We've come to expect high standards from The State Press, but Anjali Patel's recent article "Human will continue to evolve despite adaptation" concerning evolution belies these lofty expectations.
First, Ms. Patel fails to correctly define natural selection itself. Her definition is too broad and could certainly encompass other evolutionary mechanisms such as genetic drift. Natural selection, on the other hand, involves the decreased likelihood of reproduction for those who possess inferior traits for a given environ.
Secondly, if humans are indeed evolving, it would be due in whole to genetic drift -- a non-selective genetic shift. Take a quick look into your local Wal-Mart and tell us that natural selection is still a force acting on humanity -- or that God exists for that matter.
The third and most egregious falsehood is Ms. Patel's embrace of the discredited Lamarckian mechanism for evolution. Lamarckism is the idea that the more you use a trait, the more developed it will be in your offspring. This theory, however, has not been seriously considered since the 1930's.
Which leads us to question how Ms. Patel could possibly believe that her copious consumption of chocolate would have any effect whatsoever on the digestive capabilities of her progeny. Following Ms. Patel's logic, one could conclude that if Michael Crow were to have children, they would come out of the womb as money-hungry, student-hating administrators with pectoral implants.
One would think that someone with such a strong background in the biological sciences would not make these elementary mistakes. Although billed as a molecular biosciences and biotechnology major, Ms. Patel seems unable to grasp the most fundamental tenets of her field. For purportedly being a research institution, ASU has obviously failed to attract undergraduates of comparable caliber.
-- David Madden
Political science junior
Masturbation a form of normality
[In regard to SPM's "Lustful: Self Love"] I think masturbating is fairly normal. With the way today's college students are, this is by far the simplest of acts. I know quite a few people who do ten times worse with ten times as many people. For this dude to do something like this and get caught is just a predicament for him. It's normal; everyone has their days. As a teen I did similar stupid things and I thought I was crazy because my growing up was bad. Yet, I'm nothing like a sexually aroused teen today. So, it's a youth thing. Let it go.
-- Jeremiah Bond
Prospective student
