Evolution and the Levels of Selection by Samir Okasha (Author). Does natural selection act primarily on particular person organisms, on groups, on genes, or on complete species? The question of ranges of selection - on which biologists and philosophers have long disagreed - is central to evolutionary concept and to the philosophy of biology. Samir Okasha's comprehensive evaluation provides a clear account of the philosophical points at stake in the present debate.
It's uncommon that you will discover a considerate book with reference to multilevel selection that truly critically critiques all sides of the subject. I have done appreciable work on this area. I am pleased that he cites me appropriately and thoughtfully, and that he cites the related literature appropriately. That stated, it is a technical book. I don't think I might suggest this as your first guide on evolutionary theory, and it frankly is quite technical. However, if you want to know what the present controversy about group selection is all about then I strongly advocate this.
A few particulars: The centerpiece of this e-book is the comparability between the Price equation and contextual analysis. The Price equation is a technique of partitioning covariances between a trait and relative fitness into within group and between group components. Contextual evaluation is a multivariate regression strategy by which a partial regression of traits measured on individuals and measured on teams are concurrently examined. These two approaches follow from different philosophies and result in completely different conclusions. Okasha discusses how these two views differ, and offers a superb rational for choosing between these two approaches, supplies important insights into how these two approaches coloration our view of multilevel choice
A very good account of the ideas behind the multi-stage selection (MLS) point of view. It is reasonably technically but well throughout the reach of a layman (I am one, I ought to know). There was some terminology I had to search for and some equations to digest, but nothing too complicated.
The focus could be very much on the conceptual level and there is not a whole lot of dialogue of empirical findings (some but not lots). Among the ideas I took from the e book are: natural selection is inherently an abstract concept that may apply at a number of levels, distinguishing between levels requires looking on the organic particulars (specializing in causation), there are two types of MLS that observe different things (collectives themselves or particles in the collectives) and MLS1 is a little weird (in my opinion), gene's-eye-view and group selection are sometimes equal methods of taking a look at issues, and MLS performs a role in describing how the organic hierarchy developed in the first place (relatively than taking it as a given).
Anybody wanting to know the multi-degree choice controversy in biology won't go wrong in studying this book.
Evolution and the Levels of Selection
Samir Okasha (Author)
288 pages
Oxford University Press, USA; First Edition edition (January 18, 2007)
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