Individuality and Macroevolutionary Theory
PSA: Proceedings of the Biennial Meeting of the Philosophy of Science Association 1988:216 - 222 (1988)
| Abstract | A number of authors have argued that the thesis that species are individuals has important implications for macroevolutionary theory. More specifically, some authors claim that the thesis lends support to the Theory of Punctuated Equilibrium and indicates the existence of species selection. In this paper, I argue that the alleged individuality of species is neither necessary nor sufficient for the truth of that theory or for the existence of species selection. I also argue, contrary to the claims of some, that the individuality of a group is not a necessary requirement for a group to be a unit of selection. | |||||||||
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