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
1172 Views
selection for suitability
- 06/08/2011 04:18:51 PM
817 Views
Thanks for your responce
- 06/08/2011 04:41:20 PM
942 Views
- 06/08/2011 04:41:20 PM
942 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
892 Views
Just a question
- 06/08/2011 07:18:09 PM
897 Views
Yes it can
- 06/08/2011 07:41:59 PM
745 Views
But how?
- 06/08/2011 07:52:10 PM
958 Views
Re: Just a question
- 06/08/2011 07:49:21 PM
974 Views
I'm not sure I understand you
- 06/08/2011 08:20:44 PM
868 Views
All tautologies are truisms, but not all truisms are tautologies.
- 06/08/2011 09:38:12 PM
907 Views
Then it is still a tautology
- 06/08/2011 09:45:33 PM
912 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
991 Views
Maybe...
- 07/08/2011 01:55:54 PM
858 Views
I'm more inclined toward his logic, but possibly toward your conclusions.
- 09/08/2011 12:45:46 AM
923 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
979 Views
As I understand it
- 06/08/2011 06:04:44 PM
807 Views
Better...
- 06/08/2011 06:36:38 PM
807 Views
Did you perhaps mean "beneficial in the environment" rather than "beneficial to the environment"?
- 06/08/2011 06:34:44 PM
929 Views
yes. I did not really phrase that very clearly. *NM*
- 09/08/2011 06:14:11 PM
369 Views
No biggy; from what Bram said, I underestimated how well you were understood anyway.
- 09/08/2011 06:45:16 PM
855 Views
Hmmm... there's some truth to that
- 06/08/2011 06:36:35 PM
889 Views
The complexity of the problem makes it all but impossible to falsify...
- 06/08/2011 08:26:06 PM
909 Views
The questions go deeper
- 06/08/2011 08:38:31 PM
937 Views
Re: The questions go deeper
- 06/08/2011 09:10:32 PM
904 Views
I think I know why you don't understand my question.
- 06/08/2011 09:38:41 PM
936 Views
How many equation's has Moraine screwed up?
*NM*
- 06/08/2011 09:45:36 PM
380 Views
*NM*
- 06/08/2011 09:45:36 PM
380 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
406 Views
*NM*
- 06/08/2011 09:46:54 PM
406 Views
Re: Natural selection
- 07/08/2011 03:00:30 AM
906 Views
Thanks a lot
- 07/08/2011 01:38:39 PM
1044 Views
2 things
- 07/08/2011 04:00:35 PM
799 Views
Re: 2 things
- 07/08/2011 04:33:00 PM
1013 Views
Re: 2 things
- 07/08/2011 05:48:26 PM
851 Views
My best guess
- 07/08/2011 06:00:28 PM
895 Views
Re: My best guess
- 07/08/2011 06:37:58 PM
808 Views
Re: My best guess
- 07/08/2011 06:47:26 PM
977 Views
