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<blockquote data-quote="Aberzanzorax" data-source="post: 5472474" data-attributes="member: 64209">I agree with using evolution and species as a metaphor. An interesting concept/point follows from this as well.&nbsp;Let's assume the &quot;genetic line&quot; splits from 3e to the &quot;lines&quot; of pathfinder and 4e. Many seem willing to say that these are both D&amp;D. But in 5 to 10 to 30 years I expect both of these games will evolve again, maybe more than a few times.&nbsp;At some point, though they could be traced to the same roots, say, 5th edition pathfinder and 10th edition D&amp;D might be just about 100% unrecognizable as anywhere close to the same game as one another.&nbsp;In which case, despite my current preference for Pathfinder, and even assuming that Pathfinder goes in directions I like while D&amp;D goes in directions I do not, I'd have to say that 10th edition D&amp;D would be &quot;more D&amp;D&quot; than would 5th edition pathfinder.&nbsp;They'd be different species, but only one would be D&amp;D (or neither?).&nbsp;&nbsp;Then the point comes back to the present day. How does this inform the many changes that have already happened? Is 4e a liger and pathfinder a tigon? Is either one a mule or donkeyhorse? When species begin to differentiate, often they can produce offspring, but the offspring are sterile.&nbsp;And again with the ship of theseus, it seems as though Pathfinder built an identical ship to the ship of theseus, while 4e took apart the ship and, using only the boards and rivets from it, built a more streamlined boat.&nbsp;In the end, neither is actually the ship of Theseus. (But that's not to say neither is D&amp;D).</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Aberzanzorax, post: 5472474, member: 64209"] I agree with using evolution and species as a metaphor. An interesting concept/point follows from this as well. Let's assume the "genetic line" splits from 3e to the "lines" of pathfinder and 4e. Many seem willing to say that these are both D&D. But in 5 to 10 to 30 years I expect both of these games will evolve again, maybe more than a few times. At some point, though they could be traced to the same roots, say, 5th edition pathfinder and 10th edition D&D might be just about 100% unrecognizable as anywhere close to the same game as one another. In which case, despite my current preference for Pathfinder, and even assuming that Pathfinder goes in directions I like while D&D goes in directions I do not, I'd have to say that 10th edition D&D would be "more D&D" than would 5th edition pathfinder. They'd be different species, but only one would be D&D (or neither?). Then the point comes back to the present day. How does this inform the many changes that have already happened? Is 4e a liger and pathfinder a tigon? Is either one a mule or donkeyhorse? When species begin to differentiate, often they can produce offspring, but the offspring are sterile. And again with the ship of theseus, it seems as though Pathfinder built an identical ship to the ship of theseus, while 4e took apart the ship and, using only the boards and rivets from it, built a more streamlined boat. In the end, neither is actually the ship of Theseus. (But that's not to say neither is D&D). [/QUOTE]

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