R. S. Lull
Encyclopedia
Richard Swann Lull was an American
paleontologist from the early 20th century, active at Yale University
, who is largely remembered now for championing a Pre-Neo-Darwinian Synthesis view of evolution
, whereby mutation(s) could unlock mysterious genetic drives that, over time, would lead populations to increasingly extreme phenotype
s (and perhaps, ultimately, to extinction).
Lull was born in Annapolis, Maryland
, the son of naval officer Edward Phelps Lull and Elizabeth Burton, daughter of General Henry Burton
. He majored in zoology
at Rutgers College where he received both his undergraduate and masters degrees (M.S. 1896). He worked for the Division of Entomology of the United States Department of Agriculture
, but in 1894 became an assistant professor of zoology at the State Agricultural College in Amherst, Massachusetts
(now the University of Massachusetts
). Lull's interest in fossil footprints began at Amherst College
, renowned for its collection of fossil
footprints, and eventually led him to switch from entomology
to paleontology
.
In 1899 Lull worked as a member of the American Museum of Natural History
's expedition to Bone Cabin Quarry, Wyoming, helping to collect that museum's brontosaur skeleton. In 1902 he again joined an American Museum team in Montana, then studied under Columbia University
Prof. Henry Fairfield Osborn
. In 1903 he received his Ph.D. from Columbia University
, and in 1906, after a brief time at Amherst, was named Assistant Professor of Vertebrate Paleontology in Yale College and Associate Curator of Vertebrate Paleontology at the Peabody Museum of Natural History. He stayed at Yale for the next 50 years. In 1933 Lull was awarded the Daniel Giraud Elliot Medal
from the National Academy of Sciences
.
One famous example he used to support his Pre-Neo-Darwinian Synthesis theory concerned the enormous antlers of the Irish Elk
: he argued that these could not possibly be the result of natural selection
, and instead reflected one of his "unlocked genetic drives" towards ever increasing antler size. The poor elk, coping in each generation with ever bigger antlers were eventually driven extinct.
This forms an example of orthogenesis
that clearly distinguishes the concept of mysterious, non-Darwinian evolutionary driving forces from the concept of teleology
(purpose of goal oriented evolution). Both ideas are rejected by modern science, but each continues to resurface in one form or another as the years go by.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
paleontologist from the early 20th century, active at Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
, who is largely remembered now for championing a Pre-Neo-Darwinian Synthesis view of evolution
Evolution
Evolution is any change across successive generations in the heritable characteristics of biological populations. Evolutionary processes give rise to diversity at every level of biological organisation, including species, individual organisms and molecules such as DNA and proteins.Life on Earth...
, whereby mutation(s) could unlock mysterious genetic drives that, over time, would lead populations to increasingly extreme phenotype
Phenotype
A phenotype is an organism's observable characteristics or traits: such as its morphology, development, biochemical or physiological properties, behavior, and products of behavior...
s (and perhaps, ultimately, to extinction).
Lull was born in Annapolis, Maryland
Annapolis, Maryland
Annapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland, as well as the county seat of Anne Arundel County. It had a population of 38,394 at the 2010 census and is situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east of Washington, D.C. Annapolis is...
, the son of naval officer Edward Phelps Lull and Elizabeth Burton, daughter of General Henry Burton
Henry Burton
Henry Burton or Harry Burton may refer to:* Henry Burton , English Puritan* Henry Burton , British Conservative MP for Sudbury, 1924–1945...
. He majored in zoology
Zoology
Zoology |zoölogy]]), is the branch of biology that relates to the animal kingdom, including the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinct...
at Rutgers College where he received both his undergraduate and masters degrees (M.S. 1896). He worked for the Division of Entomology of the United States Department of Agriculture
United States Department of Agriculture
The United States Department of Agriculture is the United States federal executive department responsible for developing and executing U.S. federal government policy on farming, agriculture, and food...
, but in 1894 became an assistant professor of zoology at the State Agricultural College in Amherst, Massachusetts
Amherst, Massachusetts
Amherst is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States in the Connecticut River valley. As of the 2010 census, the population was 37,819, making it the largest community in Hampshire County . The town is home to Amherst College, Hampshire College, and the University of Massachusetts...
(now the University of Massachusetts
University of Massachusetts
This article relates to the statewide university system. For the flagship campus often referred to as "UMass", see University of Massachusetts Amherst...
). Lull's interest in fossil footprints began at Amherst College
Amherst College
Amherst College is a private liberal arts college located in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States. Amherst is an exclusively undergraduate four-year institution and enrolled 1,744 students in the fall of 2009...
, renowned for its collection of fossil
Fossil
Fossils are the preserved remains or traces of animals , plants, and other organisms from the remote past...
footprints, and eventually led him to switch from entomology
Entomology
Entomology is the scientific study of insects, a branch of arthropodology...
to paleontology
Paleontology
Paleontology "old, ancient", ὄν, ὀντ- "being, creature", and λόγος "speech, thought") is the study of prehistoric life. It includes the study of fossils to determine organisms' evolution and interactions with each other and their environments...
.
In 1899 Lull worked as a member of the American Museum of Natural History
American Museum of Natural History
The American Museum of Natural History , located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City, United States, is one of the largest and most celebrated museums in the world...
's expedition to Bone Cabin Quarry, Wyoming, helping to collect that museum's brontosaur skeleton. In 1902 he again joined an American Museum team in Montana, then studied under Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
Prof. Henry Fairfield Osborn
Henry Fairfield Osborn
Henry Fairfield Osborn, Sr. ForMemRS was an American geologist, paleontologist, and eugenicist.-Early life and career:...
. In 1903 he received his Ph.D. from Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
, and in 1906, after a brief time at Amherst, was named Assistant Professor of Vertebrate Paleontology in Yale College and Associate Curator of Vertebrate Paleontology at the Peabody Museum of Natural History. He stayed at Yale for the next 50 years. In 1933 Lull was awarded the Daniel Giraud Elliot Medal
Daniel Giraud Elliot Medal
The Daniel Giraud Elliot Medal is awarded by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences "for meritorious work in zoology or paleontology published in a three- to five-year period." Named after Daniel Giraud Elliot, it was first awarded in 1917....
from the National Academy of Sciences
United States National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and...
.
One famous example he used to support his Pre-Neo-Darwinian Synthesis theory concerned the enormous antlers of the Irish Elk
Irish Elk
The Irish Elk or Giant Deer , was a species of Megaloceros and one of the largest deer that ever lived. Its range extended across Eurasia, from Ireland to east of Lake Baikal, during the Late Pleistocene. The latest known remains of the species have been carbon dated to about 7,700 years ago...
: he argued that these could not possibly be the result of natural selection
Natural selection
Natural selection is the nonrandom process by which biologic traits become either more or less common in a population as a function of differential reproduction of their bearers. It is a key mechanism of evolution....
, and instead reflected one of his "unlocked genetic drives" towards ever increasing antler size. The poor elk, coping in each generation with ever bigger antlers were eventually driven extinct.
This forms an example of orthogenesis
Orthogenesis
Orthogenesis, orthogenetic evolution, progressive evolution or autogenesis, is the hypothesis that life has an innate tendency to evolve in a unilinear fashion due to some internal or external "driving force". The hypothesis is based on essentialism and cosmic teleology and proposes an intrinsic...
that clearly distinguishes the concept of mysterious, non-Darwinian evolutionary driving forces from the concept of teleology
Teleology
A teleology is any philosophical account which holds that final causes exist in nature, meaning that design and purpose analogous to that found in human actions are inherent also in the rest of nature. The word comes from the Greek τέλος, telos; root: τελε-, "end, purpose...
(purpose of goal oriented evolution). Both ideas are rejected by modern science, but each continues to resurface in one form or another as the years go by.