Species evolve exactly as if they were adapting as best they could to a changing world, and not at all as if they were moving toward a set goal.
George Gaylord SimpsonRead
Now we do have many examples of transitional sequences.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote implies that there are observable sequences in evolutionary changes over time.
George Gaylord Simpson's quote highlights the existence of 'transitional sequences' which are evidence of the gradual evolution of species. These sequences provide insight into how different species are related and depict the process of change within the natural world, supporting the theory of evolution with tangible examples from the fossil record.
Themes
EvolutionTransitionSpeciesEvidenceFossil
In practice
Example use cases
In a lecture on evolution, one might quote Simpson to illustrate the concept of transitional fossils.
More from George Gaylord Simpson
All quotes βIf a sect does officially insist that its structure of belief demands that evolution be false, then no compromise is possible. An honest and competent biology teacher can only conclude that the sect's beliefs are wrong and that its religion is a false one.
George Gaylord SimpsonRead
He is a state of matter, a form of life, a sort of animal, and a species of the Order Primates, akin nearly or remotely to all of life and indeed to all that is material.
George Gaylord SimpsonRead
Man is the result of a purposeless and materialistic process that did not have him in mind. He was not planned. He is a state of matter, a form of life, a sort of animal, and a species of the Order Primates, akin nearly or remotely to all of life and indeed to all that is material.
George Gaylord SimpsonRead
Man is the result of a purposeless and natural process that did not have him in mind
George Gaylord SimpsonRead
To put it crudely but graphically, the monkey who did not have a realistic perception of the tree branch he jumped for was soon a dead monkey-and therefore did not become one of our ancestors.
George Gaylord SimpsonRead
Similar quotes
I enjoy science, and I'm a very curious person. I always want to know the reason behind everything, big or small.
Malala YousafzaiRead
The intelligent beings in these regions should therefore not be surprised if they observe that their locality in the universe satisfies the conditions that are necessary for their existence. It is a bit like a rich person living in a wealthy neighborhood not seeing any poverty.
Stephen HawkingRead
Science should be the most fun job on the planet. You get to ask questions about the world around you and go out and seek the answers. Not to have fun doing that is crazy.
Craig VenterRead
It was one time when people thought the value of the fine structure constant was important. Now of course it's still important, of course, as a practical matter,but we now know that the value it has is a function, that in any fundamental theory you derive the fine structure constant as a function of all sorts of mass ratios and so on and it's not really that fundamental.
Steven WeinbergRead
Clearly, we are a species that is well connected to other species. Whether or not we evolve from them, we are certainly very closely related to them. A series of mutations could change us into all kinds of intermediate species. Whether or not those intermediate species are provably in the past, they could easily be in our future.
George M. ChurchRead
No isolated experiment, however significant in itself, can suffice for the experimental demonstration of any natural phenomenon; for the "one chance in a million" will undoubtedly occur, with no less and no more than its appropriate frequency, however surprised we may be that it should occur to us.
Ronald FisherRead