The major transitions of evolution
About: This article is published in Evolution.The article was published on 1995-12-01 and is currently open access. It has received 2221 citations till now.
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TL;DR: It is argued that an understanding of the faculty of language requires substantial interdisciplinary cooperation and how current developments in linguistics can be profitably wedded to work in evolutionary biology, anthropology, psychology, and neuroscience is suggested.
Abstract: We argue that an understanding of the faculty of language requires substantial interdisciplinary cooperation. We suggest how current developments in linguistics can be profitably wedded to work in evolutionary biology, anthropology, psychology, and neuroscience. We submit that a distinction should be made between the faculty of language in the broad sense (FLB)and in the narrow sense (FLN) . FLB includes a sensory-motor system, a conceptual-intentional system, and the computational mechanisms for recursion, providing the capacity to generate an infinite range of expressions from a finite set of elements. We hypothesize that FLN only includes recursion and is the only uniquely human component of the faculty of language. We further argue that FLN may have evolved for reasons other than language, hence comparative studies might look for evidence of such computations outside of the domain of communication (for example, number, navigation, and social relations).
3,293 citations
TL;DR: This work offers a comprehensive review on both structural and dynamical organization of graphs made of diverse relationships (layers) between its constituents, and cover several relevant issues, from a full redefinition of the basic structural measures, to understanding how the multilayer nature of the network affects processes and dynamics.
2,669 citations
TL;DR: The evolution of cooperation by indirect reciprocity leads to reputation building, morality judgement and complex social interactions with ever-increasing cognitive demands.
Abstract: Natural selection is conventionally assumed to favour the strong and selfish who maximize their own resources at the expense of others. But many biological systems, and especially human societies, are organized around altruistic, cooperative interactions. How can natural selection promote unselfish behaviour? Various mechanisms have been proposed, and a rich analysis of indirect reciprocity has recently emerged: I help you and somebody else helps me. The evolution of cooperation by indirect reciprocity leads to reputation building, morality judgement and complex social interactions with ever-increasing cognitive demands.
2,064 citations
Book•
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08 Apr 1999
TL;DR: In this article, Blackmore makes a compelling case for the theory that the inner self is merely an illusion created by the memes for the sake of replication, which leads to important discoveries about the nature of inner self.
Abstract: Humans are extraordinary creatures, with the unique ability among animals to imitate and so copy from one another ideas, habits, skills, behaviours, inventions, songs, and stories. These are all memes, a term first coined by Richard Dawkins in 1976 in his book The Selfish Gene. Memes, like genes, are replicators, and this enthralling book is an investigation of whether this link between genes and memes can lead to important discoveries about the nature of the inner self. Confronting the deepest questions about our inner selves, with all our emotions, memories, beliefs, and decisions, Susan Blackmore makes a compelling case for the theory that the inner self is merely an illusion created by the memes for the sake of replication.
1,927 citations
Journal Article•
TL;DR: Gene expression programming, a genotype/phenotype genetic algorithm (linear and ramified), is presented here for the first time as a new technique for the creation of computer programs with high efficiency that greatly surpasses existing adaptive techniques.
Abstract: Gene expression programming, a genotype/phenotype genetic algorithm (linear and ramified), is presented here for the first time as a new technique for the creation of computer programs. Gene expression programming uses character linear chromosomes composed of genes structurally organized in a head and a tail. The chromosomes function as a genome and are subjected to modification by means of mutation, transposition, root transposition, gene transposition, gene recombination, and oneand two-point recombination. The chromosomes encode expression trees which are the object of selection. The creation of these separate entities (genome and expression tree) with distinct functions allows the algorithm to perform with high efficiency that greatly surpasses existing adaptive techniques. The suite of problems chosen to illustrate the power and versatility of gene expression programming includes symbolic regression, sequence induction with and without constant creation, block stacking, cellular automata rules for the density-classification problem, and two problems of boolean concept learning: the 11-multiplexer and the GP rule problem.
1,887 citations
References
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TL;DR: The neo-Darwinian synthesis that resulted from the integration of Mendelian genetics into evolutionary theory has dominated evolutionary biology for the last 30 to 40 years, due largely to its agreement with a huge body of experimental and observational data.
Abstract: The neo-Darwinian synthesis that resulted from the integration of Mendelian genetics into evolutionary theory has dominated evolutionary biology for the last 30 to 40 years, due largely to its agreement with a huge body of experimental and observational data. The classic works representative of this school of thought come from the fields of genetics (Fisher, 1930; Wright, 1931; Haldane, 1932; Dobzhansky, 1937; Muller, 1940), development (de Beer, 1940), zoology, (Huxley, 1942; Mayr, 1942; Rensch, 1959), botany (Stebbins, 1950), and paleontology (Simpson, 1944, 1953). These authors broadly agree with Darwin's view that most important evolutionary changes at the level of the visible phenotype, as revealed by paleontological and systematic studies, have resulted from natural selection acting on variation within populations. This variation is ultimately due to mutations that arise at random with respect to the direction of selection. A role for evolutionary forces other than selection and mutation, such as random genetic drift, is of course recognized by neo-Darwinists, but selection is regarded as the main guiding force of phenotypic evolution. Within this general framework, there has been plenty of room for vigorous disagreements about the relative importance of different processes, such as the Wright-Fisher debate on the significance of random genetic drift. Recently, however, certain elements of neo-Darwinism have been sharply challenged by advocates of the "punctuated equilibria" theory of evolution (Eldredge and Gould, 1972; Gould, 1977, 1980; Stanley, 1975, 1979; Gould and Eldredge, 1977). Indeed, Gould (1980) states:
559 citations
TL;DR: My analysis shows that many aspects of parasite and protocell evolution must be studied with the theoretical tools of social evolution, and discusses extensions that are required for a general theory of symbiosis.
Abstract: The evolution of parasite virulence and the origin of cooperative genomes in primitive cells are both problems that balance cooperative and competitive interactions among symbionts. I analyse the trade-off among three correlated traits: competitiveness against other genotypes for resources within hosts (protocells), damage to the host (virulence), and rate of horizontal transmission from one host to another. All three life-history components are strongly influenced by kin selection. For example, when genetic relatedness within hosts is high, each genotype is competing for resources with closely related genotypes. This competition among relatives favours increased horizontal transmission to colonize new hosts and compete against non-relatives. My analysis shows that many aspects of parasite and protocell evolution must be studied with the theoretical tools of social evolution. I discuss extensions that are required for a general theory of symbiosis.
146 citations
TL;DR: The group selection analogue of Hamilton's inequality, c/b less than r, where r is the coefficient of relationship, is obtained and the effect of isolation is enhanced if migration is mainly between adjacent groups and if group splitting is along family lines, as data on population structure of primates seem to indicate.
Abstract: Conditions for natural selection to increase a polygenic behavioral trait are derived for a model in which the population is divided into a very large number of partially isolated groups of variable and varying size. Specifically, we consider an altruistic trait that is deleterious to the individual but raises the mean fitness of the group. We assume, for each generation, that all groups have the same proportion of males, k, at the time of migration and that each group contributes Mf females and Mm males to a pool of migrants, from which Mf females and Mm males are randomly parceled out to each group. This assumption ensures that at equilibrium between random drift and a low level of migration and neglecting the small per locus effect of selection, each group has the same expected value of Wright's fixation index, FST = F. AT equilibrium, this is approximately 1/(1 + 4Me), where Me = 2kMf + 2(1 - k)Mm. The trait will increase when (b - c)/c greater than (1-F)/2F=2Me, where b is the expected benefit to the group and c is the expected cost of a unit change in the mean value of the altruistic trait. In particular, the group selection analogue of Hamilton's inequality, c/b less than r, where r is the coefficient of relationship, is obtained. The effect of isolation is enhanced if migration is mainly between adjacent groups and if group splitting is along family lines, as data on population structure of primates seem to indicate.
121 citations
TL;DR: In a system of N populations of n reproductive individuals apiece, in which each population has constant variance v(2) and lasts L generations, group selection on a quantitative character has a reasonable chance of overriding selection within populations if (and only if) the populations never exchange migrants.
Abstract: In a system of N populations of n reproductive individuals apiece, in which each population has constant variance v2 and lasts L generations, group selection on a quantitative character has a reasonable chance of overriding selection within populations if (and only if) the populations never exchange migrants, each population is founded by colonists from a single parent population, and the number of populations exceeds the effective number of reproductive individuals per population. If each population derives from a single parent population, then the exchange of a single successful migrant per population per L generations can triple the strength of group selection required to overcome a given selection within populations. If populations exchange no migrants, then the derivation of one in every N populations from two equally represented parents (while the others all derive from a single parent) doubles the strength of group selection required to prevail. Group selection is accordingly likely to be effective only in certain categories of parasites.
99 citations