Robert A. Skipper and Michael R. Dietrich
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- December 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780199595372
- eISBN:
- 9780191774799
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199595372.003.0002
- Subject:
- Biology, Evolutionary Biology / Genetics
Sewall Wright's 1932 adaptive landscape diagram is the most influential visual heuristic in evolutionary biology. Yet, the diagram has met with criticism from biologists and philosophers since its ...
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Sewall Wright's 1932 adaptive landscape diagram is the most influential visual heuristic in evolutionary biology. Yet, the diagram has met with criticism from biologists and philosophers since its origination. This chapter states that the diagram is a valuable evaluation heuristic for assessing the dynamical behaviour of population genetics models. Although Wright's particular use of it is of dubious value, other biologists have established the diagram's positive heuristic value for evaluating dynamical behaviour. This chapter surveys some of the most influential biological and philosophical work considering the role of the adaptive landscape in evolutionary biology. The chapter builds on a distinction between models, metaphors, and diagrams to make a case for why adaptive landscapes as diagrams have heuristic value for evolutionary biologists.Less
Sewall Wright's 1932 adaptive landscape diagram is the most influential visual heuristic in evolutionary biology. Yet, the diagram has met with criticism from biologists and philosophers since its origination. This chapter states that the diagram is a valuable evaluation heuristic for assessing the dynamical behaviour of population genetics models. Although Wright's particular use of it is of dubious value, other biologists have established the diagram's positive heuristic value for evaluating dynamical behaviour. This chapter surveys some of the most influential biological and philosophical work considering the role of the adaptive landscape in evolutionary biology. The chapter builds on a distinction between models, metaphors, and diagrams to make a case for why adaptive landscapes as diagrams have heuristic value for evolutionary biologists.
