Re: Can cognition override natural selection?

"Guy Hoelzer" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> in article [EMAIL PROTECTED], Peter F at
> [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote on 9/22/03 8:46 AM:
>
> > "Guy Hoelzer" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
> > news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > <snip>
> >> So, in sum, I see no problem the
> >> consistency of my arguments against Dawkins' geneism-only views and
> >> Hamilton's or Wilson's view that selection can happen at the level of
the
> >> gene.
> >
> > Do these guys *really* think that anything but a for biology very basic
> > chemical "selection" [in this case one potentially phenotyping molecule
> > proving more stable (against adverse physical pressures/influences (both
> > intrinsic and extrinsic such) than another] happens at the level of the
> > gene!?
>
> If I read your question correctly, you are asking whether anybody thinks
> that natural selection at the level of the gene has significant effects in
> biological evolution.  The answer is clearly YES.  Many evolutionary
> biologists think that this is the primary level at which biological
> selection happens.  Dawkins is an extremist and a leading voice in this
> crowd.  For example, he refers to individuals as "vehicles", and suggests
> that they are merely convenient constructions by genes, which are used to
> promote the selfish interests of the genes.  This view is inconsistent
with
> multilevel selection theory, which is in my view the essence of
contemporary
> selection theory and provides a more balanced and logical perspective on
> natural selection.

Just tried to say that I don't believe that any sensible person would
consider that any form of natural selection can go on at the molecular level
(the level at which genes exist as molecular part/part-sequences of the
DNA-molecule) other than possibly that at some very early era of
self-replicating molecules some such potentially phenotyping parts (bases)
proving more stable against adverse physical pressures/influences (intrinsic
and extrinsic such) than "differently spelled" other such molecular parts.

[It is to that era of 'our' evolution that TomHendricks's thoughts about
"heat moderation" (Opportunity type pressures in the direction of such
"moderation", and heat-Adversity type pressures against insufficient such
moderation) might be rather well fitted.]

The way I see it, natural selection at that level, and at least in that
particular sense, has been finalized this very long time ago.


Peter.