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Emergent group traits, reproduction, and levels of selection

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 June 2014

Samir Okasha*
Affiliation:
Department of Philosophy, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TB, UK. Samir.Okasha@bristol.ac.ukhttp://www.bristol.ac.uk/school-of-arts/people/samir-okasha/index.html

Abstract

All group traits, “emergent” or otherwise, are ultimately dependent on the traits and behaviours of the individuals that constitute the group. Unless a process of “group reproduction” is envisaged, this means that the evolution of group traits can in principle be studied in an individualistic way, by studying the dynamics of the underlying individual traits on which they depend.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2014 

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References

Frank, S. A. (2013) Natural selection. VII. History and interpretation of kin selection theory. Journal of Evolutionary Biology 26:1151–84.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
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Okasha, S. (2006) Evolution and the levels of selection. Oxford University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Okasha, S. (in press) The relation between kin and multi-level selection: An approach using causal graphs. British Journal for the Philosophy of Science.Google Scholar