https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1l-Nawx1sU
● Gould argues first that there’s plenty of ongoing evidence for evolution, especially w/
regards to agriculture.
● Punctuated equilibrium: evolution happens not gradually, spread out over long time
spans, but in short, rapid bursts.
● To the question “has man stopped evolving?”:
○ False premise
○ Implicit assumption that a stable, connected, constantly interbreeding society like
ours would be anything but stable.
○ Us not evolving is expected not surprising
○ This is what evolution predicts ought to be happening
○ There are often small, nondirectional changes (sickling gene/malaria example)
but not larger directional change (like bigger brains or something)
○ AND WE WOULDN’T EXPECT IT
● Evolution has nothing to do with progression. We’re not achieving a higher level
○ This is routed in 17th century enlightenment thinking, the industrial revolution, etc
○ Evolution is never assured. Mammals didn’t out-compete dinosaurs, we existed
in stasis for millions of years. The meteorite gave us the advantage by killing all
the dinosaurs, we didn’t beat them out.
○ Consciousness isn’t necessarily a higher rung of existence, and it doesn’t ensure
our survival. Bacteria will likely exist far longer than us
● Topic switches to creationism. Gould keeps repeating that science doesn’t discuss
spiritual matters because it can’t, and that his personal opinions aren’t reflective of what
science means for religion.
○ Gould spoke in front of the Supreme Court against the teaching of creationism in
schools.
○ It is NOT religion versus science
● Gould is firmly opposed to scientific principles being misapplied to social policy, ideology,
etc.
○ He speaks particularly about the Wannsee Protocol, the result of the Wannsee
meeting of high ranking Nazi officers who used twisted versions of Darwinian
theory to justify the eradication of the Jews.
○ Same goes for eugenic sterilization in the US
○ Those laws were the basis for the Nazi eugenic policies.
○ Darwinism is not a justification for any sort of political ideology.
○ The only connection is the belief held by some people that there is a connection.
○ They touch on racial bias with measuring intelligence, which Gould has written
against extensively. Especially the Bell Curve.
■ Pins it to conservative and reactionary thought
○