追问“基因选择”

Questioning “Genic Selectionism”

"基因选择",或"自私基因"假说是解决"自然选择单位"问题的主要进路之一。"自私基因"假说认为,基因是自然选择的最终单位。但批评"基因选择"的"因果扭曲论证"断言,自然选择可以作用在个体、群体等层次,从而造成基因频率的改变,"基因选择"误解了自然选择过程中的因果关系。然而,此论证忽略了由中心法则保证的基因-性状/行为间的因果关系,并不能真正驳倒"基因选择"。

Genic selectionism or the selfish gene hypothesis is a major approach to the units of natural selection in philosophy of biology.The hypothesis argues that gene is the ultimate unit of natural selection.Anti-genic selectionists refute it by 'The Causal Distortion Argument',which claims that selection can work at higher levels and then produce changes at the genic level.It indicates that genic selectionism distorts the causal process of natural selection.However,this argument cannot overturn genic selectionism,since it neglects the causal relationship between genes and trait/behaviours.This relationship is ensured by the Central Dogma.