descent with modification
"Evolution by Natural Selection (or descent with modification) is like a low-budget remodeling job: Each species is not an ideal "house" built from the ground up with a specific design. Rather, species start with a structure passed on from an ancestor and make use of modifications that become available through mutations."
"Trying to explain the origin of life in terms of descent with modification is like trying to explain the origin of the universe in terms of particles and forces that did not exist until after the Big Bang. Conclusion I have argued in this essay that Richard Dawkins is a less able guide to life's complexities than Mark Twain."
METAMIA is a free database of analogy and metaphor. Anyone can contribute or search. The subject matter can be anything. Science is popular, but poetry is encouraged. The goal is to integrate our fluid muses with the stark literalism of a relational database. Metamia is like a girdle for your muses, a cognitive girdle.