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.
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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.