Posted on 02/10/2006 10:13:29 AM PST by SirLinksalot
Professor challenges evolution
By NAN AMA SARFO
Staff Writer
February 09, 2006
A Pitt professor challenged a part of Darwin’s Theory of Evolution in an article published in the scientific magazine The New Anatomist last week. Jeffrey Schwartz — a Pitt professor in the department of anthropology and the department of history and philosophy of science — collaborated with Bruno Maresca, a professor of biochemistry at Italy’s University of Salerno, for the article, which refutes Darwin’s Theory of Evolution using modern knowledge about cell biology.
The two decided to collaborate after Maresca contacted Schwartz after reading his book, “Sudden Origins: Fossils, Genes, and the Emergence of Species,” in which Schwartz first explained his theory of evolution.
Schwartz refuted Darwin’s theory of gradual evolution in organisms with one that states that evolution occurs quickly and suddenly as the result of cell mutations.
“Darwinism’s presence in science is so overwhelming,” Schwartz said. “For the longest time, there was no room for alternative thinking among the scientific community.”
This has led Schwartz — who believes that this indoctrination has resulted in scientists who don’t know enough about the history of the theories they learned — to teach all different aspects of evolution to his students.
It was through exposure to influential scientists and their questioning views of Darwinism as a Columbia grad student that Schwartz became interested in exploring the issue.
Darwin’s theory, a staple in science curriculums, states that evolution in organisms occurs gradually over time. His theory also states that gaps in the fossil record, in which there are missing links between the different phases of evolution in organisms are temporary because the linking fossils haven’t been found yet.
Schwartz, through research of the fossil record and use of Maresca’s findings about cell structure, believes otherwise.
“If you look at the fossil record, organisms didn’t gain new items like teeth and jaws gradually,” Schwartz said. “It’s not like fish developed bony teeth one piece at a time. It happened suddenly.”
Schwartz believes that stressors such as extreme heat and cold precipitate changes in evolution.
“Cells don’t like change. They have many different proteins that protect them from extreme changes,” Schwartz said. “With all these different mechanisms that they have, it’s unlikely that they change willingly over time, as Darwin’s theory says. Modern cell biology doesn’t support Darwinism.”
These extreme changes, says Schwartz, quickly overwhelm the stress proteins in a cell and cause mutations. Most of the time, cell changes kill the organism. Other changes are beneficial.
However, it takes years for these changes to appear in organisms, since, according to Schwartz, mutations occur recessively and are passed unknowingly until the mutation saturates the population. Then, when members of the population receive two copies of the mutation, the trait appears suddenly.
According to Schwartz, time will tell if and when the scientific community will begin to move away from Darwin’s theories and adopt others, such as his own. But he sees the most urgent application of his theory toward the protection of animals and endangered species in general.
“We don’t know what the stressors are that cause extinction in animals,” Schwartz said. “So we need to be much more sensitive about the environment and be aware of local and global events. It’s all a domino effect. One small change affects everyone else.”
That happens when you post untruths.
Those are "LAWS" of gravity. We use them to launch probes into space. I guess you are unawre of that. Without that "theory"
long ago being proved into LAW, we wouldn't be able to put satalites in orbit.
Regardless of what you say, they are provable, and DISPROVE much evolution THEORY. science works against you.
But nobody is supposed to question the religion of evolution, are they.
We have "separation of church and state" in this country, works the same against the religion of evolution people are trying to elevate beyond questioning.
Islam does that too, the kill those who question their "religion".
It seems as if Darwin's theory of evolution is, in itself, evolving
All scientific theories either adapt to new evidence or are discarded when observations directly contradict their fundamental implications.
How dare this fool disparage the name of Darwin, Glory Be To Him. This isn't science, it is faith baised speculation! Behead the non-believers!
This sounds like the "punctuated equilibrium" that Stephen J. Gould promulgated, because he too saw the many gaps in the fossil record. Gould, the Harvard paleontologist who was the USA'a #1 promoter of evolution, also said that the neo-Darwinian idea of gradual evolution leading to new species is a myth.
Note that Professor Schwartz is not only not disputing that evolution occurs, but actually states that it does occur. I suspect, however, that many creationists will completely ignore this fact and add him to the "growing list of scientists questioning Darwinism".
Punctuated equlibrium was considered even by contemporaries of Darwin. Huxley, a close friend, suggested it.
There are three thought concepts. Philosophy, Mathematics, and Science. The above is a Mathematical concept. It is of mathematics not science. There is no constant comparison value for mathematics and science.
Adaptation isn't a genetic gain or loss, it's a use of what is already present in the information, which becomes activated with certain stimulation (moving to a warmer climate increases pigmentation for example)
Genetic LOSS is a loss of information, and never results in an improvent, unless you think kids born without arms, legs, etc are improvements.
AHhh...
but as we ALL know, the devil is in the details!
I'd be interested in his response.
It's punk eek redux. I thought this was crime-thought in evo circles.
Read further. Snowbelt Man decided to go ahead and add Professor Schwartz to the list without asking. Creationist dishonesty knows no bounds or shame.
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