Abstract
I AM glad that Cain admits that genetic drift may be a real factor in evolution, even though he may not be willing to admit that its effect is significant. Since I have not wished to express an opinion on the relative importance of selection and drift, it seems that the only point at issue between us is that I do not accept the present evidence as being so strongly against drift that we should not, when dealing with some types of evolutionary change—especially trivial changes in micro-evolution—regard it and selection as equally possible explanations when neither is proved. If we do so regard them, it seems as much a fallacy to assume selection alone where there is no disproof of drift, as to assume drift wherever there is no proof of selection. If in any case analysis of selective effects is incomplete, this fact cannot be used as evidence against drift as the efficient cause.
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CARTER, G. Non-adaptive or Neutral Characters in Evolution. Nature 168, 1049 (1951). https://doi.org/10.1038/1681049c0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/1681049c0
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