One man's struggle against impermanence
John Wilkins is an aged, eternal student, who thinks philosophy of biology is at least as interesting as politics or sport and twice as important. He has a PhD from the University of Melbourne and a position as a Postdoctoral Fellow Sessional Lecturer at the University of Queensland, in Australia. After a varied career, involving factories, gardening, civil service, publishing, graphics, public relations but not, unfortunately for the CV, driving a truck, John finally completed his thesis on species concepts in 2004, which he has worked into two books. Species Definitions: A Sourcebook (Peter Lang) will come out in 2008; Species: A History of an Idea (University of California Press) will appear, it is hoped, in early 2009. He is also interested in cultural evolution, philosophy of religion, Macintosh computers and his kids.
If anyone knows of a tenurable, or even medium term, job in philosophy of biology, let me know. Have library, will travel. The contract ran out ...
This blog is designed to host any random thoughts that happen to be passing through my forebrain at a given moment. So there will be errors...
Foundations of Systematics and Biogeography
Re-Engineering Philosophy for Limited Beings: Piecewise Approximations to Reality
Adaptive Thinking: Rationality in the Real World (Evolution and Cognition Series)
Conceptual Issues in Evolutionary Biology, 3rd Edition (Bradford Books)
My personal page is here:
The previous instantiation of this blog is accessible here.
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Category: Creationism • Evolution • Humor
Posted on: July 22, 2008 10:39 PM, by John S. Wilkins
A Floridan neighborhood was surprised yesterday when after heavy rain, catfish started walking around their street. Of course, the fish were quick to point out that this doesn't prove evolution is possible, as they all went to the local Baptist church...
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Comments
This story mainly points out how ignorant people are of the wildlife that lives in their vicinity. Walking catfish are very old news in Hillsborough County, a little more than an hour away from Orlando, where the invasive species has been present for many years. When I lived in Tampa, it was commonplace to see dozens of them slithering about during rainstorms. Here's a close-up photo of one I shot in my driveway on June 29, 2002, for instance.
I thought most Floridians had heard of Hillsborough's walking catfish. That they've managed to expand their range by about 80 miles shouldn't be that big a surprise!
Posted by: Mike O'Risal | July 23, 2008 3:26 AM
Fire up the grille! I believe the question of "what's for dinner?" is answered in that neighborhood.
Posted by: decrepitoldfool | July 23, 2008 7:17 AM
Right. It is astounding how people can live among a particular species and not even know it exists. Chances are the guy with the cooler knew about these fish and harvests them every couple of years when the phenomenon occurs at a time he is available.
These are clarius, I assume, from Africa.
Posted by: Greg Laden | July 23, 2008 7:23 AM
However, fish with such improbable abilities have been used in a rather nifty proof for the non-existence of god (particularly with talents in communication, as these appear to have in order to have indicated their denomination).
Posted by: C.Glen | July 25, 2008 7:10 AM
You think they're scary now, just wait until they start developing opposable thumbs!
Posted by: themadlolscientist, FCD | July 27, 2008 1:15 PM
haha, I read the title as "Fish can talk"! I thought: finally! Maybe it is God, sending me "time to see an eye doctor" message.
Yet, the respond of the church is what draws my curiosity. "It might be a good time for rain prayer" :)
Posted by: Betul | July 30, 2008 1:02 AM