[furball4paws]

I have found you "directed mutation" stuff. Barry Hall and John Cairns. If you have access to Futuyma's 3rd edition this is discussed on p 285.

Basically the experiments are in serious doubt. Hall used a transposon as one of the mutations that needed to be reverted (directed). Unfortunately the experimental set up required the cells to grow on salicin. It required 2 mutations to get there. But while waiting for the mutations to occur the cells were in a state of starvation, and their particular IS tended to "jump" a lot faster during starvation.

While the results are not totally discredited, some new experiments will be required to revive this at this time (Genetics 120:887 for the original article).

[Thatcherite]

While the results are not totally discredited, some new experiments will be required to revive this at this time (Genetics 120:887 for the original article).

Am I right in surmising that Hall's doubtful results are one of the main pillars of Spetner's thinking?

[Stultis]

Thanks! My main point was just to note that these phenomena (whatever their validity turns out to be) can be and are considered and debated without shattering the darwinian "paradigm".