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Evolution vs Creationism/Intelligent Design
Posted: 8/11/2011 9:21:52 AM | Hello Irregulator,
I love what you've written so far, but I’m a pedantic bugger!
You say (in jest) "There's no evolutionary advantage to losing a toe".
I've spent the last 5 years training to be a vet, and learnt a little bit of comparative anatomy in the process:
Horses, cattle, goats and sheep all have "lost" toes, thanks to evolution.
In fact, what we know as the modern horse walks around on a single digit that evolved from the middle third digit of a creature with paws a lot like a dog.
And the reason: Way back when, there must have been a survival advantage for the creature with the longer stride length (due to increased functional leg length).
I know I’m trying to teach granny to suck eggs here but two thoughts have occurred to me:
a) If for whatever reason (as you joke) there were a selection pressure applied to humans for only having four toes, there is no reason in the world that it wouldn’t be possible to “breed” a strain of humans with only four toes. (just look at all the grotesque traits we have selected in the numerous breeds of domestic dog!)
b) Intelligent design is a terrible mis-nomer; ask any vet about horses legs; “bloody stupid design” is a much more apt description!!! | | | |
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