Adaptationist Hypothesis

An adaptationist program has been a reason in evolutionary hypotheses for quite some time. The adaptationist program is based on natural selection as an optimizing agent. Adaptation is a trait that an individual carries that helps him or her do well in a particular environment. (Fuentes, 2009). The adaptationist program consist of two steps; everything is treated as a single trait which was optimally considered by natural selection, and if that step fails, recognize that optimization of the whole requires trade-offs and thus some traits might be compromised. (Gould and Lewontin, 1979). Despite suggesting that constraints on how organisms can develop and constraint on how species can evolve is a major adaptationist explanation on how species and traits evolve. The papers are addressing a critique of the adaptationist program to see if the hypotheses regarding evolution that …show more content…
The adaptationist program hypotheses regarding evolution usefulness does not always make clear distinctions, and if not properly executed the hypotheses are not helpful in understanding evolution. Adaptation needs to be examined through different approaches. Adaptation relies on natural selection and selection is not a chance process. (Mayr, 1982). Adaptationist program does help in parts of evolutionary biology including genes, but not of the organisms. The evolutionary process falls short with adaptation, since there are different forms of adaptations. If development occurs it cannot be examined piece by piece in evolution then the adaptationist program cannot explain the alteration of the developmental programs. (Gould and Lewontin, 1979). Since evolutionists consider demonstrating that organisms are truly well adapted, and the adaptations is caused by natural

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