Book: Lamarck's Revenge

I think Ward has completely lost his mind. He keeps saying "the vast majority of scientists believe" and "since 1860 science as been nearly unanimous" on the fallacy of Lamarckism, but then goes on to claim that "tiny molecules adhering to our DNA in ways that cause genes to turn on or off," without once proposing a mechanism for how those changes could get into the haploid DNA of our gamete cells.

I'll keep reading, but so far he seems to have jumped off the logic bridge without a parachute.

Most, if not all, of what the author points to as "evidence" of Lamarkian IAC (inheritance of acquired characteristics) can be explained by evolutionary developmental biology, which is the effect of genetic mutations when they occur in the expression genes. Author Sean Carroll explained "evo-devo" brilliantly in his 2005 book, "Endless Forms Most Beautiful."

Unfortunately, neither Sean Carroll not evolutionary developmental biology appear in the index for "Lamarck's Revenge." I think the author was unaware of the new research, and instead reached back to 1874.

Peter Ward wrote:

We have good knowledge now that major events in any human life, such as starvation or major violence or great emotional trauma or religious conversion, can cause epigenetic changes, and that some of them are heritable.

I give up.  I'm done.

I see Michael Behe -- of "Darwin's Black Box" infamy -- has a new book out as well, claiming epigenetics wholly invalidates Darwinism. Don't you believe it.

I guess in this time when climate change is "a hoax" and Russian election interference is "a hoax" and the Mueller report was "a hoax" and the House impeachment was "a hoax," it only stands to reason that evolution is being thrown away, along with women's rights and logic and science and reason and morality.

The New Dark Ages are upon us.