--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: ...the argument from absence of…" description: "\"...the argument from absence of transitional types boils down to the striking fact that such types are always lacking unless they have been found.\" — G..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/214/george-gaylord-simpson-21614_absence_the-argument-from-absence-of-transitiona_1189266.jpg" --- # ...the argument from absence of transitional types boils… ![“...the argument from absence of transitional types boils down to the striking fact that such types are always lacking unless they have been found.” quote by George Gaylord Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/214/george-gaylord-simpson-21614_absence_the-argument-from-absence-of-transitiona_1189266.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/214/george-gaylord-simpson-21614_absence_the-argument-from-absence-of-transitiona_1189266.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/214/george-gaylord-simpson-21614_absence_the-argument-from-absence-of-transitiona_1189266.jpg) > “...the argument from absence of transitional types boils down to the striking fact that such types are always lacking unless they have been found.” [George Gaylord Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gaylord-simpson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The claim that missing transitional fossils prove evolution false ignores that such fossils are rarely preserved unless discovered. **In simple terms:** Missing fossils don’t disprove evolution. Key Takeaway Seek evidence, not absence. Themes evolution fossils science logic Mood analytical inquisitive Type scientific educational When to use this quote - research - education - public discourse - museum c - fieldwork Key Concepts paleontology epistemology probability Questions to Reflect On - How do we handle gaps in the fossil record? - What methods improve fossil discovery? A Different Perspective Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Absence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absence/) [Absence Transitional](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absence-transitional-3523112/) [Argument](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argument/) [Argument Absence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argument-absence-3523110/) [Evolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evolution/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Found](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/found/) [Has beens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/has-beens/) [Lacking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lacking/) [Lacking Unless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lacking-unless-3523111/) [Transitional Types](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/transitional-types-3523109/) [Type](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/type/) [Types Lacking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/types-lacking-3523108/) ## Related quotes > [I feel as much of a stud as... I can't come up with a metaphor. That's how lacking in studliness I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-feel-as-much-of-a-stud-as-i-can-t-come-up-with-a-metaphor-that-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In economic life competition is never completely lacking, but hardly ever is it perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-a-schumpeter/in-economic-life-competition-is-never-completely-lacking-but-hardly/) [Joseph A. Schumpeter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-a-schumpeter/) > [I considered people who didn't like my work to be in some way defective, deficient, lacking a sense of humor, and not understanding what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-frank/i-considered-people-who-didn-t-like-my-work-to-be-in-some-way/) [Joe Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-frank/) > [When you understand the values of God's kingdom, you will best understand His agenda.4 However, it is my conviction that the message of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-evans/when-you-understand-the-values-of-god-s-kingdom-you-will-best/) [Tony Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-evans/) > [The bourgeois thinkers of the eighteenth century thus turned Aristotle's formula on its head: satisfactions which the Greek philosopher had identified with leisure were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/the-bourgeois-thinkers-of-the-eighteenth-century-thus-turned/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [I believe that it is possible for one to praise, without concern, any man after he is dead since every reason and supervision for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/i-believe-that-it-is-possible-for-one-to-praise-without-concern-any/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [I was a boarding school product from the age of eight, and I hated it. Though I do have a theory that boarding school…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-mawer/i-was-a-boarding-school-product-from-the-age-of-eight-and-i-hated-it/) [Simon Mawer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-mawer/) > [Short fiction is the medium I love the most, because it requires that I bring everything I've learned about poetry - the concision, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-rash/short-fiction-is-the-medium-i-love-the-most-because-it-requires-that/) [Ron Rash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-rash/) > [There are moments when it's too quiet. Particularly late at night or early in the mornings. That's when you know there's something lacking in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-sinatra/there-are-moments-when-it-s-too-quiet-particularly-late-at-night-or/) [Frank Sinatra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-sinatra/) > [for the obvious reason that nature - unadulterated and unimproved by man - is simply chaos. In fact, the camera proves that nature is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-weston/for-the-obvious-reason-that-nature-unadulterated-and-unimproved-by/) [Edward Weston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-weston/) > [What one thing does the world need most today-apart, that is, from the all-inclusive thing we call righteousness? Aren't you inclined to agree that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/what-one-thing-does-the-world-need-most-today-apart-that-is-from-the/) [B. C. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/) > [I truly believe that one of the things that has been lacking in America is a spirit of repentance about the injustices of slavery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-oyelowo/i-truly-believe-that-one-of-the-things-that-has-been-lacking-in/) [David Oyelowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-oyelowo/) > [Adults look upon a child as something empty that is to be filled through their own efforts, as something inert and helpless for which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/adults-look-upon-a-child-as-something-empty-that-is-to-be-filled/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) > [Who said we take drugs? we're just lacking fate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cath-chatto/who-said-we-take-drugs-we-re-just-lacking-fate/) [Cath Chatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cath-chatto/) > [Mitt Romney was attacking Obama about our failing education system. He has a point. We are graduating millions of people in this country who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/mitt-romney-was-attacking-obama-about-our-failing-education-system-he/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) ## More by George Gaylord Simpson > [The fact -- not theory -- that evolution has occurred and the Darwinian theory as to how it occurred have become so confused in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gaylord-simpson/the-fact-not-theory-that-evolution-has-occurred-and-the-darwinian/) [George Gaylord Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gaylord-simpson/) > [“The passion for naming things is an odd human trait. It is strange that men always feel so much more at ease when they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gaylord-simpson/the-passion-for-naming-things-is-an-odd-human-trait-it-is-strange/) [George Gaylord Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gaylord-simpson/) > [A rill in a barnyard and the Grand Canyon represent, in the main, stages of valley erosion that began some millions of years apart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gaylord-simpson/a-rill-in-a-barnyard-and-the-grand-canyon-represent-in-the-main/) [George Gaylord Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gaylord-simpson/) > [If a sect does officially insist that its structure of belief demands that evolution be false, then no compromise is possible. An honest and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gaylord-simpson/if-a-sect-does-officially-insist-that-its-structure-of-belief-demands/) [George Gaylord Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gaylord-simpson/) > [I have a debt, a loyalty to the museum; the best place for me to do what I wanted to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gaylord-simpson/i-have-a-debt-a-loyalty-to-the-museum-the-best-place-for-me-to-do/) [George Gaylord Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gaylord-simpson/) > [Man is the result of a purposeless and natural process that did not have him in mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gaylord-simpson/man-is-the-result-of-a-purposeless-and-natural-process-that-did-not/) [George Gaylord Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gaylord-simpson/) > [Man is the result of a purposeless and materialistic process that did not have him in mind. He was not planned. He is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gaylord-simpson/man-is-the-result-of-a-purposeless-and-materialistic-process-that-did/) [George Gaylord Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gaylord-simpson/) > [I don't know where to put whales. I'm sticking them here, but I don't have any reason for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gaylord-simpson/i-don-t-know-where-to-put-whales-i-m-sticking-them-here-but-i-don-t/) [George Gaylord Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gaylord-simpson/) > [Almost all paleontologists recognize that the discovery of a complete transition is in any case unlikely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gaylord-simpson/almost-all-paleontologists-recognize-that-the-discovery-of-a-complete/) [George Gaylord Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gaylord-simpson/) > [To put it crudely but graphically, the monkey who did not have a realistic perception of the tree branch he jumped for was soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gaylord-simpson/to-put-it-crudely-but-graphically-the-monkey-who-did-not-have-a/) [George Gaylord Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gaylord-simpson/) > [Man has risen, not fallen. He can choose to develop his capacities as the highest animal and to try to rise still farther, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gaylord-simpson/man-has-risen-not-fallen-he-can-choose-to-develop-his-capacities-as/) [George Gaylord Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gaylord-simpson/) > [It remains true, as every paleontologist knows, that most new species, genera, and families, and that nearly all categories above the level of families,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gaylord-simpson/it-remains-true-as-every-paleontologist-knows-that-most-new-species/) [George Gaylord Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gaylord-simpson/) > [The search for historical laws is, I maintain, mistaken in principle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gaylord-simpson/the-search-for-historical-laws-is-i-maintain-mistaken-in-principle/) [George Gaylord Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gaylord-simpson/) > [Certainly paleontologists have found samples of an extremely small fraction, only, of the earth's extinct species, and even for groups that are most readily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gaylord-simpson/certainly-paleontologists-have-found-samples-of-an-extremely-small/) [George Gaylord Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gaylord-simpson/) > [The opposition to teaching evolution is, of course, almost always given a religious reason. That may usually be its real basis, but I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gaylord-simpson/the-opposition-to-teaching-evolution-is-of-course-almost-always-given/) [George Gaylord Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gaylord-simpson/) [Explore all 29 George Gaylord Simpson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gaylord-simpson/) ## More Absence quotes > [Distance sometimes endears friendship, and absence sweeteneth it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-howell/distance-sometimes-endears-friendship-and-absence-sweeteneth-it/) [James Howell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-howell/) > [The work, the work, the work. This is what the business is all about. This is the fun, the glory, the pleasure. It's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-dusenberry/the-work-the-work-the-work-this-is-what-the-business-is-all-about/) [Phil Dusenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-dusenberry/) > [Total depravity means the entire absence of holiness, not the highest intensity of sin. A totally depraved man is not as bad as he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-greenough-thayer-shedd/total-depravity-means-the-entire-absence-of-holiness-not-the-highest/) [William Greenough Thayer Shedd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-greenough-thayer-shedd/) > [Local and state governments have outrun the federal government. The EPA has served notice that it will enact a rule requiring CO2 reductions by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/local-and-state-governments-have-outrun-the-federal-government-the/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [There, in the center of that silence was not eternity but the death of time and a loneliness so profound the word itself had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/there-in-the-center-of-that-silence-was-not-eternity-but-the-death-of/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [Of all the bewildering things about a new country, the absence of human landmarks is one of the most depressing and disheartening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willa-cather/of-all-the-bewildering-things-about-a-new-country-the-absence-of/) [Willa Cather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willa-cather/) > [Young men have strong passions and tend to gratify them indiscriminately. Of the bodily desires, it is the sexual by which they are most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/young-men-have-strong-passions-and-tend-to-gratify-them/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [It is suggested that in domestic violence at least the presence or absence of a firearm, or of any other type of weapon, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-greenwood/it-is-suggested-that-in-domestic-violence-at-least-the-presence-or/) [Colin Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-greenwood/) > [The absence of God in most spheres of life is perceived to be normal, and even Christians feel it as normal - which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/the-absence-of-god-in-most-spheres-of-life-is-perceived-to-be-normal/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [Every person needs to take one day away. A day in which one consciously separates the past from the future. Jobs, family, employers, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/every-person-needs-to-take-one-day-away-a-day-in-which-one/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [“I was thinking how most people don't make you feel much of anything at all. Don't make you feel like time spent with them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-lotter/i-was-thinking-how-most-people-don-t-make-you-feel-much-of-anything/) [Jane Lotter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-lotter/) > [Cooperation isn't the absence of conflict but a means of managing conflict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-tannen/cooperation-isn-t-the-absence-of-conflict-but-a-means-of-managing/) [Deborah Tannen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-tannen/) > [Many are observing Ferguson and witnessing the anger, demonstrations, looting and vandalism and calling for quiet. But quiet isn't enough. The absence of noise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/many-are-observing-ferguson-and-witnessing-the-anger-demonstrations/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) > [Will capitalist economies operate at full employment in the absence of routine intervention? Certainly not. Are deviations from full employment a social problem? Obviously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-yellen/will-capitalist-economies-operate-at-full-employment-in-the-absence/) [Janet Yellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-yellen/) > [We must begin by acknowledging that there is a complete absence of two things in Indian Society. One of these is equality. On the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-r-ambedkar/we-must-begin-by-acknowledging-that-there-is-a-complete-absence-of/) [B. R. Ambedkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-r-ambedkar/) [Browse all 2,057 Absence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "...the argument from absence of transitional types boils down to the striking fact that such types are always lacking unless they have been found.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George Gaylord Simpson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gaylord-simpson/the-argument-from-absence-of-transitional-types-boils-down-to-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Absence" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gaylord-simpson/the-argument-from-absence-of-transitional-types-boils-down-to-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/214/george-gaylord-simpson-21614_absence_the-argument-from-absence-of-transitiona_1189266.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/214/george-gaylord-simpson-21614_absence_the-argument-from-absence-of-transitiona_1189266.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/214/george-gaylord-simpson-21614_absence_the-argument-from-absence-of-transitiona_1189266.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“...the argument from absence of transitional types boils down to the striking fact that such types are…” — George Gaylord Simpson", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "George Gaylord Simpson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gaylord-simpson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "...the argument from absence of transitional...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gaylord-simpson/the-argument-from-absence-of-transitional-types-boils-down-to-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gaylord-simpson/the-argument-from-absence-of-transitional-types-boils-down-to-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```