Re: virus: Re: Virus: Sociological Change

zaimoni@ksu.edu
Mon, 16 Dec 1996 10:43:09 -0600 (CST)


On Mon, 16 Dec 1996 jonesr@gatwick.geco-prakla.slb.com wrote:

[CLIP]
> > (Punctuated equilibrium is the observation that many species do not under
> > go gradual evolution but instead, they will remain stable for many millions
> > of years (-- remain in equilibrium) before suddenly making many drastic
> > changes ( -- punctuated by "bouts" of mutations)).
>
> Very odd! Any idea why?

Ordinary Differential Equations. Seriously.

I once posted a sketch of a calculation detailing the effects of a very
weak selective pressure on the human larynx, showing that a meme could
cause a drastic phenotypic change [Neanderthal to Cro-Magnon] in less
than 2000 or 3000 years. A literal blink of an eye, on typically assumed
geological time scales.

Punctuated equilibria falls out of the same calculations that generate
Natural Selection from Ordinary Differential Equations at "large"
populations.

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/ Kenneth Boyd
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