Re: The Real Place of Fuzziness in Anthropology
Paul Gorman (eqivp@westminster.ac.uk)
15 Aug 1996 22:51:37 GMT
Joel and Lynn Gazis-Sax (gazissax@best.com) wrote:
: Suppose we take two genetically identical rats, keeping one in the lab and
: releasing one (with a chip implanted so we can find it again) into the
: wild. In a year, we bring both the rats back to a central point and do
: all the scientific measurements on them. What do we get? Two identical
: rats? At the level of the genes, yes, but beyond that level, these same
: building blocks have created some markedly different though similar animals.
With all respect I think the above illustrates a misconception on you're
part. The definitions that you have given for genotype and phenotype are
correct. The conclusion you draw is correct. You conception of the
is IMHO incorrect. You do not get two 'markedly different though
similar animals'. You get two incredibly similar animals albeit with
individual phenotypic variation. Given the amount of cell division which
would occur in a year and the effects of the environment the fact that
we are presented with two animals recognisably similar would suggest that
the processes of growth are highly ordered.
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