20.04.

2005

The Received View of Evolution

Sex and Death: An Introduction to Philosophy of Biology

Contents

2.1 The Diversity of Life 2.2 Evolution and Natural Selection 2.3 The Received View and its Challenges

2.1 The Diversity of Life

design space (Dennett, 1995)

All possible and actual designs

Regarding

these we are highly atypical

Eukaryotic + simply life cycle + huge Diversity: number of species in existence Disparity: amount of organisms that have fundamentally different designs

Diversity and Disparity (Gould)

2.1 The Diversity of Life ?

Why are some areas in design space occupied and some not? Structuralists relativity

Process

Design space is highly constrained There are so many designs, that there was no time to realize them all.

Historical

2.1 The Diversity of Life ?

Life

Why do organisms come packed into species?

without species is possible No sharp distinction between spiecies and varieties

2.2 Evolution and Natural Selection

Basic elements of evolutionary theory (Mayr) 1. The living world is not constant 2. Evolution. change has a branching pattern 3. New species form when a population splits 4. Evolution. change is gradual 5. Adaptive change through natural selection

2.2 Evolution and Natural Selection

Natural

selection is the inevitable result of

Phenotypical variation Differential fitness Heritability

Are the forces that induce genetic variation deterministic?

2.2 Evolution and Natural Selection

Cumulative selection

Innovation is the result of a sequence of selective episodes Direction of selection is constant Low mutation rate Each intermediate stage must be fitter than its predecessor (adaptive landscapes)

Conditions:

2.2 Evolution and Natural Selection

Speciation

Cumulative selection in different environments results in reproductive isolation Hybrid matings will be penalized

2.3 The Received View and its Challenges

important debates
Units of selection Selection and evolution Evolution within Biology

2.3 The Received View and its Challenges

?
genes

What is being selected

eye concept (Williams, Dawkins) Hierarchical view

2.3 The Received View and its Challenges

The genes eye Only genes are passed on directly from one generation to the next Genes are replicators and use organisms as vehicles Natural selection acts through vehicles and targets the replicators Problem: gene trait relationship

2.3 The Received View and its Challenges

Hierarchical view organisms are not the only entities that form populations (hives, colonies, species) Selection can operate simultaneously at different levels

2.3 The Received View and its Challenges

Selection and Evolution
Four

major issues

Does the received view overstate the importance of adaptation? Relationship of selection and other factors Methodological issues The proper scope of evolutionary explanations

2.3 The Received View and its Challenges

The Importance of Adaptation Fitness advantages only make survival more likely !

2.3 The Received View and its Challenges

Relationship between selection and other factors Selection is historical, it is constrained by inheritances of the population Some patterns seem to be independent of selection:
Evolution

after the Cambrian explosion

2.3 The Received View and its Challenges

Methodological issues

How can we test our ideas? How much evidence is needed to support a hypothesis?

2.3 The Received View and its Challenges

Scope of evolutionary explanations Sociobiology (Wilson)

Explaining social / psychological processes with evolutionary mechanisms is possible

vs.

This attempt is mistaken in principle. Since there is culture these rule do not apply to us anymore

2.3 The Received View and its Challenges

Evolution within Biology Evolution and Ecology

Ecology describes the environment which generates selective pressure Genetics did not make Evolutionary Theory futile Different levels of explanation

Evolution and molecular Biology