Otsuka, Jun (2015) A critical review of the statisticalist debate. [Preprint]

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Abstract

The statisticalist interpretation of evolutionary theory construes the modern mathematical genetics as a purely phenomenological theory that explains evolutionary changes by statistical, but not causal, features of populations. The view has provoked heated discussions over the past decade, prompting numerous philosophical analyses from var- ious perspectives but at the same time making it difficult to draw a clear picture of the controversy. In view of evaluating these analyses and attaining a correct understanding of evolutionary theory, this article reviews the debate by breaking it down to three aspects, respectively focusing on the assumptions, applications, and explanations of evolutionary theory. Under each rubric the claims made by statisticalists and their opponents are assessed with a view to arriving at a definite conclusion. In so doing the article will also ask why the debate got so prolonged and intricate, trying to identify a part the reason in an assumption that has been shared, often implicitly, by both sides of the controversy.

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Item Type:	Preprint
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID Otsuka, Jun junotk@gmail.com
Keywords:	statisticalism, evolutionary genetics, causal models, selection, drift, fitness
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Biology > Evolutionary Theory General Issues > Causation
Depositing User:	Jun Otsuka
Date Deposited:	22 Oct 2015 13:39
Last Modified:	22 Oct 2015 13:39
Item ID:	11729
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Biology > Evolutionary Theory General Issues > Causation
Date:	22 October 2015
URI:	https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/11729

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