Psychology Dictionary of ArgumentsHome
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| Selection: Selection in evolution theory is the process by which organisms with beneficial traits are more likely to survive and reproduce, passing on those traits to their offspring. This process leads to changes in the population over time. See also Evolution, Darwinism, Mutation, Fitness, Survival._____________Annotation: The above characterizations of concepts are neither definitions nor exhausting presentations of problems related to them. Instead, they are intended to give a short introduction to the contributions below. – Lexicon of Arguments. | |||
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Alfred Russell Wallace on Selection - Dictionary of Arguments
Gould I 52 Selection/Wallace/Gould: In England there was a small group of rigid selectionists,"Darwinists", their leader was Wallace. They attributed any change to the selection. They gave the selection a quasi central divine status, which Darwin as a convinced pluralist could not tolerate. >Evolution, >Ch. Darwin. >Darwinism. I 53 Selection: Darwin proposed two types of sexual selection. a) competition among male conspecifics for access to females, and b) a selection made by the females themselves. I 54 WallaceVsSexual selection: on the whole, it attaches too much importance to the "wanting" of animals, it attached importance to characteristics that are more difficult for a well-functioning machine.(1) GouldVsWallace, who had an exaggerated idea of the effectiveness of selection, stopped abruptly in front of the brain. He argued: our morality and intellect cannot be product of natural selection. But since it is the only way to create forms, a divine being must have intervened. Today, absurdly enough, one calls "Neo Darwinism" a mindset that is much closer to Wallace's rigid selectionism than Darwin. I 56 Wallace truly believed that all people at birth have the same mental abilities. He argued that the brain is much too big to have been arisen in primitive societies. He concludes that a "higher intelligence" has guided development. (Natural theology). >Intelligence/Wallace, >Intelligence. GouldVsWallace: The exaggerated insistence on evolution produces such conclusions: if every part of every living being is trained only for its immediate use, then Wallace cannot be contradicted. >Evolution. Purpose/GouldVsWallace: The all too rigid insisting on the selection represents the scientific version of the myth of natural harmony in the late 19th century. According to him, everything is for the best in the best of all possible worlds (respectively all structures are designed for a specific purpose). >Possible worlds, cf. >G.W. Leibniz. I 60 E.g. Dr Pangloss, Voltaire, Candide: "The world is not necessarily good, but it is the best we can have. "Things can't be any different than they are now. Everything is created for the best purpose. Our noses were created to wear glasses, so we wear glasses, our legs were made to wear pants, so we wear pants" (Written hundred years before Wallace). 1. A. R. Wallace (1895). Natural Selection and Tropical Nature. London: MacMillan._____________Explanation of symbols: Roman numerals indicate the source, arabic numerals indicate the page number. The corresponding books are indicated on the right hand side. ((s)…): Comment by the sender of the contribution. Translations: Dictionary of Arguments The note [Concept/Author], [Author1]Vs[Author2] or [Author]Vs[term] resp. "problem:"/"solution:", "old:"/"new:" and "thesis:" is an addition from the Dictionary of Arguments. If a German edition is specified, the page numbers refer to this edition. |
WallaceAR I Alfred Russell Wallace The Malay Archipelago London 2016 Gould I Stephen Jay Gould The Panda’s Thumb. More Reflections in Natural History, New York 1980 German Edition: Der Daumen des Panda Frankfurt 2009 Gould II Stephen Jay Gould Hen’s Teeth and Horse’s Toes. Further Reflections in Natural History, New York 1983 German Edition: Wie das Zebra zu seinen Streifen kommt Frankfurt 1991 Gould III Stephen Jay Gould Full House. The Spread of Excellence from Plato to Darwin, New York 1996 German Edition: Illusion Fortschritt Frankfurt 2004 Gould IV Stephen Jay Gould The Flamingo’s Smile. Reflections in Natural History, New York 1985 German Edition: Das Lächeln des Flamingos Basel 1989 |
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