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Puzzles for ZFEL, McShea and Brandon's zero force evolutionary law

Publication ,  Journal Article
Barrett, M; Clatterbuck, H; Goldsby, M; Helgeson, C; McLoone, B; Pearce, T; Sober, E; Stern, R; Weinberger, N
Published in: Biology and Philosophy
September 1, 2012

In their 2010 book, Biology's First Law, D. McShea and R. Brandon present a principle that they call "ZFEL," the zero force evolutionary law. ZFEL says (roughly) that when there are no evolutionary forces acting on a population, the population's complexity (i. e., how diverse its member organisms are) will increase. Here we develop criticisms of ZFEL and describe a different law of evolution; it says that diversity and complexity do not change when there are no evolutionary causes. © 2012 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.

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Published In

Biology and Philosophy

DOI

EISSN

1572-8404

ISSN

0169-3867

Publication Date

September 1, 2012

Volume

27

Issue

5

Start / End Page

723 / 735

Related Subject Headings

  • Science Studies
  • 22 Philosophy and Religious Studies
  • 17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences
  • 06 Biological Sciences
 

Citation

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Barrett, M., Clatterbuck, H., Goldsby, M., Helgeson, C., McLoone, B., Pearce, T., … Weinberger, N. (2012). Puzzles for ZFEL, McShea and Brandon's zero force evolutionary law. Biology and Philosophy, 27(5), 723–735. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10539-012-9321-7
Barrett, M., H. Clatterbuck, M. Goldsby, C. Helgeson, B. McLoone, T. Pearce, E. Sober, R. Stern, and N. Weinberger. “Puzzles for ZFEL, McShea and Brandon's zero force evolutionary law.” Biology and Philosophy 27, no. 5 (September 1, 2012): 723–35. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10539-012-9321-7.
Barrett M, Clatterbuck H, Goldsby M, Helgeson C, McLoone B, Pearce T, et al. Puzzles for ZFEL, McShea and Brandon's zero force evolutionary law. Biology and Philosophy. 2012 Sep 1;27(5):723–35.
Barrett, M., et al. “Puzzles for ZFEL, McShea and Brandon's zero force evolutionary law.” Biology and Philosophy, vol. 27, no. 5, Sept. 2012, pp. 723–35. Scopus, doi:10.1007/s10539-012-9321-7.
Barrett M, Clatterbuck H, Goldsby M, Helgeson C, McLoone B, Pearce T, Sober E, Stern R, Weinberger N. Puzzles for ZFEL, McShea and Brandon's zero force evolutionary law. Biology and Philosophy. 2012 Sep 1;27(5):723–735.
Journal cover image

Published In

Biology and Philosophy

DOI

EISSN

1572-8404

ISSN

0169-3867

Publication Date

September 1, 2012

Volume

27

Issue

5

Start / End Page

723 / 735

Related Subject Headings

  • Science Studies
  • 22 Philosophy and Religious Studies
  • 17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences
  • 06 Biological Sciences