Comments on: Ostwald on the Threshold http://unurthed.com/2009/09/21/ostwald-on-the-threshold/ Tue, 15 May 2012 07:58:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Andrew Clarke http://unurthed.com/2009/09/21/ostwald-on-the-threshold/comment-page-1/#comment-4695 Andrew Clarke Thu, 12 Nov 2009 03:40:48 +0000 http://unurthed.com/?p=808#comment-4695 The first thing that comes to mind is that this would make a great biology lesson. People have this assumption that nature respects our classification of it, and that every animal is equal to every other within the boundaries of specieshood. It makes it difficult for them to conceive of how a species could ever cross the gap and transition into another. In actuality life is a gradient filled with colors that fall below the threshold. A can breed with B and B can breed with C and C can breed with D. But as the differences between them add up it's often the case that D cannot breed with A. The contrast becomes perceptible and so we draw a line as best we can, but the transition is never made in a single step. The first thing that comes to mind is that this would make a great biology lesson. People have this assumption that nature respects our classification of it, and that every animal is equal to every other within the boundaries of specieshood. It makes it difficult for them to conceive of how a species could ever cross the gap and transition into another.

In actuality life is a gradient filled with colors that fall below the threshold. A can breed with B and B can breed with C and C can breed with D. But as the differences between them add up it’s often the case that D cannot breed with A. The contrast becomes perceptible and so we draw a line as best we can, but the transition is never made in a single step.

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