Recapitulation theory still withstanding test of time?

In summary, the conversation discusses the concept of recapitulation theory and whether it is still accepted in modern biology and science. The speaker also mentions the belief in reincarnation in some religions and questions how it relates to the theory. The expert responds by stating that recapitulation theory is no longer considered meaningful in biology and suggests reading more on evolutionary theory. They also provide an analogy of how design and adaptation can explain the presence of seemingly useless traits in organisms, highlighting the scientific rather than spiritual nature of the theory.
  • #1
probableexist
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recapitulation theory still withstanding test of time??

Do recapitulation theory is still a accepted theory that our entire evolutionary history is repeated during the embryo development?i am not a biologist though i am doing undergrad Engineering just studied this in junior high school and very captivated by this because (i am from India and i am not very religious) I keep hearing this from my grandmother(who is a devout Hindu and absolutely no knowledge of science) that human birth is achieved by the "soul" after so many birth as different kind of species viz. insect,cat,rabbit etc.I think that users who are from India might be aware of this.My question is how can this be?? so much similarity (though approximately).how come a "religion" can come even that close to Science??this just blows my mind off.Need desperately expert & Unbiased opinion on this issue thank you.
 
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  • #2


probableexist said:
Do recapitulation theory is still a accepted theory that our entire evolutionary history is repeated during the embryo development?

PE, I'm sorry to disappoint you, but the answer is no. Even to the extent that recapitulation is seen as in any way meaningful in biology nowadays, it has no meaning in any spiritual or even metaphysical sense. I will not go into details, largely because there is a fine article on the subject at this URL:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recapitulation_theory

If that means nothing to you, then I am afraid that you have a certain amount of reading on evolutionary theory to do. If you find yourself running into a brick wall, then write again and ask for details.

If on the other hand, you do indeed follow the points raised in the paragraphs dealing with the modern significance of recapitulation theory, but do not follow what they have to do with souls and scriptural doctrine, you might find it helpful from the engineering point of view to think of recapitulation as analogous to structuring all devices in a given class of function on a previous design, and every time one adapts that design, one minimises the changes in that design, within constraints that the new design must be functional.

As an analogy remember that the first motor cars were largely based on the designs of horse drawn vehicles, and famously, the story that some of the first motor vehicles even included holders for whips, not because the engine needed a whip, but because vehicles had whip holders; everyone knew that!

As far as I know they did not go so far as to include a whip in the holder, but never mind that. Now, by way of analogy, I can hardly move my years at all, and if I could, I would not need to. It would be an improvement to my "design" if I did not have to have useless muscles for moving my ears, wouldn't it?

Yes it would, but the problem is that the improvement would be too small to affect my selection for fitness in terms of ear muscles, and if I were artificially selected for having no ear muscles, it would have bad effects on my selection for other, more functionally important, attributes. In much the same way, if the jig for making horseless carriages included a whip holder, it might be cheaper not to remove it until it became convenient. Maybe as an intermediate step, we might make the whip holder smaller and more streamlined, unable to hold a whip, but still meeting the standards for vehicle design. at some time in the future, no doubt it would become possible to leave the whole thing out; but for now we soldier on and put up with the whip holder...

It is really a matter of control theory or information theory if you like, and nothing at all to do with whether it is a good idea for me to have erector pili muscles at the bases of the hairs on my legs. What would have been a bad idea would be expensive selection to get rid of such useless muscles or for that matter, useless hairs.

Very unspiritual I am afraid!

Go well,

Jon
 

1. What is the Recapitulation Theory?

The Recapitulation Theory, also known as the Biogenetic Law, is a scientific hypothesis proposed by German biologist Ernst Haeckel in the 19th century. It suggests that the development of an organism during embryonic stages mirrors the evolutionary history of its species.

2. Does the Recapitulation Theory still hold up today?

While the Recapitulation Theory was widely accepted in the scientific community during Haeckel's time, it has since been largely discredited. Many modern scientists argue that the similarities between embryonic development and evolution are due to shared genetic mechanisms, rather than a direct recapitulation of evolutionary history.

3. What evidence supports the Recapitulation Theory?

Haeckel used comparative embryology, the study of the developmental stages of different organisms, as evidence for his theory. He argued that the early stages of development of different species showed striking similarities, supporting the idea that they shared a common evolutionary ancestor.

4. How has the Recapitulation Theory been disproved?

As scientific knowledge and technology have advanced, scientists have been able to study embryonic development in more detail. This has revealed that the supposed similarities between different species' embryos are often exaggerated or inaccurate. Additionally, the discovery of DNA and genetics has provided a more accurate explanation for the developmental similarities between species.

5. Are there any modern applications of the Recapitulation Theory?

While the Recapitulation Theory itself is no longer considered valid, the idea of developmental similarities between different species has been further studied and applied in fields such as evolutionary developmental biology. This has helped scientists better understand the genetic mechanisms that shape embryonic development and how they have evolved over time.

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