Re: Natural Selection (was: Breast Size)
Bryant (mycol1@unm.edu)
18 Jun 1995 15:07:02 -0600
In article <3rvjie$b8k@medici.trl.OZ.AU>,
Jacques Guy <jbm@newsserver.trl.oz.au> wrote:
>mycol1@unm.edu (Bryant) writes:
>
>>>I do think that short-hand is inevitable and useful within a field,
>>>however, so long as everybody knows what the short-hand is really
>>>saying.
>
>"So long as everybody knows". The man-in-the-street does not know.
>Creationists do not know. Everytime you use that misleading shorthand
>you confuse the man-in-the-street and play into the hands of the
>creationists. You confuse university students, many of whom are
>[snip; good points...I've gotten too insulated...]
>>>I.e., "thumbs evolved to grasp" or "infanticide is an adaptive
>>>cessation of investment" are shorthand for .... [snip]
>
>No need for the long-winded sentences that followed. Simply say:
>"as the thumb differentiated itself from the other fingers, grasping
>became more effective" or "with the thumb, grasping became easier".
>There is absolutely no justication for using the misleading "to",
>only laziness, and that is not an excuse.
Yup, you've convinced me. It is an issue of laziness, and it is
misleading. Sorry it took so much of your effort to get me to come around.
Bryant
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