Some nonscientists claim that because biologists disagree about the details of a particular phylogen Introdu flawed? (such as the case with turtles described in the ction), evolutionary theory is entirely false. Why is this reasoning flawed)

ANSWERS :

The relationship between phylogenetic reconstruction and evolutionary theory is reassessed.It is argued here that phylogenis, and evolutionary principles, should be analysed initially as independently from each other as possible.Only then can they usedto test one another.If, however , there is a conflict,then one should assess the relative support for each hypothesis, and tentatively acccept the more strongly supported one.We review examples where the phylogenetic hypothesis is preferred over the evolutionary principles and vice versa, and instances where the conflict cannot be readily resolved.Because the analyses of pattern and process must initially be kept seperate, the temporal order in which they are performed is unimportant.Therefore, the scenario cannot be justified philosophically.Such an approach means that cladograms cannot be properly tested against evolutionary principles, and that evolutionary scenarios have no independent standing.Instead, we propose the consilience approach where phylogenetic and evolutionary hypothesis are formulated independently from each other and then examined for agreement.