Article ID: CBB000410746

Nongenetic Selection and Nongenetic Inheritance (2004)

unapi

According to the received view of evolution, only genes are inherited. From this view it follows that only genetically-caused phenotypic variation is selectable and, thereby, that all selection is at bottom genetic selection. This paper argues that the received view is wrong. In many species, there are intergenerationally-stable phenotypic differences due to environmental differences. Natural selection can act on these nongenetically-caused phenotypic differences in the same way it acts on genetically-caused phenotypic differences. Some selection is at bottom nongenetic selection. The argument against the received view involves a reformulation of the concepts of inheritance and heritability. Inherited factors are all those developmental factors responsible for parent-offspring similarity; some inherited factors are genetic and some are not. Heritable variation is intergenerationally-stable phenotypic variation; some such variation is genetically-caused and some is not.

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https://data.isiscb.org/isis/citation/CBB000410746/

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Authors & Contributors
McLoone, Brian
Laura Nuño de la Rosa
Villegas, Cristina
DiMarco, Marina
Minelli, Alessandro
Wouters, Arno G.
Concepts
Biology
Philosophy of biology
Evolution
Natural selection
Inheritance
Genetics
Time Periods
20th century
20th century, early
19th century
21st century
20th century, late
Places
England
United States
Great Britain
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