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Number of legs in terrestrial vertebrates
(In answer to a question "Why don't mammals have more than 4 limbs?")
I think (might be wrong) that you have too selectionist a view of evolution. What I mean is that you are wondering why mammals have four legs and you're looking for an explanation of the kind "because mammal have this kind of need of locomotion and for this purpose four is the most optimal number of legs". Consider the following sentence: "If there is a need, natural selection will find a way!". This sentence is wrong! Evolution is not that easy. This falsy view of evolution is sometimes referred as panselectionist.
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Number of legs in terrestrial vertebrates
(In answer to a question "Why don't mammals have more than 4 limbs?")
I think (might be wrong) that you have too selectionist a view of evolution. What I mean is that you are wondering why mammals have four legs and you're looking for an explanation of the kind "because mammal have this kind of need of locomotion and for this purpose four is the most optimal number of legs". Consider the following sentence: "If there is a need, natural selection will find a way!". This sentence is wrong! Evolution is not that easy. This falsy view of evolution is sometimes referred as panselectionist.
link