The Collapse of Darwinism, Or, The Rise of a Realist Theory of LifeIn this provocative work, noted social and economic theorist Graeme D. Snooks exposes fatal flaws in the foundations of the Darwinian theory of evolution, which he deems an "artificial algorithm," as well as the neo-Darwinian synthesis adopted by many social scientists. Utilizing the historical method, Snooks develops a remarkable replacement theory of evolution, which he calls the "dynamic-strategy" theory. While the neo-Darwinian position places too great an emphasis on genetic change--giving rise to untenable but popular concepts such as the "selfish gene"--and fails to explain the fluctuating fortunes of life's most successful species (mankind), Snooks' framework starts by systematically observing the broad patterns of life and human society. The resultant realist theory of life posits life as a strategic pursuit (rather than a game of chance) in which organisms adopt dynamic strategies (only one of which is genetic change) to survive and prosper. Organisms' and species' progress is achieved through "strategic selection"--a concept that displaces the "divine selection" of creationists and the "natural selection" of Darwinists. This new theory reveals the organism as empowered, rather than as the plaything of gods, genes, or blind chance; and it provides a new basis for humanism. |
Contents
The ImageMakers and Evangelists | 129 |
Rising from the Ruins | 147 |
The DynamicStrategy Theory of Life | 199 |
The Driving Force | 219 |
Strategic Selection | 231 |
Lifes Dynamic Mechanisms | 251 |
The Dynamics of Social Organization | 265 |
The Laws of Life | 279 |
Common terms and phrases
able access to natural animal archosaurs behavior biological brain chapter collapse commerce strategy competition concept conquest strategy Darwin Darwin's theory Darwinian Darwinists Dawkins Descent dinosaurs dominant dynamic strategy driving force dynamic mechanisms dynamic model dynamic strategy dynamic theory dynamic-strategy theory dynasty economic Eldredge emergence employed endothermic eukaryote evidence evolutionary exhausted explain extended phenotype extinction family-multiplication strategy farmyard analogy forms fossil genetic change genetic option genetic paradigm genetic strategy genetic styles human society ideas increase individuals laws males mammals materialist organism maximize myrs ago myrs BP natural resources natural selection naturalists neo-Darwinism neo-Darwinists outcome paleontologists paradigm shift population protomammals punctuated equilibria pursued replaced revolution Richard Dawkins rise and fall selfish gene sexual selection Snooks social sociobiologists speciation species strategic demand strategic gene strategic imitation strategic pursuit strategic selection strategists structure struggle survival and prosperity technological paradigm shifts technology option theory of natural timescapes tion Trivers Wilson