Invisible Fan is correct. If anyone has a hard time remembering this, here's an illustration. In the evolutionary sense, Shawn Kemp is fit.
I thought survival of the fittest had to do with natural selection. Shouldn't we assume that all organisms that we apply this too would have the ability to reproduce?
Survival of the fittest does have to do with natural selection. The British Natural History Museum's handbook on evolution, written by paleontologist Colin Patterson, states the theory of natural selection in this way: 1. All organisms must reproduce; 2. All organisms exhibit hereditary variations; 3. Hereditary variations differ in their effect on reproduction; 4. Therefore variations with favorable effects on reproduction will succeed, those with unfavorable effects will fail, and organisms will change. In other words, the organism which produces the most offspring is the "fittest."
This is so strange... out of all of the people on the planet, I'm amazed that Colin Patterson is being referenced by multiple persons. I didn't have a clue as to who Colin Patterson was 5-7 days ago.
i just took a fascinating semester long course on this exact subject entitled "Science and Religion" and would recommend to anyone interested in this subject any works by Dr. John Haught. He is right at the heart of the ongoing debates on evolution and creationism and has some interesting views. As for my thinking, there was definitely a creator, but I do believe in the theory of evolution. i don't buy stuff like Johnson's Intelligent Design because he tries to make the debate overly simplistic with examples like his mouse trap theory and "irreducible complexity." I prefer to stay away from the modernist folks. Anyone read any Tielard de Chardin? If not, read him too, b/c he has some great ideas too.
