http://www.bothbrainsandbeauty.com/academic-discussions/natural-selection-1063 For the modern girl who has it all. Fri, 06 Aug 2010 01:52:21 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 http://www.bothbrainsandbeauty.com/academic-discussions/natural-selection-1063/comment-page-1#comment-548 BBAB Wed, 10 Feb 2010 08:36:24 +0000 http://www.bothbrainsandbeauty.com/?p=1063#comment-548 Michelle Duggar is indeed an excellent example of reproductive fitness. However, the idea of Darwinian Fitness does not place restrictions on outcomes of the reproduction. The definition of Darwinian Fitness is the relative likelihood of an organism to contribute to the gene pool of a population, which both Octomom and Michelle Dugar have done to a higher degree than the average human organism. The methods used to calculate Darwinian Fitness do not take other variables into account, such as fertility drugs or developmental disabilities. We must be careful to not mix up the idea of Darwinian Fitness (or reproductive fitness), as described above, with the idea of a more generalized general fitness, or an organism's suitability to survive in its environment and produce viable offspring. In the sense of generalized fitness, I would agree with you that Michelle Duggar would be a much better example, representing an organism that is able to reproduce more efficiently than other members of the population. In the context of the ideas surrounding Darwinian Fitness, however, I would tend to disagree and posit that they are both good examples of reproductive fitness, only because of their contribution to the gene pool, which is the only consideration the Darwinian Fitness calculation takes into account. Michelle Duggar is indeed an excellent example of reproductive fitness. However, the idea of Darwinian Fitness does not place restrictions on outcomes of the reproduction. The definition of Darwinian Fitness is the relative likelihood of an organism to contribute to the gene pool of a population, which both Octomom and Michelle Dugar have done to a higher degree than the average human organism. The methods used to calculate Darwinian Fitness do not take other variables into account, such as fertility drugs or developmental disabilities. We must be careful to not mix up the idea of Darwinian Fitness (or reproductive fitness), as described above, with the idea of a more generalized general fitness, or an organism's suitability to survive in its environment and produce viable offspring. In the sense of generalized fitness, I would agree with you that Michelle Duggar would be a much better example, representing an organism that is able to reproduce more efficiently than other members of the population. In the context of the ideas surrounding Darwinian Fitness, however, I would tend to disagree and posit that they are both good examples of reproductive fitness, only because of their contribution to the gene pool, which is the only consideration the Darwinian Fitness calculation takes into account.

]]> http://www.bothbrainsandbeauty.com/academic-discussions/natural-selection-1063/comment-page-1#comment-529 Diana Wed, 03 Feb 2010 22:01:16 +0000 http://www.bothbrainsandbeauty.com/?p=1063#comment-529 You might want to rethink using Octomom as one of your examples. Her breeding success has nothing to do with genetics and everything to do with manipulation of science. A more accurate description of someone who is considered an example of reproductive fitness would be Michelle Duggar, who has given birth to 19 children without the use of assisted reproduction. In fact, considering at least 3 of Octomom's children have some form of developmental disability, she is quite the antethesis of reporductive fitness. You might want to rethink using Octomom as one of your examples. Her breeding success has nothing to do with genetics and everything to do with manipulation of science. A more accurate description of someone who is considered an example of reproductive fitness would be Michelle Duggar, who has given birth to 19 children without the use of assisted reproduction. In fact, considering at least 3 of Octomom's children have some form of developmental disability, she is quite the antethesis of reporductive fitness.

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