Dollo's Law

Lee Berman · 17 May 2011, 17:34 · from 2011-May.txt.gz

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From: severiansola at hotmail.com (Lee Berman)
Date: Tue, 17 May 2011 13:34:58 -0400
Subject: (urth) Dollo's Law
Message-ID: <SNT123-W2498E61F42B4D966D9190FCF8C0 at phx.gbl>

>Dan'l: ... appears to be more, well, a
> guideline.

>David: Like most of these Laws turn out to be.
>I have forgotten the trait that brought up Dollo's Law---mind projection? mimicry? opposable thumbs?

Yep, most Laws of science become more and more guidelines with exceptions as the science advances. And 
Genetics and Evolutionary science have certainly advanced in the past 100+ years.

Dollo's Law was mentioned by Wolfe in 5HoC. I think its mention was the linchpin of arguments on tool use 
(handwriting) and whether Shadow Children became humans on Ste. Anne or not. It evolved into some unpleasant
real world discussions about human racial features, iirc.

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