An analogy with biological evolution via natural selection

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An analogy with biological evolution via natural
selection

• Recall journal article that outlined dichotomy
  between non-scientific and scientific use of
  concept of biological evolution by natural
  selection.
• This is a non-scientific use of the concept.

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Power of evolution via natural selection
Complexity of organs and organisms is testament
to power of evolution via natural selection
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The biological evolution two-step

• Biological evolution is a two-step process
  variation and selection.
• (Mayr distills it this way).
• Both are of extreme importance in producing the
  well-adapted organisms we see.

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The analogy with thinking

• Likewise, both variation and selection are
  important in thinking.
• Dont be afraid to have new, different ideas.
• And dont be ashamed of having stupid ideas
• the open mind that allowed the stupid idea can
  also allow for the brilliant one.

Part I Variation
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The Analogy with Thinking Part 2 Selection

• But also remember it is important to have the
  selector.
• Need to admit when an idea turns out to be
  stupid, need to discard it.

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BOX
Outside of Box
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How to assess?

• In some cases, by thinking it through or by
  asking others.
• Better yet, test it out yourself if you are
  unsure.
• e.g., Jerry Seinfeld and Jim Carrey.

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A good way to test

• Best to use same method of thinking that has
  provided all the information in our course.
• You can use the scientific method anytime,
  anywhere in your daily life.
• Key is to be honest and to try to make precise
  observations that allow you to test (and exclude
  some) hypotheses you have come up with.

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I guess thats not the best way to go down the
dune.
My spine!
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Evolution in a completely different sense
You can use these methods when being
introspective. -Dont be afraid to have new,
sometimes hard to accept, ideas about
yourself. -Be honest in your self-reflection
when assessing hypotheses about
yourself. -Then try to fix what needs
fixin. This allows for behavioral flexibility,
which allows you to mature and evolve
behaviorally.
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Help in this maturation process

• Find solid mentors who provide advice or lead by
  example.
• Ive been fortunate to have many, but have 3 big
  ones.

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Hey, lets tell him its a good idea to drink
during lecture.
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Hope and more advice

• Hope that you come away from this course with a
  better appreciation for your place on the Earth,
  and in the Universe.
• Look more carefully at what you see around you
  --- think about the landscape and wildlife and
  ask questions about them.
• Think about why what you see is the way it is,
  what it was like 1 million years ago, what it
  will be like 1 million years into the future,
  etc.
• This will, for example, make your otherwise dull
  drives to places like Vegas much more
  interesting.

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Last bit of advice
Hey kid! Beer me!

• Children stay observant and dont give up on
  your dreams you never know where/when they will
  be realized

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GE 70 a retrospective
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In the year 650 Ma
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Cnidarians ruled the seas.
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In the year -543,234,421
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Higher invertebrate animals appeared with a bang.
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In the year 250 Ma
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God opens a can of whoop-ass on the planet.
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In the year 65 Ma
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Dinosaurs were wiped out by a giant meteorite (or
were they?)
Do you want to buy a fountain?
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Through the Phanerozoic
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Life diversified again and again!
Dad, is there something behind me?
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In the year 30,000 B.C.
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Humans opened a can of whoop-ass on the
diversity of life.
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In the year 10000000000000000000000000000000000000
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We will all be positronium.
Whats the point of living if Im only going to
become a bunch of positronium?
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But. . .in the year 2004
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The Field Trips were the best
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I mean, how many people get to see a modern
nuclear power plant so close to a lobster trap.
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And hour after hour of luxurious bus rides
Is this the bus for Reno?
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Some students had clearly been on roadtrips
before.
Going our way?
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But some people dont seem to get out much
Im way too excited
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Im gonna eat your babies!
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And there were times of conflict, like when the
Evil geologists from Riverside showed up on our
mountain
Hey, only black vans are allowed on this
mountain!!!
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And the night of terror with Dr. Larkin when we
learned to fear Betelgeuse
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And of course theres the time that Dr. Vendrasco
opened the can of whoop-ass
What dyou say? You talkin to me?
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I left one body way up there.
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Picking up another body
GE 70 again.
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Thats when everyone started staying clear of Dr.
Vendrasco
Come on guys, I didnt mean to do it!
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But you cant forget about all of the extras
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Tony entranced the students with his hand
puppetry.
Thats just not right.
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We found cool stuff
I found fossils!
I wonder how much I can get for these. . .?
I found kids!
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We saw cool critters. . .
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Forced marches across the desert
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Unfortunately, not everyone made it
Thunk!
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Can I have his shoes?
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Damn! We rollin on dubs!
Hell yeah!
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GE 70 in da hizzouse!!!
One love. Peace!
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The photographers
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The writers
OhmyGod! Its the Stay Puff marshmallow man.
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The GE70 teaching team
(Sabrina)
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And finally. . .
I made it to Reno!!!