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Coherence, Consistency, and Cohesion: Clade Selection in Okasha and Beyond

Hamilton, Andrew and Haber, Matt (2004) Coherence, Consistency, and Cohesion: Clade Selection in Okasha and Beyond. In: UNSPECIFIED. (In Press)

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Abstract

Samir Okasha argues that clade selection is an incoherent concept, because the relation that constitutes clades is such that it renders parent-offspring (reproduction) relations between clades impossible. He reasons that since clades cannot reproduce, it is not coherent to speak of natural selection operating at the clade level. We argue, however, that when species-level lineages and clade-level lineages are treated consistently according to standard cladist commitments, clade reproduction is indeed possible and clade selection is coherent if certain conditions obtain. Despite clade selection’s logical coherence, however, we share some of Okasha’s pessimism. Whether or not clades are a unit of selection is ultimately a question of empirical support and theoretical import, but we offer reasons to be skeptical about clade selection as a research programme.


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Item Type: Conference or Workshop Item (UNSPECIFIED)
Creators:
CreatorsEmailORCID
Hamilton, Andrew
Haber, Matt
Keywords: Reproduction, Clade Selection, Extinction
Subjects: Specific Sciences > Biology > Systematics
Depositing User: Andrew Hamilton
Date Deposited: 06 Oct 2004
Last Modified: 07 Oct 2010 15:12
Item ID: 1984
Public Domain: No
Subjects: Specific Sciences > Biology > Systematics
Date: 2004
URI: https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/1984

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