Plutynski, A (2005) What was Fisher’s fundamental theorem of natural selection and what was it for? [Preprint]
|
Text
FundamentalTheorem.pdf - Published Version Download (235kB) | Preview |
Abstract
Fisher’s ‘fundamental theorem of natural selection’ is notoriously abstract, and, no less notoriously, many take it to be false. In this paper, I explicate the theorem, examine the role that it played in Fisher’s general project for biology, and analyze why it was so very fundamental for Fisher. I defend Ewens (1989) and Lessard (1997) in the view that the theorem is in fact a true theorem if, as Fisher claimed, ‘the terms employed’ are ‘used strictly as defined’ (1930, p. 38). Finally, I explain
the role that projects such as Fisher’s play in the progress of scientific inquiry.
Export/Citation: | EndNote | BibTeX | Dublin Core | ASCII/Text Citation (Chicago) | HTML Citation | OpenURL |
Social Networking: |
Item Type: | Preprint | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Creators: |
|
||||||
Keywords: | natural selection, evolution, R. A. Fisher, genetic variance, evolutionary theory | ||||||
Subjects: | Specific Sciences > Biology > Evolutionary Theory General Issues > Laws of Nature General Issues > Models and Idealization |
||||||
Depositing User: | A Plutynski | ||||||
Date Deposited: | 13 Nov 2018 00:38 | ||||||
Last Modified: | 13 Nov 2018 00:38 | ||||||
Item ID: | 15310 | ||||||
Subjects: | Specific Sciences > Biology > Evolutionary Theory General Issues > Laws of Nature General Issues > Models and Idealization |
||||||
Date: | 2005 | ||||||
URI: | https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/15310 |
Monthly Views for the past 3 years
Monthly Downloads for the past 3 years
Plum Analytics
Actions (login required)
View Item |