Talk:Natural selection
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Used a sock to sneak this out of CP, removed some stuff, just needs more references now. MiddleMan
This could be improved to get it to fearured standard. Proxima Centauri 15:57, 23 May 2008 (EDT)
Natural selection is a false term[edit]
Nature does not select, natural selection is a false term as acknowledged by Darwin. "In the literal sense of the word, no doubt, natural selection is a false term." The Origin of Species (1859)
Charles Darwin in a letter to William Henry Harvey wrote:
"The term "selection," I see, deceives many persons, though I see no more reason why it should than elective affinity, as used by the old chemists. If I had to rewrite my book, I would use "natural preservation" or "naturally preserved". I should think you would as soon take an emetic as reread any part of my book; but if you did, and were to erase selection and selected, and insert preservation and preserved, possibly the subject would be clearer." More Letters of Charles Darwin - Volume 1 - Page 124 — Unsigned, by: Jean / talk / contribs
- The term "natural selection" is actually a shortened version of "natural selection through random mutation" and "natural preservation" is simply ridiculous, as the mutations do not preserve, they adapt the creatures in question for whatever selection pressures they face. ☭Comrade GC☭Ministry of Praise 17:51, 6 October 2018 (UTC)
- It is a big semantics dispute but if you read modern scientific papers, the term "natural selection" is used to signify differential reproduction, nothing else. Darwin did not know about mutations, his theory of heredity (pangenesis) was wrong. I agree with you "natural preservation" is ridiculous, but so is "natural selection", it is a false term. Jean (talk) 15:28, 7 October 2018 (UTC)