Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

[Natural selection].

E Mayr

    Die Naturwissenschaften
    |May 1, 1985
    PubMed
    Summary
    This summary is machine-generated.

    Natural selection is a two-step process, not a tautology. Variation arises by chance, while selection, an anti-chance process, acts on individuals and reproductive success.

    Related Experiment Videos

    Related Concept Videos

    You might also read

    Related Articles

    Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

    Sort by
    Same author

    [Operative treatment of ankle fractures-what about biomechanics? : From angle stability to nail fixation].

    Unfallchirurgie (Heidelberg, Germany)·2026
    Same author

    [Traumatic hemipelvectomy : An uncommon case in trauma surgery].

    Unfallchirurgie (Heidelberg, Germany)·2024
    Same author

    Do patients need advice and information to prevent infections - results of a single centre structured survey.

    Infection prevention in practice·2022
    Same author

    Does tranexamic acid reliably reduce blood loss in proximal femur fracture surgery?

    European journal of trauma and emergency surgery : official publication of the European Trauma Society·2022
    Same author

    [Intraosseous foreign body or osteoma : Challenging differential diagnosis after open radius fracture].

    Unfallchirurgie (Heidelberg, Germany)·2021
    Same author

    [Compromising due to additive cerclages : Can surgical treatment of humeral shaft fractures cause damage to the radial nerve?]

    Der Unfallchirurg·2021
    Same journal

    Could snort production reflect comfort in horses kept outdoors? A first study.

    Die Naturwissenschaften·2026
    Same journal

    Pyrazole-thiazolidine hybrids as α-amylase inhibitor: a mechanistic and computational investigation.

    Die Naturwissenschaften·2026
    Same journal

    Conventional methods may cause allometric analyses to be unreliable.

    Die Naturwissenschaften·2026
    Same journal

    Impact of habitat disturbance on activity pattern and diet of de brraza's monkey (Cercopithecus neglectus) in kafa biosphere reserve, South West Ethiopia.

    Die Naturwissenschaften·2026
    Same journal

    Ethnobotany of desert medicinal plants and their sustainable ethnomedicinal utilization.

    Die Naturwissenschaften·2026
    Same journal

    Temperature effects on survival and dormancy patterns across age groups in vulnerable land snail Vertigo moulinsiana.

    Die Naturwissenschaften·2026
    See all related articles

    Area of Science:

    • Evolutionary biology
    • Genetics

    Context:

    • Misunderstandings of Darwin's theory of natural selection persist.
    • Natural selection is often mistakenly viewed as a tautology.

    Purpose:

    • To clarify that natural selection is not a tautology.
    • To explain the two-step mechanism of natural selection.
    • To address the role of chance and constraints in evolution.

    Summary:

    • Natural selection is a two-step process: variation (chance-driven) and selection proper (anti-chance, constrained).
    • Selection targets the whole individual, allowing neutral mutations to hitchhike on successful genotypes.
    • Sexual selection specifically favors pure reproductive success.

    Impact:

    • Provides a clearer understanding of evolutionary mechanisms.
    • Refutes the tautological criticism of natural selection.
    • Highlights the interplay of chance and deterministic processes in evolution.