Pence, Charles H. (2016) Is Genetic Drift a Force? Synthese. ISSN 1573-0964

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Abstract

One hotly debated philosophical question in the analysis of evolutionary theory concerns whether or not evolution and the various factors which constitute it (selection, drift, mutation, and so on) may profitably be considered as analogous to “forces” in the traditional, Newtonian sense. Several compelling arguments assert that the force picture is incoherent, due to the peculiar nature of genetic drift. I consider two of those arguments here – that drift lacks a predictable direction, and that drift is constitutive of evolutionary systems – and show that they both fail to demonstrate that a view of genetic drift as a force is untenable. I go on to diagnose the reasons for the stubborn persistence of this problem, considering two open philosophical issues and offering some preliminary arguments in support of the force metaphor.

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Item Type:	Published Article or Volume
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID Pence, Charles H. charles@charlespence.net
Keywords:	evolutionary theory, genetic drift, force, causation, Brownian motion
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Biology > Evolutionary Theory General Issues > Causation
Depositing User:	Charles H. Pence
Date Deposited:	03 Feb 2016 12:06
Last Modified:	03 Feb 2016 12:06
Item ID:	11894
Journal or Publication Title:	Synthese
Publisher:	Springer (Springer Science+Business Media B.V.)
Official URL:	http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11229-...
DOI or Unique Handle:	10.1007/s11229-016-1031-2
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Biology > Evolutionary Theory General Issues > Causation
Date:	30 January 2016
ISSN:	1573-0964
URI:	https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/11894

Available Versions of this Item

• It's Okay to Call Genetic Drift a “Force”. (deposited 11 Jul 2012 05:07)
  • It's Okay to Call Genetic Drift a “Force”. (deposited 26 Jul 2012 04:21)
    • Is Genetic Drift a Force? (deposited 24 Jan 2016 15:32)
      • Is Genetic Drift a Force? (deposited 03 Feb 2016 12:06) [Currently Displayed]

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