January 9, 2007 | David F. Coppedge

New Scapegoat for Your Golf Score: Evolution

Stanford scientists are blaming evolution for our difficulty at golf, according to The Stanford Daily.  Working with rhesus monkeys, the researchers found that primate brains are too adaptable to changing conditions to become good at a repetitive tasks.  “One possible explanation for the observation is that evolution favored predators who could improvise, as they never face an identical situation twice when hunting prey,” explained reporter Daniel Novinson.  But with the D word designed used twice by Mark Churchland, what is the message?

“The nervous system was not designed to do the same thing over and over,” said Churchland, a co-author of the study, to the Washington Post.  “The nervous system was designed to be flexible.  You typically find yourself doing things you’ve never done before.”

Apparently no one asked the traditional follow-up question, “Who designed the designer?”

Some weeks we may need a category for Stupid Evolution Quote of the Day.  Did it never cross their designed minds that a flexible nervous system is a good example of purposeful design?  Why give Charlie Chance the credit?  Meanwhile, if you hit the sand trap, blame yourself, not evolution.  Golf would not have evolved.  It has negative survival value.

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Categories: Dumb Ideas

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