re: morphology

Mike Muller (muller@flmhh.ufl.edu)
Wed, 10 Jul 1996 10:34:36 -0400

My reply to Karen withstanding....I bristled at her suggestion that I got
my opinions from pop science and her obviously limited knowledge of
paleoanthropology.

As for morphology...I have no problem with it...in fact it has
been all paleoanthropologist have had to go on for many years. And I
wasn't resonding negatively to Tim White being a morphologist, as that is
what he is. I nyself have enjoyed the questions raised by
morphology...but it seems to raise many more questions that it can
answer.
What I am and have been saying all along is that morphology is
the "reaction" not the "action". And it will take the use of other
technology....such as isotope analysis and DNA research...etc. to
discover the "actions". Arguing evolutionary processes from morphology
alone is like putting the cart before the horse. And believe me I know
that we wouldn't even be having this conversation 40 years ago.

Holly