Kevin Kelly Quotes
It has become evident that the primary lesson of the study of evolution is that all evolution is coevolution: every organism is evolving in tandem with the organisms around it.
Kelly, Kevin. Interview by Joe Flower. "The Biology of Business: A Conversation with Kevin Kelly." Healthcare Forum Journal, vol. 38, no. 4, 1995, pp. 58-63.
The Pope went on to state that Evolution was consistent with Roman Catholic doctrine, changing a position that had been taken by the Catholic Church and many fundamental protestant denominations. A few actually still reject evolution even after all the evidence and proof of the basic Darwinian theses. There is nothing in evolution that per se denies the existence of God or even that God created the universe and the mechanism of evolution. That is why the Catholic Church and so many Protestant Churches, Judaism, Buddhists, and so many other religions have no theological problem with evolution. Those religious groups who have difficulty with evolution are those fundamentalists (Protestants, Jewish and Muslims) who believe in the literal truth of Holy Scripture. They also assume that God designed each particular plant or animal species. Other religions hold that it was God who created the mechanism of evolution and that is how all the species developed and are developing today. Some religious evolutionists believe that evolution is God’s mechanism for perfecting man.
Even today many people find Darwin’s views wanting because of the struggle and survival of the fittest concept implying that all creatures physically battle for survival and existance. But as this quotation illustrated, this was and is a very narrow view of Darwin’s concept of the struggle. Creatures fighting with each other is only a small part of this struggle. Larger parts are adapting to changed climate, versatility in food selection and extremely important a successful breeding pattern. The Thompson’s Gazelle is the most eaten animal on the African plains, and has virtually no defenses, but is an amazing breeder, with the shortest period of gestation of any mammal and the number of pregnancies per year. This little antelopes are thriving while they are eaten by most predators while the Lion, the strongest predator whom no animal will threaten, is becoming extinct.
Kevin Kelly (born 1952) is the founding executive editor of Wired magazine, and a former editor/publisher of the Whole Earth Review. He has also been a writer, photographer, conservationist, and student of Asian and digital culture.
