George Gaylord Simpson (June 16, 1902 – October 6, 1984) was an American paleontologist.
Simpson was perhaps the most influential paleontologist of the twentieth century,...
Almost all paleontologists recognize that the discovery of a complete transition is in any case unlikely. George Gaylord Simpson
Almost all paleontologists recognize that the discovery of a complete transition is in any case unlikely.
Splitting and gradual divergence of genera is exemplified very well and in a large variety of organisms. George Gaylord Simpson
Splitting and gradual divergence of genera is exemplified very well and in a large variety of organisms.
Most of the dogmatic religions have exhibited a perverse talent for taking the wrong side on the most important concepts in the material universe, from the structure of the solar system to the origin of man. George Gaylord Simpson
Most of the dogmatic religions have exhibited a perverse talent for taking the wrong side on the most important concepts in the material universe, from the structure of the solar system to the origin of man.
It is now firmly established that ontogeny does not repeat phylogeny. George Gaylord Simpson
It is now firmly established that ontogeny does not repeat phylogeny.
An honest and competent biology teacher can only conclude that the sect's beliefs are wrong and that its religion is a false one. George Gaylord Simpson
An honest and competent biology teacher can only conclude that the sect's beliefs are wrong and that its religion is a false one.
If a sect does officially insist that its structure of belief demands that evolution be false, then no compromise is possible. George Gaylord Simpson
If a sect does officially insist that its structure of belief demands that evolution be false, then no compromise is possible.
To put it crudely but graphically, the monkey who did not have a realistic perception of the tree branch he jumped for was soon a dead monkey-and therefore did not become one of our ancestors. George Gaylord Simpson
To put it crudely but graphically, the monkey who did not have a realistic perception of the tree branch he jumped for was soon a dead monkey-and therefore did not become one of our ancestors.
Species evolve exactly as if they were adapting as best they could to a changing world, and not at all as if they were moving toward a set goal. George Gaylord Simpson
Species evolve exactly as if they were adapting as best they could to a changing world, and not at all as if they were moving toward a set goal.
Human judgment is notoriously fallible and perhaps seldom more so than in facile decisions that a character has no adaptive significance because we do not know the use of it. George Gaylord Simpson
Human judgment is notoriously fallible and perhaps seldom more so than in facile decisions that a character has no adaptive significance because we do not know the use of it.
I have a debt, a loyalty to the museum; the best place for me to do what I wanted to do. George Gaylord Simpson
I have a debt, a loyalty to the museum; the best place for me to do what I wanted to do.
The argument from absence of transitional types boils down to the striking fact that such types are always lacking unless they have been found. George Gaylord Simpson
The argument from absence of transitional types boils down to the striking fact that such types are always lacking unless they have been found.
White cats do not denigrate black, and dogs do not ask Baal, Jehovah, or other Semitic gods to perform miracles for them. George Gaylord Simpson
White cats do not denigrate black, and dogs do not ask Baal, Jehovah, or other Semitic gods to perform miracles for them.