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The Meaning of Evolution

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 July 2017

Richard K. Bambach
Richard K. Bambach*
Affiliation:
Department of Geological Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061-0420 e-mail bambachr@vt.edu
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Extract

In 1950, the great vertebrate paleontologist George Gaylord Simpson published a book titled “The Meaning of Evolution.” Simpson divided his work into three parts: (a) the Course of Evolution, (b) Interpretation of Evolution, and (c) Evolution, Humanity, and Ethics. I will take a different approach. Rather than detailing the course of evolution (topics of which are covered elsewhere in this volume), or interpreting patterns seen in the history of life, or trying to construct an ethical program, I will just consider three aspects: (1) what we mean by evolution, (2) the status of the theory of evolution, and (3) what evolution means to understanding the natural world. Some ideas about the importance of human existence and its implications do emerge, however, from the third topic, and several of my points do parallel some of Simpson's conclusions.

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Type
Evolution in Prespective
Information
The Paleontological Society Special Publications , Volume 9: Evolution: Investigating the Evidence , 1999, pp. 17 - 38
Copyright
Copyright © 1999 by The Paleontological Society 

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References

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