WHY did fish crawl out of the sea?

Question

This "basic" step in evolutionary theory seems to be taken as a given. But what was the mechanism that caused it? I've always found this irrational.

I was hoping to get some "learned" opinions. I'm an escaped cult victim, so I spent much of my adult life compelled to take the Bible as literal. On the other hand, I don't feel the need to accept one mythology over another, so I ask about the things that don't make sense to me.

Answer 1

Take another look at creationism without the malarkey of past teachings of any particular "organization".

Or

The garbage put out by simpletons in churches today.

(this is very difficult because of the obvious errors in almost every religion and intelligent people rebel (I did) at the ideas of these liars or blind ones).

The earth is billions of years old.

In the beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth.

Beginning = time - time started or was entered.

God = empirical - either God is or God isn't. (black and white here).

Created = one aspect of God - God has many "natures/aspects".

heavens = space

earth = matter.

Now in this first very first verse or the entire bible we have many things stated.

Time
God
Space
Matter

and later Light is brought to being

Light = energy

The bible is very deep and it is very difficult to understand. It has been so mis represented and taught wrong for a long time.

Answer 2

Suzanne,
Things in biology happen because they can and a lot that could happen doesn't. Most species that have ever existed, like 99%, are extinct. That figure doesn't begin to take into account the individuals with potentially useful changes that just didn't make it all the way to becoming a species. Never mind all the changes that happen and are not useful ,or have no particular survival value.
Don't look for something like a guiding sense to the process. It is mostly messy and wastefull and most of us only see the end result of a process of redundancy that kills off almost all the individuals.

Answer 3

Animals will, given time exploit every available niche in the environment. There may have been shallow pools on the coast where they could hunt smaller creatures or invertebrates, without competion from other hunters, it could have been to escape predators. Its important to understand that evolutionary pressures are always immediate survival opportunities - if someone implied that 'fish' crawled out of the sea because they wanted to eventually evolve in to higher beings you have been sold short on evolutionary theory.

I don't understand why you'd say it was irrational. A creature trying to survive is the most rational thing in the universe.

Answer 4

They did not as people that follow evolution assert.

There are species today that are of both water and land.

Frogs live mostly above water but grow under water.

Many crustacean live mostly in the sea but land has its uses.

There have been fully functional creatures in the sea, and on the land from almost the very beginning.

Evolution does not quite make sense.



Even with all the pretty morphing vids and "sensible" reasons.

Answer 5

It is not a given. Scientist never take anything for granted. If you'd spend a bit more time reading on the topic you'd see, there is little irrational about it. The thing is it is complex and occurred over a very long period of time. The critter that "crawled" out of the sea was not 100% fish.

Tiktaalik
http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/news/060501_tiktaalik

There is much to be learned about evolution. Many people make illogical assumption or rash generalizations about it. Go to the Berkeley site. Spend a day reading. You get a better understand.

http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/home.php

Answer 6

Animals are always looking to avoid predators and to find new sources of food. Crawling out of the sea accomplishes both.

Answer 7

To lay eggs (such as the Grunion still do to this day), to avoid predators, to find food....... Lots of reasons.

Doug

Answer 8

Nobody in their right mind believes the ignorant theory of evolution. Except single celled brains on theory's.

Answer 9

Why do you wake up? It isn't irrational. :-) Jims right it happened over a long period of time, it's almost like humans, we 'evolve' by testing our limits and streaching our comfort zones.