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What's wrong with evolutionary biology?

John J Welch1

  • 1Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB23EH UK.

Biology & Philosophy
|March 17, 2017
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Evolutionary biology faces recurring reform calls due to its inherent complexity and diverse data. Misunderstandings of adaptive function studies, a key research area, also fuel these critiques, hindering scientific progress.

Keywords:
AdaptationExtended evolutionary synthesisInclusive fitnessNeo-Darwinism

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Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Behavioral Ecology

Background:

  • Evolutionary biology is subject to persistent claims of needing reform.
  • The field's complexity and diversity of life generate data that can appear revolutionary.
  • Existing explanatory frameworks often face disappointment due to high abstraction and limited predictive power.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To account for the volume and persistence of discontent within evolutionary biology.
  • To analyze how specific research programs, like the study of adaptive function, contribute to these criticisms.
  • To discuss how calls for reform may impede scientific advancement.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of the inherent properties of evolutionary biology that invite criticism.
  • Examination of the research program focused on adaptive function and behavioral ecology.
  • Discussion of the impact of reformist critiques on the field's progress.

Main Results:

  • Inescapable properties of evolutionary biology, such as data variety and complexity, predispose the field to predictable criticisms.
  • Misunderstandings and dislike of adaptive function studies, which use distinct methodologies (e.g., imaginary agency), generate specific discontent.
  • Criticisms often stem from perceived narrowness and oversimplification, resonating with broader anxieties about agency and purpose.

Conclusions:

  • Calls for reform in evolutionary biology, particularly those stemming from misunderstandings of specific research areas, can actively hinder progress.
  • Understanding the sources of discontent is crucial for fostering constructive dialogue and advancing the field.
  • The study of adaptive function, while valuable, requires specific approaches that can be misinterpreted by those outside the subfield.