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Thanks. Another interesting twist on evolution is my favorite book by Thomas Sowell which shows step by step how conservatives see how society grows by evolution, not by central deliberate planning as liberals do. It's a bit off the path of the scientific argument but maybe it's my conservative vision getting in the way. More:

Dr. Thomas Sowells book, "A Conflict of Visions" is an attempt to explore the primary, if unarticulated, philosophy of historical conservatism and liberalism. His thesis is that conservatism has a tradition of operating by a vision of humans that sees them as constrained. Some characteristics of this view are: lt;br /> lt;br />(1) Humans have generally selfish natures. lt;br />(2) Human reason, while valuable, is quite limited. lt;br />(3) Because of this, society grows by evolution, not central deliberate planning. lt;br />(4) Social decisions generally involve not solutions but trade-offs (how much good for how much downside?) lt;br />(5) Procedural fairness, rather than results-based fairness, is the key to a just society. lt;br /> lt;br />Conversely, Sowell writes that the liberal tradition operates on a vision of humankind that is unconstrained. Features include: lt;br /> lt;br />(1)Human selfishness is a quality that can be overcome by reason and education. lt;br />(2) Human reason, when used properly, can trump human impulses, emotions, and feelings. lt;br />(3)The planned society is best. Non-planned societies = chaos. lt;br />(4) While policy trade-offs might be a good short term solution, reason can discover true solutions that are equitable to all. lt;br />(5)Procedural fairness is not fair so long as disperate outcomes result. lt;br /> lt;br />Sowell backs up his thesis with impressive research, citations, and quotes. This is refreshing becuase it makes sure he is not simply creating strawmen. From the conservative side, his quites tend to come from Edmunde Burke, Adam Smith, Freidrich Hayek, and Oliver Wendell Holmes

http://www.history-us.com/A_Conflict_of_Visions_Ideological_Origins_of_Political_Struggles_0465081428.html