First, NS is always specific in nature, meaning there is always a selection pressure. There has never been a case where natural selection doesn’t involve specific selection. It is intrinsic to NS. Take the guppies experiment without predators. The new selection pressure is now sex. Get rid of sex and the selection pressure might be how fast one can convert nutrients, take that away and there will be something else. There is never a static system (which you seem to imply there is) where specific selection is not on-going.
Second, (I use this phrase loosely) we can not know the mind of nature. To expand on that, it is impossible to know what selection pressure will be greatest each season. We can only evaluate specific traits on a per period basis under certain conditions. We can then use those results to make assumptions on the whole and provide evidence for theories. This is the very nature of science. By your line of reasoning all of science is tautology due to the nature of the universe.
Second, (I use this phrase loosely) we can not know the mind of nature. To expand on that, it is impossible to know what selection pressure will be greatest each season. We can only evaluate specific traits on a per period basis under certain conditions. We can then use those results to make assumptions on the whole and provide evidence for theories. This is the very nature of science. By your line of reasoning all of science is tautology due to the nature of the universe.
Natural selection
- 06/08/2011 03:51:26 PM
1163 Views
selection for suitability
- 06/08/2011 04:18:51 PM
805 Views
Thanks for your responce
- 06/08/2011 04:41:20 PM
926 Views
- 06/08/2011 04:41:20 PM
926 Views
I can't speak for LadyLorraine and won't try, but here's how I see it:
- 06/08/2011 06:49:49 PM
878 Views
Just a question
- 06/08/2011 07:18:09 PM
883 Views
Yes it can
- 06/08/2011 07:41:59 PM
727 Views
But how?
- 06/08/2011 07:52:10 PM
939 Views
Re: Just a question
- 06/08/2011 07:49:21 PM
957 Views
I'm not sure I understand you
- 06/08/2011 08:20:44 PM
850 Views
All tautologies are truisms, but not all truisms are tautologies.
- 06/08/2011 09:38:12 PM
883 Views
Then it is still a tautology
- 06/08/2011 09:45:33 PM
894 Views
You can know it's beneifical to a particular individual, but it's harder to say for populations.
- 06/08/2011 10:18:16 PM
980 Views
Maybe...
- 07/08/2011 01:55:54 PM
839 Views
I'm more inclined toward his logic, but possibly toward your conclusions.
- 09/08/2011 12:45:46 AM
913 Views
we can't really know ahead of time what makes a specific trait benefical in that environment
- 09/08/2011 06:16:02 PM
970 Views
As I understand it
- 06/08/2011 06:04:44 PM
794 Views
Better...
- 06/08/2011 06:36:38 PM
789 Views
Did you perhaps mean "beneficial in the environment" rather than "beneficial to the environment"?
- 06/08/2011 06:34:44 PM
914 Views
yes. I did not really phrase that very clearly. *NM*
- 09/08/2011 06:14:11 PM
362 Views
No biggy; from what Bram said, I underestimated how well you were understood anyway.
- 09/08/2011 06:45:16 PM
843 Views
Hmmm... there's some truth to that
- 06/08/2011 06:36:35 PM
874 Views
The complexity of the problem makes it all but impossible to falsify...
- 06/08/2011 08:26:06 PM
894 Views
The questions go deeper
- 06/08/2011 08:38:31 PM
926 Views
Re: The questions go deeper
- 06/08/2011 09:10:32 PM
890 Views
I think I know why you don't understand my question.
- 06/08/2011 09:38:41 PM
919 Views
How many equation's has Moraine screwed up?
*NM*
- 06/08/2011 09:45:36 PM
373 Views
*NM*
- 06/08/2011 09:45:36 PM
373 Views
100% I think Moriaine is a very beneficial trait that contributes a lot to the RAFO pool
*NM*
- 06/08/2011 09:46:54 PM
398 Views
*NM*
- 06/08/2011 09:46:54 PM
398 Views
Re: Natural selection
- 07/08/2011 03:00:30 AM
891 Views
Thanks a lot
- 07/08/2011 01:38:39 PM
1027 Views
2 things
- 07/08/2011 04:00:35 PM
784 Views
Re: 2 things
- 07/08/2011 04:33:00 PM
996 Views
Re: 2 things
- 07/08/2011 05:48:26 PM
834 Views
My best guess
- 07/08/2011 06:00:28 PM
883 Views
Re: My best guess
- 07/08/2011 06:37:58 PM
789 Views
Re: My best guess
- 07/08/2011 06:47:26 PM
962 Views
