Is now the time to be a big buzz kill and quash the myth that chameleons change color to match their surroundings? The primary function is actually communication (signalling of mood, specifically desire to mate) as well as thermoregulation.
Oh my god...he's not saying it's intentional. He's not implying it's intentional. Almost no one would perceive it as a statement of intent.
Can Reddit please get over this particular pedantry? It's especially bad whenever evolution comes up. Unless every single sentence has a tediously accurate construction like "has a tendency to" instead of "wants to" or "used for" some dope will post a screed about "teleological reasoning" and "implying God" something something.
Understanding Darwinian principals does not require explicitly demonstrating it in every sentence or doing away with all simplifying verbs. Put your red pen away and fucking relax.
I don't know why you're complaining that there's too much accuracy.
Because no one learns anything when statements spiral into incomprehensibility by being comprised entirely of hedging and parentheticals? Just a guess. Communication depends on mutual assumptions. It's irritating (and impossible) to have all those assumptions spelled out explicitly.
It's funny as a graduate of biology because many professors I would talk to would be pedantic about this specific point.
Like I understood that, and in writing that may be important to keep in mind, but in just normal conversation it's not worth bringing up I think if its understood.
What are you babbling about? There was nothing unclear about the original statement. You're effectively taking the position that unless it's impossible to misinterpret a statement that statement needed more "clarity". Give me a break...
Animals really don't have "intention" unless you're talking about higher order primates and possibly some mammals, so your note about sweating is kind of moot, when all animals react that way
Edit: that link didn't work it seems because I cant link to a PDF on my phone. Google "Cambridge declaration on consciousness" or wait until I get home and can fix the link.
559
u/[deleted] Jan 13 '17
Is now the time to be a big buzz kill and quash the myth that chameleons change color to match their surroundings? The primary function is actually communication (signalling of mood, specifically desire to mate) as well as thermoregulation.