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Single Idea 7462

[filed under theme 27. Natural Reality / G. Biology / 3. Evolution ]

Full Idea

The basic mutation rate in DNA is 0.71 percent per million years. Working back from the present difference between human and chimpanzee DNA, we arrive at 6.6 million years ago for their divergence.

Gist of Idea

DNA mutation suggests humans and chimpanzees diverged 6.6 million years ago

Source

Peter Watson (Ideas [2005], Ch.01)

Book Ref

Watson,Peter: 'Ideas: from fire to Freud' [Phoenix 2006], p.30

A Reaction

This database is committed to evolution (a reminder that even databases have commitments), and so facts of this kind are included, even though they are not strictly philosophical. All complaints should be inwardly digested and forgotten.

The 21 ideas from 'Ideas'

7461 The three key ideas are the soul, Europe, and the experiment [Watson]
7462 DNA mutation suggests humans and chimpanzees diverged 6.6 million years ago [Watson]
7463 The three basic ingredients of religion are: the soul, seers or priests, and ritual [Watson]
7464 The big idea: imitation, the soul, experiments, God, heliocentric universe, evolution? [Watson]
7465 Babylonian thinking used analogy, rather than deduction or induction [Watson]
7466 Mesopotamian numbers applied to specific things, and then became abstract [Watson]
7470 During the rise of civilizations, the main gods changed from female to male [Watson]
7474 Hinduism has no founder, or prophet, or creed, or ecclesiastical structure [Watson]
7471 The Gathas (hymns) of Zoroastrianism date from about 1000 BCE [Watson]
7473 Zoroaster conceived the afterlife, judgement, heaven and hell, and the devil [Watson]
7475 Confucius revered the spiritual world, but not the supernatural, or a personal god, or the afterlife [Watson]
7476 Taoism aims at freedom from the world, the body, the mind, and nature [Watson]
7468 In ancient Athens the souls of the dead are received by the 'upper air' [Watson]
7477 Modern democracy is actually elective oligarchy [Watson]
7478 Greek philosophers invented the concept of 'nature' as their special subject [Watson]
7483 Paul's early writings mention few striking episodes from Jesus' life [Watson]
7480 Monotheism was a uniquely Israelite creation within the Middle East [Watson]
7479 Modern Judaism became stabilised in 200 CE [Watson]
7481 The Israelites may have asserted the uniqueness of Yahweh to justify land claims [Watson]
7484 Jesus never intended to start a new religion [Watson]
7490 Because of Darwin, wisdom as a definite attainable state has faded [Watson]