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<blockquote data-quote="cotjones" data-source="post: 7663403" data-attributes="member: 573988">Boils down to this, (listing the things we know.)#1 Random point mutations ALWAYS occur.Not only this, but events such as crossing over regularly create new phenotypic characteristics.#2 MOST random mutations will lead to less reproductive success.I like the Hemophilia example. Many years ago, it was EXTREMELY rare to see a female hemophiliac (HP) because to get one both a male and female HP would have&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; to survive to reproduce (not likely w/o meds.) Now we have meds and they are all over the place. In other words, these usually get eliminated due to population competition.#3 Some random mutations are either neutral or positive.These mutations spread rapidly through a population. IE sickle cell anemia. In the more common Heterozygous form, the gene grants immunity to malaria.Knowing these 3 premises to be true, the question becomes not &quot;Why would evolution occur?&quot;, But instead, &quot;Why wouldn&#039;t it occur?&quot;Like I said, just because the system is more complicated to observe than watching a ball drop, doesn&#039;t mean that the cause of the ball drop is any less mystical.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="cotjones, post: 7663403, member: 573988"] Boils down to this, (listing the things we know.) #1 Random point mutations ALWAYS occur. Not only this, but events such as crossing over regularly create new phenotypic characteristics. #2 MOST random mutations will lead to less reproductive success. I like the Hemophilia example. Many years ago, it was EXTREMELY rare to see a female hemophiliac (HP) because to get one both a male and female HP would have to survive to reproduce (not likely w/o meds.) Now we have meds and they are all over the place. In other words, these usually get eliminated due to population competition. #3 Some random mutations are either neutral or positive. These mutations spread rapidly through a population. IE sickle cell anemia. In the more common Heterozygous form, the gene grants immunity to malaria. Knowing these 3 premises to be true, the question becomes not "Why would evolution occur?", But instead, "Why wouldn't it occur?" Like I said, just because the system is more complicated to observe than watching a ball drop, doesn't mean that the cause of the ball drop is any less mystical. [/QUOTE]

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