From Wikipedia:
Gould argued that evolution's drive was not towards complexity, but towards diversification. Because life is constrained to begin with a simple starting point ( like bacteria), any diversity resulting from this start, by random walk, will have a skewed distribution and therefore be perceived to move in the direction of higher complexity. But life, Gould argued, can also easily adapt towards simplification, as is often the case with parasites.
The thing to note here is the “simple starting point (like bacteria)” and the notion that diversity then leads life toward new forms. We don’t have to say “higher” forms. We don’t have to talk about “Progress”. But we start with bacteria and we end up with parasites – or Apes. Not that one is better than the other, but they are significantly different.
Gould did important work on the Cambrian Explosion, which really involves the emergence of new Phyla.
The Cambrian Explosion (500 mya) was an occurrence in which life consisted of certain, somewhat basic kinds – a small number of Phyla. But then (relatively suddenly) those Phyla became a great many other Phyla. An explosion of new Phyla appeared, branching off and adding significant diversity to life-forms on Earth. Whole new Phyla? How often does THAT happen?? Well, since the Cambrian Explosion, ummmmmmm, not very often. Which I think is very weird. Phyla were popping out of nowhere 500 million years ago, and then change at that level pretty much dried up. Why would that happen?? So the problem of explaining how new Phyla arise is very real, but let’s be very concrete and operate at a lower, simpler level – Class.
Evolution of land-dwelling creatures.
Conodonta (jawless eels) were primitive animals. Over time, we end up with jawed fish which any child would recognize as a fish.
Then we get something along the line of a “walking catfish” type of creature (Class: Actinopterygii).
This creature spends some time out of the water, but is primarily a water-dweller, with gills.
Over millions of years, this creature evolves into something we might call an amphibian – it spends some time IN the water, but is primarily a land-dweller, with lungs (Class: Amphibia)
Once creatures live on land -- over millions of years -- we see reptiles (Class: Reptilia) and later we see mammals (Class: Mammalia).
This is diversification described below the level of Phyla and far above the level of Species. I’m talking about Class but there are then lower boundaries such as Order, Genus, Family – you need to cross all of these boundaries if you go from jawless eel to a specific mammal such as an Ape.
We don’t even have a clear understanding of species and how one species becomes another. And that transition is MUCH simpler than a higher order boundary. You want to tell me that little Eohippus became an Arabian Stallion – heck, it’s not so much of a leap. It’s a bit like a wolf being the ancestor of a Chihuahua. If we operate at the level of Breeds, pretty much everyone sees things the same way. But go from gills to lungs or two chambered heart to four chambers, or no spinal column to a set of vertebrae. That’s hard to swallow. Speciation has not been demonstrated – but that’s not the hard part. Phyla, Class, Order, Genus, Family. Evolution has a tough road to travel.
Yep, good to see you starting to see the truth of the matter. Very encouraging, in fact.