Pérez-González, Saúl and Luque, Víctor J. (2025) Natural Selection, Mechanism, and Fitness: A Response to Wei. International Studies in the Philosophy of Science, 38 (4). pp. 269-278. ISSN 0269-8595
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Abstract
In contemporary biology and philosophy of biology, there remains a lack of consensus regarding the nature of natural selection. Over recent decades, a wide variety of interpretations and approaches to natural selection have been proposed. In a recent paper, Wei (2024) critically examines current mechanistic accounts of natural selection. For this purpose, he focuses on a particular aspect of the mechanistic approach: a mechanism is always a mechanism for a phenomenon. Wei introduces two criteria that the phenomenon assigned to natural selection should fulfil and, on this basis, evaluates phenomena previously considered. Contrary to Pérez-González and Luque (2019), Wei argues that the increase in the frequency of fitter traits cannot be considered the phenomenon for which natural selection is responsible. The aim of this paper is to analyse and engage with Wei’s critique. We contend that his arguments face significant challenges and do not substantially weaken the assignment of increasing the frequency of fitter traits.
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| Item Type: | Published Article or Volume | |||||||||
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| Keywords: | causation; fitness; mechanism; natural selection; phenomenon. | |||||||||
| Subjects: | General Issues > Causation General Issues > Explanation General Issues > Philosophers of Science |
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| Depositing User: | Dr. Víctor Luque | |||||||||
| Date Deposited: | 24 Jan 2026 19:40 | |||||||||
| Last Modified: | 24 Jan 2026 19:40 | |||||||||
| Item ID: | 27996 | |||||||||
| Journal or Publication Title: | International Studies in the Philosophy of Science | |||||||||
| Publisher: | Routledge: Francis and Taylor | |||||||||
| Official URL: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02698... | |||||||||
| DOI or Unique Handle: | https://doi.org/10.1080/02698595.2025.2536394 | |||||||||
| Subjects: | General Issues > Causation General Issues > Explanation General Issues > Philosophers of Science |
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| Date: | 8 September 2025 | |||||||||
| Page Range: | pp. 269-278 | |||||||||
| Volume: | 38 | |||||||||
| Number: | 4 | |||||||||
| ISSN: | 0269-8595 | |||||||||
| URI: | https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/27996 |
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