Aug 06 2009
Evolution is smarter than you are
By David Finnigan
Quick, what’s the most ridiculous-looking animal in the world? Is it the Leafy Sea Dragon? It is, isn’t it?
Yes, it is.
I don’t mean to criticise spuriously. Orgel’s Second Law (as formulated by Dan Dennett) states that ‘Evolution is smarter than you are,’ meaning that although we may not understand the purpose of a particular evolved feature, it is likely to have some adaptive function that outweighs its ridiculousness. Continue Reading »
