I think the issue the author has is that what he is defining NS as is not NS. What I can gather about the author's views is that he seems to think NS needs to present a clear choice for each of its “decisions” before it is made. Since we do not know everything about everything yet it is impossible to make the predictions this author seems to be requiring. It may be possible in the future to do exactly what the author wants, but just because we can’t currently does not invalidate NS as a theory nor would it if we can't make predictions the author wants in the future because it would require us to know all possible futures of the species (know when mutations happen and how they affect a species). Additionally large amount of what we know about science is gathered in this form. We see something, we make a prediction, we see if it is right, and we then refine and retest. It is through this process that we come to know something.
Ultimately the author also seems to be searching for a unifying theory of nature; something that we can put variables into and gets some sort of predictable result out of. While there may be a unifying theory for physics there is not one for biology. Life and biology are variable by nature and NS does not try to be a unifying theory; NS intent is to be a mechanism for evoltuion.
Ultimately the author also seems to be searching for a unifying theory of nature; something that we can put variables into and gets some sort of predictable result out of. While there may be a unifying theory for physics there is not one for biology. Life and biology are variable by nature and NS does not try to be a unifying theory; NS intent is to be a mechanism for evoltuion.
This message last edited by Night Walker on 07/08/2011 at 05:50:14 PM
Natural selection
- 06/08/2011 03:51:26 PM
1328 Views
selection for suitability
- 06/08/2011 04:18:51 PM
965 Views
Thanks for your responce
- 06/08/2011 04:41:20 PM
1095 Views
- 06/08/2011 04:41:20 PM
1095 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
1050 Views
Just a question
- 06/08/2011 07:18:09 PM
1053 Views
Yes it can
- 06/08/2011 07:41:59 PM
887 Views
But how?
- 06/08/2011 07:52:10 PM
1109 Views
Re: Just a question
- 06/08/2011 07:49:21 PM
1131 Views
I'm not sure I understand you
- 06/08/2011 08:20:44 PM
1042 Views
All tautologies are truisms, but not all truisms are tautologies.
- 06/08/2011 09:38:12 PM
1096 Views
Then it is still a tautology
- 06/08/2011 09:45:33 PM
1108 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
1152 Views
Maybe...
- 07/08/2011 01:55:54 PM
1012 Views
I'm more inclined toward his logic, but possibly toward your conclusions.
- 09/08/2011 12:45:46 AM
1086 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
1124 Views
As I understand it
- 06/08/2011 06:04:44 PM
961 Views
Better...
- 06/08/2011 06:36:38 PM
959 Views
Did you perhaps mean "beneficial in the environment" rather than "beneficial to the environment"?
- 06/08/2011 06:34:44 PM
1073 Views
yes. I did not really phrase that very clearly. *NM*
- 09/08/2011 06:14:11 PM
444 Views
No biggy; from what Bram said, I underestimated how well you were understood anyway.
- 09/08/2011 06:45:16 PM
999 Views
Hmmm... there's some truth to that
- 06/08/2011 06:36:35 PM
1057 Views
The complexity of the problem makes it all but impossible to falsify...
- 06/08/2011 08:26:06 PM
1064 Views
The questions go deeper
- 06/08/2011 08:38:31 PM
1091 Views
Re: The questions go deeper
- 06/08/2011 09:10:32 PM
1064 Views
I think I know why you don't understand my question.
- 06/08/2011 09:38:41 PM
1103 Views
How many equation's has Moraine screwed up?
*NM*
- 06/08/2011 09:45:36 PM
456 Views
*NM*
- 06/08/2011 09:45:36 PM
456 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
493 Views
*NM*
- 06/08/2011 09:46:54 PM
493 Views
Re: Natural selection
- 07/08/2011 03:00:30 AM
1073 Views
Thanks a lot
- 07/08/2011 01:38:39 PM
1193 Views
2 things
- 07/08/2011 04:00:35 PM
944 Views
Re: 2 things
- 07/08/2011 04:33:00 PM
1155 Views
Re: 2 things
- 07/08/2011 05:48:26 PM
997 Views
My best guess
- 07/08/2011 06:00:28 PM
1070 Views
Re: My best guess
- 07/08/2011 06:37:58 PM
964 Views
Re: My best guess
- 07/08/2011 06:47:26 PM
1130 Views
