This learning I can agree with.  I wouldn't call it 'evolution' as we still
have a dolphin at the end, albeit a smarter dolphin, able to survive better
because of the newly developed skill over other dolphins.  And we see this
all the time.  Monkeys using sticks as 'tools' to stick in anthills to get
food comes to mind.

However I can't see how this can be extrapolated to the process of the
theory of evolution.  Dolphins, man, monkeys all have a brain. That can
think.  And learn.  Origionally over 'billions' of years, the theory says by
chance (and we've discussed these outrageous probabilities), things evolve
to higher life forms.  No learning is involved here.  It's a long stretch to
tie the 2 together...

-----Original Message-----
From: Wirt Atmar [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Tuesday, June 07, 2005 12:42 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [HP3000-L] OT: More Evolution

Michael writes:

> "Teaching requires close observation by the pupil," Kruetzen  said.
> "Offspring spend up to four years before they are weaned, so they
> would have ample time to observe their mum doing it -- if she is a
sponger."
>
>  "This study provides convincing evidence that the behavior is
> transmitted  via social learning," commented Laela Sayigh of the
> University of North  Carolina Center for Marine Science.

A great number of people over the last 150 years have pointed out that the
process of evolution and learning are fundamentally the same mechanism.
Indeed, Norbert Wiener, the great mathematician/engineer at MIT, the person
who first coined the term "cybernetics" in the title of his 1948 book,
"Cybernetics: or control and communication in the animal and the machine,"
wrote on page 169:

"If the hereditary invariability concerns matter of behavior, then among the
varied patterns of behavior which are propagated some will be found
advantageous to the continuing existence of the race and will establish
themselves, while others which are detrimental to this continuing existence
will be eliminated. The result is a certain sort of racial or phylogenetic
[="originating within the family"] learning, as contrasted with the
ontogenetic [="arising within the self"] learning of the individual. Both
ontogenetic and phylogenetic learning are modes by which the animal can
adjust itself to its environment."

In my own writings, I've always added sociogenetic [="arising within the
group"] learning as a third distinct form of evolution. See, e.g.:

     http://aics-research.com/research/notes.html#I

Wirt Atmar

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