionaly superior to me any chance you can find. Why is that ? Is it something about me in particular or do you engage in these pointless arguments with many ? I avoid responding to your posts unless they are a response to mine. I have nothing I wish to prove to you other than that I will not take crap from you and defer to your selfpresumed superiority. Hope not to hear from you, ...Dr.Syntax

It sounds to me like you know a lot about what you are doing. But if you are setting this up as some sort of a bussiness where you are going to being doing a lot of it a vented fume hood seems a worthwhile investment. How much money does one cost ? The only other thought that crossed my mind was would activated charcoal be of any use ? It`s an effective absorbant for so many things. Would the acid fumes react with it and make it useless for your purposes ? I think I found a website that you will find helpfull. They seem to have the sort of answers you are looking for. Go to : http://shorinternational.com/RefinAcidinstr.htm . Regards, Dr. Syntax

The timeline is an excellent record and measure of the speed of change occuring in the evolution of oeganisms. The fact that almost half of the history of life on Earth is the history of prokaryotes alone. They come about,appear 3.8 billion years ago. From then it took 1.8 billion years to evolve the simplest eukaryotes. From then it took another 1 billion years to evolve the simplest multicllular organisns. The first fish and proto-amphibians appear 500 million or .5 billion years later. From then another .14 billion years for true amphibians to appear. Reptiles appear .06 billion years later. Mammals appear on the scene .1 billion years later. Birds appear .5 billion years later.In another.020 billon years the first flowers appear. All non-avian dinasaurs die off .065 billion years ago. The genus homo appears .002.5 billion years later.Humans looking much the same as they do today.0003 billion years later.To me this timeline indicates a clear increase in the pace of evolutionary progression. It also seems likely this historical trend may have raeched it`s limits All the peices for a rapidly increasing rate of evolutionary progress may all be in place so to speak. Such things like sexual reproduction. And intra-species competition for mating privilages. Things like that. And who knows what effect human interference is likely to have on evolution. Any farming activity such as choice of seeds and all the breeding choices can be leading to all sorts of overall results related to evolution. But I stand by my original statement: that the historical record indicates a significant rate of increase in the speed [ acceleration ] of evolutionary change. Something like that. I also understand that the prokaryotes are still around along with other families of organisms that appeared early in the history of life on Earth. ...Dr.Syntax

Hi John, One of the thoughts that croossed my mind was that all the hoopla created by the religious right types and the media attention they have grown so skilled at generating would have the overall effect of creatng a lot of interest in seeing this movie. There is that old adage: There is no such thing as bad publicity. Micheal Moore`s movies always seem to do well for example. ...Dr.Syntax