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
1204 Views
selection for suitability
- 06/08/2011 04:18:51 PM
842 Views
Thanks for your responce
- 06/08/2011 04:41:20 PM
970 Views
- 06/08/2011 04:41:20 PM
970 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
913 Views
Just a question
- 06/08/2011 07:18:09 PM
925 Views
Yes it can
- 06/08/2011 07:41:59 PM
775 Views
But how?
- 06/08/2011 07:52:10 PM
989 Views
Re: Just a question
- 06/08/2011 07:49:21 PM
1010 Views
I'm not sure I understand you
- 06/08/2011 08:20:44 PM
903 Views
All tautologies are truisms, but not all truisms are tautologies.
- 06/08/2011 09:38:12 PM
947 Views
Then it is still a tautology
- 06/08/2011 09:45:33 PM
946 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
1019 Views
Maybe...
- 07/08/2011 01:55:54 PM
890 Views
I'm more inclined toward his logic, but possibly toward your conclusions.
- 09/08/2011 12:45:46 AM
950 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
1012 Views
As I understand it
- 06/08/2011 06:04:44 PM
843 Views
Better...
- 06/08/2011 06:36:38 PM
846 Views
Did you perhaps mean "beneficial in the environment" rather than "beneficial to the environment"?
- 06/08/2011 06:34:44 PM
960 Views
yes. I did not really phrase that very clearly. *NM*
- 09/08/2011 06:14:11 PM
381 Views
No biggy; from what Bram said, I underestimated how well you were understood anyway.
- 09/08/2011 06:45:16 PM
880 Views
Hmmm... there's some truth to that
- 06/08/2011 06:36:35 PM
921 Views
The complexity of the problem makes it all but impossible to falsify...
- 06/08/2011 08:26:06 PM
933 Views
The questions go deeper
- 06/08/2011 08:38:31 PM
969 Views
Re: The questions go deeper
- 06/08/2011 09:10:32 PM
938 Views
I think I know why you don't understand my question.
- 06/08/2011 09:38:41 PM
978 Views
How many equation's has Moraine screwed up?
*NM*
- 06/08/2011 09:45:36 PM
400 Views
*NM*
- 06/08/2011 09:45:36 PM
400 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
427 Views
*NM*
- 06/08/2011 09:46:54 PM
427 Views
Re: Natural selection
- 07/08/2011 03:00:30 AM
942 Views
Thanks a lot
- 07/08/2011 01:38:39 PM
1081 Views
2 things
- 07/08/2011 04:00:35 PM
825 Views
Re: 2 things
- 07/08/2011 04:33:00 PM
1048 Views
Re: 2 things
- 07/08/2011 05:48:26 PM
871 Views
My best guess
- 07/08/2011 06:00:28 PM
922 Views
Re: My best guess
- 07/08/2011 06:37:58 PM
844 Views
Re: My best guess
- 07/08/2011 06:47:26 PM
1001 Views
