From Nigel Depledge
John Postgate, criticising Stuart Kaufmann’s use of the word “creativity” in relation to evolutionary processes, describes natural selection as “random” (12 July, p 23). It is anything but: without the non-random process of selection, adaptation would be unlikely to occur.
When a non-random, but naturally occurring and understood, process generates a marvellous diversity of complex structures and behaviours, what other word is more apt than “creativity”? I contend that it is John Postgate who is erroneously reading conscious intent into Stuart Kaufmann’s use of the word creativity (10 May, p 52), rather than Kaufmann assigning mysticism to evolution.
Spennymoor, County Durham, UK
