Adaptation and Natural Selection

by Williams, George Christopher

• ISBN13: 9780691026152
• ISBN10: 0691026157
• Edition: Reprint
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1996-05-13
• Publisher: Princeton Univ Pr

Summary

Biological evolution is a fact--but the many conflicting theories of evolution remain controversial even today. In 1966, simple Darwinism, which holds that evolution functions primarily at the level of the individual organism, was threatened by opposing concepts such as group selection, a popular idea stating that evolution acts to select entire species rather than individuals. George Williams's famous argument in favor of the Darwinists struck a powerful blow to those in opposing camps. HisAdaptation and Natural Selection,now a classic of science literature, is a thorough and convincing essay in defense of Darwinism; its suggestions for developing effective principles for dealing with the evolution debate and its relevance to many fields outside biology ensure the timelessness of this critical work.

Author Biography

George C. Williams is Professor of Ecology and Evolution, and Emeritus at the State University of New York at Stony Brook.

Table of Contents

Preface (1996)
Preface
Introduction	p. 3
Natural Selection, Adaptation, and Progress	p. 20
Natural Selection, Ecology and Morphogenesis	p. 56
Group Selection	p. 92
Adaptations of the Genetic System	p. 125
Reproductive Physiology and Behavior	p. 158
Social Adaptations	p. 193
Other Supposedly Group-Related Adaptations	p. 221
The Scientific Study of Adaptation	p. 251
Literature Cited	p. 275
Index	p. 291
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