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
1248 Views
selection for suitability
- 06/08/2011 04:18:51 PM
891 Views
Thanks for your responce
- 06/08/2011 04:41:20 PM
1015 Views
- 06/08/2011 04:41:20 PM
1015 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
967 Views
Just a question
- 06/08/2011 07:18:09 PM
975 Views
Yes it can
- 06/08/2011 07:41:59 PM
818 Views
But how?
- 06/08/2011 07:52:10 PM
1039 Views
Re: Just a question
- 06/08/2011 07:49:21 PM
1061 Views
I'm not sure I understand you
- 06/08/2011 08:20:44 PM
962 Views
All tautologies are truisms, but not all truisms are tautologies.
- 06/08/2011 09:38:12 PM
997 Views
Then it is still a tautology
- 06/08/2011 09:45:33 PM
1017 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
1072 Views
Maybe...
- 07/08/2011 01:55:54 PM
947 Views
I'm more inclined toward his logic, but possibly toward your conclusions.
- 09/08/2011 12:45:46 AM
1004 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
1062 Views
As I understand it
- 06/08/2011 06:04:44 PM
896 Views
Better...
- 06/08/2011 06:36:38 PM
885 Views
Did you perhaps mean "beneficial in the environment" rather than "beneficial to the environment"?
- 06/08/2011 06:34:44 PM
1004 Views
yes. I did not really phrase that very clearly. *NM*
- 09/08/2011 06:14:11 PM
399 Views
No biggy; from what Bram said, I underestimated how well you were understood anyway.
- 09/08/2011 06:45:16 PM
932 Views
Hmmm... there's some truth to that
- 06/08/2011 06:36:35 PM
989 Views
The complexity of the problem makes it all but impossible to falsify...
- 06/08/2011 08:26:06 PM
990 Views
The questions go deeper
- 06/08/2011 08:38:31 PM
1020 Views
Re: The questions go deeper
- 06/08/2011 09:10:32 PM
995 Views
I think I know why you don't understand my question.
- 06/08/2011 09:38:41 PM
1026 Views
How many equation's has Moraine screwed up?
*NM*
- 06/08/2011 09:45:36 PM
418 Views
*NM*
- 06/08/2011 09:45:36 PM
418 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
446 Views
*NM*
- 06/08/2011 09:46:54 PM
446 Views
Re: Natural selection
- 07/08/2011 03:00:30 AM
993 Views
Thanks a lot
- 07/08/2011 01:38:39 PM
1126 Views
2 things
- 07/08/2011 04:00:35 PM
867 Views
Re: 2 things
- 07/08/2011 04:33:00 PM
1092 Views
Re: 2 things
- 07/08/2011 05:48:26 PM
927 Views
My best guess
- 07/08/2011 06:00:28 PM
982 Views
Re: My best guess
- 07/08/2011 06:37:58 PM
896 Views
Re: My best guess
- 07/08/2011 06:47:26 PM
1045 Views
