scholarly journals Selección natural y construcción de nicho: una ¿dialéctica? evolucionista

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan R. Álvarez
Keyword(s):  
Natural Selection ◽  
Niche Construction ◽  
Human Sciences ◽  
Construction Technology ◽  
Selection Theory ◽  
Niche Construction Theory ◽  
Evolutionary Thought ◽  
Transformation Processes ◽  
Natural Selection Theory

RESUMENEn el marco del pensamiento evolucionista de los últimos treinta años, la teoría de construcción de nicho ha ido abriéndose paso como una perspectiva opuesta a y complementaria de la teoría de la selección natural en la explicación del proceso evolutivo. El planteamiento que sigue aborda su oposición como un proceso de combinación de principios ecológicos (restrictivos) y técnicos (transformadores) que tienden un puente entre ciencias biológicas y ciencias humanas, basado en una analogía de la técnica que se naturaliza en procesos de trasformación en que los organismos «se trabajan» sus ambientes.PALABRAS CLAVECONSTRUCCIÓN DE NICHO, DIALÉCTICA, ECOLOGÍA, TÉCNICA, SELECCIÓN NATURALABSTRACTWithin the frame of evolutionary thought during the last thirty years, niche construction theory has been gaining ground as an opposed and complementary outlook regarding natural selection theory in the explanation of evolution. The following approach construes their opposition as a combination of ecologic (restrictive) and technologic (transformational) principles that serve as a bridge between biological and human sciences, based on an analogy with technology that is naturalized in terms of transformation processes wherein organisms «do their work on» their environments.KEYWORDSDIALECTICS, ECOLOGY, NATURAL SELECTION, NICHE CONSTRUCTION, TECHNOLOGY

scholarly journals Coordination in theory extension: how Reichenbach can help us understand endogenization in evolutionary biology

Synthese ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michele Luchetti
Keyword(s):  
Natural Selection ◽  
Evolutionary Biology ◽  
Niche Construction ◽  
Mathematical Representations ◽  
Selection Theory ◽  
Semantic Extension ◽  
Three Stages ◽  
Functional Extension ◽  
The Right ◽  
Natural Selection Theory

AbstractReichenbach’s early solution to the scientific problem of how abstract mathematical representations can successfully express real phenomena is rooted in his view of coordination. In this paper, I claim that a Reichenbach-inspired, ‘layered’ view of coordination provides us with an effective tool to systematically analyse some epistemic and conceptual intricacies resulting from a widespread theorising strategy in evolutionary biology, recently discussed by Okasha (2018) as ‘endogenization’. First, I argue that endogenization is a form of extension of natural selection theory that comprises three stages: quasi-axiomatisation, functional extension, and semantic extension. Then, I argue that the functional extension of one core principle of natural selection theory, namely, the principle of heritability, requires the semantic extension of the concept of inheritance. This is because the semantic extension of ‘inheritance’ is necessary to establish a novel form of coordination between the principle of heritability and the extended domain of phenomena that it is supposed to represent. Finally, I suggest that—despite the current lack of consensus on the right semantic extension of ‘inheritance’—we can fruitfully understand the reconceptualization of ‘inheritance’ provided by niche construction theorists as the result of a novel form of coordination.

scholarly journals Niche construction in evolutionary theory: the construction of an academic niche?

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manan Gupta ◽  
N. G. Prasad ◽  
Sutirth Dey ◽  
Amitabh Joshi ◽  
T. N. C. Vidya
Keyword(s):  
Natural Selection ◽  
Evolutionary Theory ◽  
Scientific Community ◽  
Niche Construction ◽  
Evolutionary Process ◽  
Niche Construction Theory ◽  
Evolutionary Thought ◽  
The Rich

AbstractIn recent years, fairly far-reaching claims have been repeatedly made about how niche construction, the modification by organisms of their environment, and that of other organisms, represents a vastly neglected phenomenon in ecological and evolutionary thought. The proponents of this view claim that the niche construction perspective greatly expands the scope of standard evolutionary theory and that niche construction deserves to be treated as a significant evolutionary process in its own right, almost at par with natural selection. Claims have also been advanced about how niche construction theory represents a substantial extension to, and re-orientation of, standard evolutionary theory, which is criticized as being narrowly gene-centric and ignoring the rich complexity and reciprocity of organism-environment interactions. We examine these claims in some detail and show that they do not stand up to scrutiny. We suggest that the manner in which niche construction theory is sought to be pushed in the literature is better viewed as an exercise in academic niche construction whereby, through incessant repetition of largely untenable claims, and the deployment of rhetorically appealing but logically dubious analogies, a receptive climate for a certain sub-discipline is sought to be manufactured within the scientific community. We see this as an unfortunate, but perhaps inevitable, nascent post-truth tendency within science.

Testing for Environmentally Induced Bias in Phenotypic Estimates of Natural Selection: Theory and Practice

2002 ◽  
Vol 160 (4) ◽  
pp. 511
Author(s):  
Stinchcombe ◽  
Rutter ◽  
Burdick ◽  
Tiffin ◽  
Rausher ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Natural Selection ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Selection Theory ◽  
Natural Selection Theory

The paradox of the missing function: How similar is moral mutualism to biofunctional understanding?

2013 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 93-94 ◽  
Author(s):  
Asghar Iran-Nejad ◽  
Fareed Bordbar
Keyword(s):  
Natural Selection ◽  
Selection Theory ◽  
Target Article ◽  
Human Understanding ◽  
Natural Selection Theory

AbstractWe explain here how the natural selection theory of people's mutualistic sense of fairness and the biofunctional theory of human understanding are made for each other. We welcome the stage that the target article has already set for this convergence, and invite the authors to consider moving the two independently developed approaches a step closer to the natural selection level of biofunctional understanding.

scholarly journals Vývin Miery Substantívnej Pádovej Homonymie Vo Svetle Kváziteleologických Princípov

2015 ◽  
Vol 65 (2) ◽  
pp. 139-156
Author(s):  
Martin Braxatoris
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Psychology ◽  
Natural Selection ◽  
Negative Feedback ◽  
Ground State ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Basic Characteristic ◽  
Selection Theory ◽  
Basic Assumptions ◽  
Positive And Negative Feedback ◽  
Natural Selection Theory

Abstract The paper gives a basic characteristic of the methodology and results of quantitative research of the development of noun case homonymy in Slovak and the East Slavonic languages in the comparison with the late Proto-Slavic ground state. The methodology is based on findings in the field of cognitive psychology, according to which a higher degree of ambiguity is linked with a higher level of the interpretative complexity. The paper also includes a proposal of the interpretation of findings of this research, which reveal the operation of principles of positive and negative feedback in the development of the above-mentioned languages morphology. The interpretation is based on the basic assumptions of the natural selection theory, in accordance to which the author proposes to explain the identified trends in the quasi-teleological spirit. The text is inspired by Jakobson's understanding of markedness and language teleonomy.

Niche Construction

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin Laland
Keyword(s):  
Natural Selection ◽  
Evolutionary Biology ◽  
Niche Construction ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
The Body ◽  
Biological Anthropology ◽  
Extended Evolutionary Synthesis ◽  
Selection Pressures ◽  
Niche Construction Theory ◽  
Ecological Inheritance

Niche construction is the process whereby organisms, through their activities and choices, modify their own and each other’s niches. Examples of niche construction include the building of nests, burrows, and mounds and alternation of physical and chemical conditions by animals, and the creation of shade, influencing of wind speed, and alternation of nutrient cycling by plants. Here the “niche” is construed as the set of natural selection pressures to which the population is exposed (discussed in Ecology). By transforming natural selection pressures, niche construction generates feedback in evolution, on a scale hitherto underestimated and in a manner that alters the evolutionary dynamic. Niche construction also plays a critical role in ecology, in which it supports ecosystem engineering and eco-evolutionary feedbacks and, in part, regulates the flow of energy and nutrients through ecosystems. Niche construction theory is the body of formal (e.g., population genetic, population ecology) mathematical theory that explores niche construction’s evolutionary and ecological ramifications. Many organisms construct developmental environments for their offspring or modify environmental states for other descendants, a process known as “ecological inheritance.” In recent years, this ecological inheritance has been widely recognized as a core component of extra-genetic inheritance, and it is central to attempts within evolutionary biology to broaden the concept of heredity beyond transmission genetics. The development of many organisms—and the recurrence of traits across generations—has been found to depend critically on the construction of developmental environments by ancestors. Historically, the study of niche construction has been contentious because theoretical and empirical findings from niche construction theory appear to challenge some orthodox accounts of evolution. Many researchers studying niche construction embrace an alternative perspective in which niche construction is regarded as a fundamental evolutionary process in its own right, as well as a major source of adaptation. This perspective is aligned intellectually with other progressive movements within evolutionary biology that are calling for an extended evolutionary synthesis. In addition to ecology and evolution, niche construction theory has had an impact on a variety of disciplines, including archaeology, biological anthropology, conservation biology, developmental biology, earth sciences, and philosophy of biology.

scholarly journals Genetic Algorithm Based on Natural Selection Theory for Optimization Problems

Symmetry ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 1758
Author(s):  
Musatafa Abbas Albadr ◽  
Sabrina Tiun ◽  
Masri Ayob ◽  
Fahad AL-Dhief
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Algorithm ◽  
Natural Selection ◽  
Optimization Problems ◽  
Selection Process ◽  
Optimal Solution ◽  
Selection Theory ◽  
Exploitation And Exploration ◽  
Comparison Of The Results ◽  
Benchmark Test Functions ◽  
Natural Selection Theory

The metaheuristic genetic algorithm (GA) is based on the natural selection process that falls under the umbrella category of evolutionary algorithms (EA). Genetic algorithms are typically utilized for generating high-quality solutions for search and optimization problems by depending on bio-oriented operators such as selection, crossover, and mutation. However, the GA still suffers from some downsides and needs to be improved so as to attain greater control of exploitation and exploration concerning creating a new population and randomness involvement happening in the population at the solution initialization. Furthermore, the mutation is imposed upon the new chromosomes and hence prevents the achievement of an optimal solution. Therefore, this study presents a new GA that is centered on the natural selection theory and it aims to improve the control of exploitation and exploration. The proposed algorithm is called genetic algorithm based on natural selection theory (GABONST). Two assessments of the GABONST are carried out via (i) application of fifteen renowned benchmark test functions and the comparison of the results with the conventional GA, enhanced ameliorated teaching learning-based optimization (EATLBO), Bat and Bee algorithms. (ii) Apply the GABONST in language identification (LID) through integrating the GABONST with extreme learning machine (ELM) and named (GABONST-ELM). The ELM is considered as one of the most useful learning models for carrying out classifications and regression analysis. The generation of results is carried out grounded upon the LID dataset, which is derived from eight separate languages. The GABONST algorithm has the capability of producing good quality solutions and it also has better control of the exploitation and exploration as compared to the conventional GA, EATLBO, Bat, and Bee algorithms in terms of the statistical assessment. Additionally, the obtained results indicate that (GABONST-ELM)-LID has an effective performance with accuracy reaching up to 99.38%.

Toward a theory of revolution The legacy of James C. Davies in historical perspective

2011 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 85-90 ◽  
Author(s):  
John M. Orbell ◽  
Roshani Cari Shay
Keyword(s):  
Natural Selection ◽  
Historical Perspective ◽  
Origin Of Species ◽  
Selection Theory ◽  
Disciplinary Problems ◽  
Thomas Huxley ◽  
Natural Selection Theory

“Founders” of new scholarly ideas, perspectives, or paradigms are people who advocate for such ideas before wider scholarly audiences accept them or even know they exist. Such scholars have an uphill battle. They must persuade journal and book editors to publish their work. Those gatekeepers depend on reviewers with established reputations in conventional terms, and these reviewers generally oppose anything that threatens their comfortable intellectual lives. If the idea is as stunningly simple as Darwin's natural selection theory, an innovator might have a somewhat easier time; Thomas Huxley reportedly remarked upon reading On the Origin of Species, “How extremely stupid of me not to have thought of that.” But with conceptually and methodologically broad ideas, such as the application of biologically based psychological thinking to a traditional set of disciplinary problems, it can be tough to even get a foot in the door.

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