9 - Big-Picture Questions

Summary

● Dynamical laws in evolutionary biology often take the form of a priori conditionals. The idea that a priori dynamical generalizations are laws is defended and shown to have anti-reductionist consequences. ● The definitions of determinism and indeterminism usually used in physics and philosophy differ from the definitions often used in population genetics. ● The question of what it means for a probability to have an objective interpretation is clarified. ● A necessary and sufficient condition is described for when indeterminism at the micro-level gives rise to determinism at the macro-level. It is argued that this condition is rarely if ever satisfied. ● Several objective interpretations of probability are canvased and criticized. ● The question is raised of why an interpretation of objective probabilities is needed. ● The concepts of inevitability, contingency, and sensitivity to initial conditions in evolutionary processes are explored. ● The question of whether evolution is an information-destroying process is investigated.