Wesley R. Elsberry
Posts: 4991
Joined: May 2002
|
Mutations are not beneficial, neutral, or detrimental on their own, nor is their contribution to fitness fixed for all time. Mutations contribute to fitness in a context, and as the context changes, so may the value of its contribution to fitness. Fitness is a value that applies to the phenotype in ensemble. Mendel's Accountant appears instead to assume that mutations have a fixed value that cannot be changed by context. Thus, Mendel's Accountant appears to completely ignore research on compensatory mutations.
Because the value of a mutation depends on context, a particular mutation may be beneficial, neutral, or detrimental at initial appearance, but later become part of a different class as other mutations come into play. Mendel's Accountant treats mutations as falling into a fixed class.
These faults alone suffice to disqualify Mendel's Accountant from any claim to providing an accurate simulation of biological evolution.
--------------
"You can't teach an old dogma new tricks." - Dorothy Parker
|
