1979/06/01 by Susan K. Mills, John Beatty · 403 citations
Arts and Humanities · Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Social Sciences · #Artificial intelligence #Biology #Computer science #Epistemology #Evolution and Genetic Dynamics #Evolutionary Game Theory and Cooperation #Evolutionary biology #Evolutionary theory #Extant taxon #Inclusive fitness #Interpretation (philosophy) #Natural selection #Philosophy #Philosophy and History of Science #Selection (genetic algorithm)
paper · doi:10.1086/288865
published in Philosophy of Science 46(2), 263-286 (Cambridge University Press)
openalex publication_date 1979/06/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/07
The concept of “fitness” is a notion of central importance to evolutionary theory. Yet the interpretation of this concept and its role in explanations of evolutionary phenomena have remained obscure. We provide a propensity interpretation of fitness, which we argue captures the intended reference of this term as it is used by evolutionary theorists. Using the propensity interpretation of fitness, we provide a Hempelian reconstruction of explanations of evolutionary phenomena, and we show why charges of circularity which have been levelled against explanations in evolutionary theory are mistaken. Finally, we provide a definition of natural selection which follows from the propensity interpretation of fitness, and which handles all the types of selection discussed by biologists, thus improving on extant definitions.