Evolutionary Design

* In 1859, the British naturalist Charles Darwin published ON THE ORIGIN OF THE SPECIES, which introduced a comprehensive theory of the evolution of life on Earth. Darwin set off a scientific revolution -- one which continues today. This document provides a survey of the modern evolutionary theory (MET) that has been built up from Darwin's pioneering work; that has affirmed it, and greatly extended it.

[1.0] Evolutionary Theory & Its Competitors

• [1.1] DEEP TIME, DARWIN, & EVOLUTION
  
• [1.2] THE MODERN SYNTHESIS
  
• [1.3] DEAD ENDS: LAMARCKISM
  
• [1.4] DEAD ENDS: SALTATIONISM
  
• [1.5] DEAD ENDS: CREATIONISM
  

[2.0] Macroevolution

• [2.1] EVOLUTION AS EVIDENT FACT
  
• [2.2] ORGANS OF WONDERFUL STRUCTURE / MACROEVOLUTION
  
• [2.3] THE PROSECUTOR'S FALLACY / THE EVOLUTION OF LANGUAGES
  
• [2.4] MAGIC BARRIERS
  
• [2.5] EVOLUTION OF THE EYE
  
• [2.6] DAWKINS' WEASEL PROGRAM
  

[3.0] The Classic Evidence, Part 1

• [3.1] FAMILIAL RELATIONSHIPS & SPECIATION
  
• [3.2] VARIATION AND GEOGRAPHY
  
• [3.3] PROGRESSION OF FORMS
  

[4.0] The Classic Evidence, Part 2

• [4.1] EVOLUTIONARY IMPROVISATION
  
• [4.2] CONVERGENT & DIVERGENT EVOLUTION
  
• [4.3] FOOTNOTE: CELLULAR & MOLECULAR EVOLUTION
  

[5.0] Evolutionary Strategies

• [5.1] THE GAMES OF EVOLUTION
  
• [5.2] COOPERATION & SYMBIOSIS
  
• [5.3] SYMBIOSIS VERSUS PARASITISM
  
• [5.4] SEXUAL SELECTION & THE HANDICAP PRINCIPLE
  

[6.0] The Genetic Evidence, Part 1

• [6.1] THE DNA EVIDENCE
  
• [6.2] MUTATIONS
  
• [6.3] THE ICEFISH GENOME
  
• [6.4] SELECTIVE ADVANTAGE & GENE PROPAGATION
  
• [6.5] IMMORTAL GENES
  

[7.0] The Genetic Evidence, Part 2

• [7.1] THE EVOLUTION OF COLOR VISION
  
• [7.2] FOSSIL GENES
  
• [7.3] CONVERGENT EVOLUTION AT THE GENETIC LEVEL
  
• [7.4] HUMAN EVOLUTION & THE GENETIC EVIDENCE
  
• [7.5] DEVELOPMENTAL GENES
  
• [7.6] FOOTNOTE: NONCODING DNA, "JUNK DNA"
  

[8.0] The Evolutionary Paradigm

• [8.1] EVOLUTION AS AN UNSPECIFIED PROCESS
  
• [8.2] AN ALTERNATIVE VIEW
  
• [8.3] FOOTNOTE: DOUGAL DIXON'S AFTER MAN
  
• [8.4] COMMENTS, SOURCES, & REVISION HISTORY