Argument to moderation (false compromise)

Biological Parallel

Disruptive selection favors extremes, not the moderate middle. In Cameroon's crater lakes, cichlid fish evolved into specialists: some with massive jaws crushing snails, others with delicate mouths sipping algae. The 'moderate' jaw structure performs both tasks poorly and disappeared. When ecological niches reward specialization, compromising between strategies produces inferior outcomes. Evolution doesn't assume the middle ground is optimal—it tests that hypothesis and frequently rejects it. The golden mean is a philosophical preference, not a biological law.